Corals browning/not opening/reseating etc...

Which corals? What test kit are you using for phosphate? Most don't measure down to 0.01.

What lights and how old?

Are you using AC? Every tank needs to run AC regularly to remove alleopathic/territorial chemicals.

What has been changed in the last month? new salt, new bucket, new AC, new water, new food, etc.?

Feeding? Is there a nipping fish?

Did some foreign object, soap or chemical get into the tank accidentally?

Top-off water problem?

AC=Activated Carbon

  Now we are on to something.
How was AC run before?
Is the media reactor new or used?
When the media reactor was filled, was the AC from the same container/bag as before? Was it a different brand?
Is some type of Phosphate remover also running in this media reactor? What type? Had P remover been used before and how was it used?

Oh and one more thing. Are any coral dieing back or are they just not opening up like they used to? Which coral are affected?

Aloha,
Mark


Edited by Mark Peterson - November 03 2013 at 7:33am

So it's not just limited to SPS? Have you checked for pests?

Also, most hobbyist test kits only measure one type of phosphate (can't remember if it's organic or inorganic...either way)...so you could still have an excess of the other one.

So the AC bag is still in the filter floss bag then, right?

Moosetang wrote: All I am using in the reactor is BRS Bio Pellets.

Biopellets are serious business. This is a huge change to the tank.
Is there anything else?

You made a very drastic change to your system adding the reactor and could be starving your corals. I've done some reading about biopellet reactors because I'm trying to figure out if I want one when I put my cube on line -- from what I understand its a lot safer to take about a month to slowly add the biopellets to the reactor and you need to start heavily feeding your tank daily. Some also say you should add a bacterial additive to your tank when you put these reactors on line.

Edited by Molli - November 03 2013 at 5:47pm

If your corals are browning, then that's not likely from starvation. Starving corals usually turn pastel, then bleach, then recede in extreme cases. Can you post pictures? That would really help....

You'd know if you were testing for both types of phosphate as those test kits are about $200+ the last time I checked. So, basically, you could have an excess of the type you aren't testing for. But, if you're running a biopellet reactor, those numbers should be declining.

There are plenty of good coral dips out there, including CoralRx, Revive, TMPCC, Lugol's, etc. I personally use CoralRx and Bayer Insecticide (found at Home Depot/Lowe's in the insect killer aisle.) Red/Gray/Black bugs will cause your corals to turn brown and not extend polyps. But, red bugs (acroporanus tegastes) only affect Acropora corals. Gray/Black bugs can infect LPS and SPS (probably softies too). AEFW only infect Acropora, and they cause the coral to turn brown then white as they eat the tissue.

Molli wrote: ...from what I understand its a lot safer to take about a month to slowly add the biopellets to the reactor...

Turn off the reactor and let the tank recover. Study the use of biopellets and when the tank has recovered, if you decide to try again, go slowly, watching the tank carefully as you go.
That's my best advice.