Comments on: STN and The Real Issues, part 3

By: vlad

vlad — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:24:16 +0000

It could happen with heavy metals, such as copper. But having a rusty nail or a rusty blade in the tank will not cause an STN event. While PO4 removing media can induce a slight case of STN if the phosphates are removed from solution too quickly. I would suggest to force a slower flow through the media chamber.

Are the polyps out on these corals?

By: Razvan

Razvan — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:12:45 +0000

I’m now going through a heart-breaking STN episode (but thank God it’s not RTN!). My K is low (280) although the accuracy of these hobby tests is questionable – a friend of mine got the same reading and he has no STN. I can’t measure the Bromide though. Anyone know a good source of Bromide available over the counter? I’m willing to experiment dosing various stuff in order to determine what’s causing this.
Has anyone linked STN to poisoning by heavy metals or anything else? I have been keeping a rusty fan over the tank… and also some decaying rubber bands in the water!
What about the use of phosphate removing media? Could that have triggered STN as long as hair algae are still present in the display tank? (meaning that phosphate is not zero)
My NO3 is around 3, kinda low, but I do feed corals daily.
Funny thing is that some acros grow like mad and are well coloured while others don’t grow, get STN from the bottom-up and sometimes even from the tips down. In fact even the sick ones are coloured; it’s only recently that some branches have started showing that morbid brown that foretells death within a day.

By: vlad

vlad — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:03:48 +0000

No they are produced by the system (zeo). to keep them that colored and growing, they have to constantly add supplements.

Like I said, its a great marketing train.

By: Hubert

Hubert — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:22:59 +0000

so you are saying that all those zeovit.com showcase tanks with very light color sps are all stressed tanks?

This is the first time I hear this hypothesis though.

By: vlad

vlad — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:09:44 +0000

If the overall color is pale, or washed out.. very light in color, then yes the coral is stressed out.

By: Hubert

Hubert — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:52:32 +0000

so the pastel colour are all cause by stress colour? like light pink, light blue

By: vlad

vlad — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:00:41 +0000

The lightened color is due to corals expelling the symbiotic zooxanthellae. In my opinion, this look is achieved by starvation of corals. It is a stressed out look. Only through additives that these corals are allowed to continue to survive.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:39:33 +0000

Interesting reading… my only question is why people report increased coloration when using zeo or vodka or other low nutrient systems? Is this simply because of the other things they dose? If so, why should the color be different than when not using a low nutrient system?

By: M007

M007 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:04:32 +0000

Love/Hate relationship for me. When things are good I love them, but when things are bad it’s really baaaaaaaaaaaaad! Keep up the good work guys, always thought provoking reading here.

By: Hubert

Hubert — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:14:16 +0000

Frankly no

But this is one of the non-clownfish thing I like to read more from the experts here.