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SteveConn
08-23-2012, 08:10 PM
I've got this growth on a couple corals near the top of my tank. It does not come off without scraping ... seems to be attached to the coral. Very fine, soft fuzz.
This pic shows the worst section. Is it fungi?

Parameters:
Alk 9.5
Ca 435
PO4 2ppm
Nitrates undetectable
Temp 79-79.5
pH 8.12-8.22
Very lightly stocked 75gal + ~25g sump with skimmer, filtersocks, refugium, PO4x4 in reactor, carbon in 1 sock

I had a close call with some serious bleaching a few weeks ago when a fan fell into the water for 3 hours while I was at work. Copper leached into the system. Lost 1 shrimp and color on almost all SPS was bone white.
Added carbon and did a lot of water changes. System is stable again and almost back to full color. I had a partial dieoff off my montiporas.

Should I dip the coral? Suggestions?

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j410/Steve_ConnYYC/99EC7B82-26F3-4610-A344-46ECF119179F-246-0000003BFE36719F.jpg

SteveConn
08-24-2012, 09:03 PM
Anyone??
Dont know if I should let it be, cut off affected areas, or hope that it goes away and allow the coral to grow back over the skeleton.
This stuff barely comes off when I try to scape it.

Enigma
08-24-2012, 09:49 PM
Looks like you've stumped 58 people!

I don't know either.

Considering the coral looks like a writeoff . . . if it were me I'd try a hydrogen peroxide dip (1:10 H202:Saltwater) for ten minutes. But (a word of warning) I've have only had that be successful on green algae. It hasn't worked (for me) on red turf algae, or on cyano bacteria, or dinoflagellates.

I have dipped SPS in H202 in the past, and I haven't lost anything as a result of the dips. The SPS have browned quite badly, but have come back quickly. One birdsnest (which was in dreadful shape) has rebounded amazingly.

Snaz
08-24-2012, 09:54 PM
I am no SPS expert but that is fungus which to me would mean the tissue is dead. Break a branch off and give it a whiff.

apexifd
08-24-2012, 10:03 PM
looks like algae growth. I think there are some coraline growth as well.

SteveConn
08-25-2012, 05:31 AM
The stuff is pure white. Doubt it's photosynthetic

SteveConn
08-27-2012, 07:10 PM
Well, I fragged off the affected parts of the coral. There is still a small spot left. I want to get my microscope out of storage (moving soon) and take a look to get a better idea of what I am dealing with. Anyone interested in pics if I do?
I'm a little surprised that nobody else has had this issue... lucky me! This stuff took about 1/3 of a caroliniana colony.

Snaz
08-27-2012, 09:37 PM
Did it stink?

SteveConn
08-28-2012, 08:01 AM
No. Usual saltwater smell... nothing rotten.