Green Slimer not doing well???

[greenstarfish03]

I'm new w/ SPS's but have had a tank for more then 6 years. I have a green slimer frag that isn't doing good. It initially grew and encrusted the plug but now the tips are looking whitish and it seems like red algae instantly grows on the tips. Looks like its working its way down the coral. The bottom is still bright green.

I have a blue milli that is bleached out as well but it isn't growing all of the red stuff like the green slimer. I have three sunset millis and a bonsi that are all doing fine. Good color, polyp extension and good growth.

5 new T5s. Just swaped the bulbs last week.
top of tank in frag rack on the sid
water params are good
CA is above 400

They just don't seem to be happy. I blow off the red stuff and it comes back instantly. No cyano or red stuff on anything else really.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[XSiVE]

what's your Alk at?

how do you add alk?

did the slimer start acting up before or after you changed the lights?

[greenstarfish03]

Started acting up before I changed the lights. I will measure my alk in a few. I have been having some issues keeping it stable. How does alk affect an sps? I use the two part dose one for alk and one for ca.

[ReeferRob]

Too high of alk will burn the tips, too low and youll see some RTNing at the base. Its very very important to keep alk as stable as possible will little fluctuations. Swing of 2 ppm could be catastrophic.

Could be the bulb switch over as well. How old were the ones that were replaced? Typically when I change out my T5 bulbs I only do 1 maybe 2 at a time. Wait a week then do some more. Also reduce the photoperiod a bit.
I've heard some say that dosing iodine (which can be dangerous) thats why I will occasionally use Kent TechI, helps build up a protective almost sunscreen for acros.

[greenstarfish03]

Old bulbs were between 12-14 months so they were ready to be switched, but the issue started before the light switch. I bet u it was the alk. I used to never mess w/ my alk but I decided I should and I think I over did it. I didn't realize it has that kind of affect. My alk was high and the tips are definitely hosed and now I can't keep the red algae off. Seems to be moving down the coral. I will fix my ALK first.

[jolson10450]

+1 on the alk, if its high it tends to burn tips

[XSiVE]

You said "trouble keeping it stable" Im going to say what most SPS junkies will say. Alk swings will hurt hurt hurt your acroporas and can cause tip issues like you are having. Can you test something and pinch one of the tips of the slimer? if it crushes easy it's an alk swing issue.

Even if you are just adding it once a day, it will raise up significantly at that point and then slowly drop during the day. big swings like this are bad.

How much alk are you adding each time that you are adding it?

[greenstarfish03]

Ok I have an answer. ALK issue. At my old house my ALK stayed really stable and I never had to mess with it, but since I moved I'm now on city water and I have had issues w/ it. Problem is I didn't realize how important it was until just now. I need to get this adjusted and them come up w/ a plan to keep this stable w/ little work. I travel allot so I know for a fact my wife won't manually dose it while I'm gone.

ALK was way down to 4.8 and I did the test on the tip and I've never crushed one before but I think it crushed pretty easy.

I kinda use this plan:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

I say kinda b/c when I travel it gets neglected which I imagine results in swings now that u bring it up.

I use receipt #2 and I add about 3/4 cup of each part but not as regularly as I should. I think I need help figuring out how much to add to make it right and how fast to do that and then what to do to keep consistent knowing I will be traveling at times.

I appreciate all of the help. Like I said before i moved I never had to pay much attention to my alk. It was always good so I got in the habit of testing it rarely.

[XSiVE]

YAY! Im glad you got it figured out.. SPS coral skeletons shouldnt crush under the little amount of pressure our fingers can exert, and if they can your fingers should really hurt afterward.

Im not sure how much alk your system consumes but Ive had a lot of luck keeping mine stable with dosing pumps such as these: http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/...er-minute.html

[greenstarfish03]

Thanks Xsive your full of good answers for me lately I just bought a RKL and now I apparently need another $100 item Would I need two of those pumps to dose alk and CA?

I used forceps not my fingers but it was pretty easy. So is the slimer hit or can I still save it?

How fast should I move my ALK up? I think that is how I got in this mess in the first place. My alk was low so I raised it. Then I raised it to much, and now its too low. Until I can get a pump what would be a good way to raise it. Keeping in mind I'm home this week and next and then Ill be gone for a week for work.