Pale kenya, zoa skirts, pocillopora, monti cap - Tech M overdose? Or new tank?(pics)

More of an observation/conversation thread than troubleshooting.
As the title says, I have some corals that have gone pale on me, others are just fine.
Set this tank up March 5th with new mix (actually the new Reef Crystals) only keeping 10 gallons of old water (old RC), new 4x54w T5's (came from 14g Biocube w/48w PC which explains the 10g). Everything looked great with better coloration, didn't acclimate to the new lights and kept the old lighting schedule.
I had an algae outbreak that several people informed me (on Reef Central) was bryopsis - popular cure for bryopsis is heavily dosing Tech M. There is a theory that the elevated magnesium levels don't kill the algae but rather some byproduct in the Tech M.
Could be:
1. The brand new formulation of Reef Crystals (had older product - takes a while to kill a 160g bucket with a Biocube!)
2. The overwhelming volume of new water and light bioload (2 clowns) that is low in nutrients
3. New intense lighting without acclimation - 48w PC ->216w T5 HO
4. Coincidence
5. Tech M overdose
I don't remember reading that people have lost corals with Tech M, but they are sometimes irritated.
Algae in question has changed form dark green to pale green, clowns/snails wouldn't touch it before and now where they've eaten it hasn't really returned.
I'm not overly concerned at this point, haven't done water changes but have cut lighting times. I realize that it can take time for corals to show stress from new mix and lighting so I'm waiting.
Rainbow frogspawn is loving life, candy cane fine, red monti cap is fine, blue/green tree leather fine, cabbage fine, palys fine, GSP fine, shrooms fine, bam-bams fine, fish, snails, crabs, bristles all healthy.
Corals of concern have great extension, look healthy and show growth.
I dosed an entire 16 oz. bottle of Tech M over 24 hours (+/- 65g volume) on the 16th - pics from the 19th (and earlier for comparison). Elos test kit didn't show a change in Mg levels (thinking bad kit).
Can't get decent pics of the green monti caps - showing growth but have turned a very pale green color.
Cabbage leather is slightly pale, but otherwise healthy.
Armor of Gods:
8th

11th

19th

Other Zoas (specifically with orange skirts)
9th

19th

 

Kenya Tree
9th

19th

Pocillopora
9th


19th

 

My thought is that the Tech M, while affecting the nuisance algae, has also damaged the zooxanthellae in the other corals. Sounds like this is normal for some corals with no long term effect.
Interesting development, though.
I'm considering increasing the lighting to compensate.
I do find it perculiar, though, that the tank was set up on the 5th, everything looked fine on the 16th (dose day) and the 17th, but had gone to this on the 18th (shot pics on the 19th).
I am going to test params in a little bit just to see, but still have no way to test Mg with confidence.  I did take more pics today and everything is pretty much the same - there may be slight differences that could be in my head.
BTW - I know there are aptasia and mojave in the pics but I'm letting everthing stabalize before I go messing around with kalk and vinegar.
-Eric

 

Posted By h2so4hurts on 03/23/2009 01:30 PM
Your kenya tree looks exactly like mine, a pale pink color, and mine is sitting under a 250w 14k metal halide. I'll bet it's the lighting change. I have some xenia that I put in at the same time, right next to each other. One is shaded by a rock and has very deep/intense coloration, while the other, right under the light, is much lighter and brighter. Both grow like weeds... You can check them out when you stock by.
That's also the way mine used to look in my old 75g under 2x250w MH's @ 14k w/260w PC actinic.
Kinda liked the darker color from before.
I also used to have quite a few purple shrooms in the 75, and the ones in the shade had much darker coloration that the ones out in the open.

 

Posted By brtfreud on 03/23/2009 02:04 PM
I agree, it is lighting related.
The truth is that the tank is still aging and it is hard to pinpoint one thing especially with the lights being changed. I would leave the tank be for 7 days with little to no change. I know it is hard but that is the best thing to do.
That's why I haven't freaked out and done anything about it.  I know that a tank can take from several months to a year before it starts to reach maturity and posted this more as a conversation than anything else.
Never had zoas change to such a pale color before - and it is interesting that it happened 2 days after the Tech M.
While I don't think that I dosed that much, it has affected my nuisance algae so it's possible that the zooxanthellae were impacted.  This is a noted side effect, and if it is the cause everything should be fine in about 30 days.
With so many variables at the same time, I'll never know with 100% certainty the exact cause and everything would be acclimated in 30 days anyway.

 

Posted By jbrunken on 03/23/2009 03:12 PM
Yup, my Kenya trees (also under 250W 14K's) look exactly like the ones you have listed for the 19th. I also have Pocillapora with the exact same coloration as your pictures from the 19th. Where'd your Pocillapora come from?
This came from Double_J through a 3rd party.
According to his tank of the month write-up, it should look like this, which is more like how mine looked earlier (though not as big ):

But he does have this variety as well:

 

Tonight I noticed that a little color is returning to the AOG's skirts.

I also noticed that all of my zoas are flat against their mount - indication of intense lighting.  The AOG's used to reach up 2" under the PC's trying to get more light.

-Eric

 

Posted By jbrunken on 03/23/2009 05:49 PM
I'd love to have some of that purple stuff from JJ, but until I get more flow in my tank I'm not going to seek out any Birdsnest or Pocillapora...   As soon as it gets big and dense enough that the flow doesn't reach the center they always start to RTN on me.
-JB I've read about this problem with Pocillapora and I'm sure I'll have issues in the future.
I have a lot of flow, but it's powerheads versus a surge device which I need to work on.

 

Thought I should check a few simple params:
SG - 1.0275 - whoops!  Doing an immediate 4g ->4g RO/DI change which should drop it to approx 1.026, I'll check it again in the morning and adjust of needed (use refractometer)
Nitrates - 0
Ammonia - .025 -This surprised me (Going to check trites as well in a bit)
Phosphate - 0
Temp 79
With these surprises, I'm going to check calcium/Alk and PH as well.
Still doesn't explain the problem but I'm sure going from 1.0245 ->1.0275 didn't help! I don't know if this is technically hyper-salinity, but I'm sure it's close!

 

4 gallons took me to 1.026, I'll do another 3g tomorrow night to get me into the lower 1.025's which is where I'll keep it, I may go a touch lower.

I lose a gallon a day with a 4 gallon max with my sump - 1.025 would give me a theoretical threshold of 1.026 if I was away for 4 days.
-Eric

 

Posted By h2so4hurts on 03/25/2009 05:53 AM
ATO's are your friend /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/tongue.gif
I know as I used to run one.
If you ever see my setup, you'll be able to judge the difficulties that I'll encounter - doesn't mean that I'm not planning one.  Wonder how far you can run 1/4" RO line...

 

Checked SG this morning and it was @ 1.0265 so I did a 3 gallon swap -will test again tonight and adjust if needed.

Temp             77
SG                 1.0265
Ca                 440
Phos              0
Dkh                6 (107.4) - I know it's low
PH                 8.2
Ammonia       0.25
Trites