SPS problem

[leonard2k]

well i new to SPS

recently i got 3 SPS

but 2 dead last 1 is bleaching from bottom

well i think mine is light not enough

initially i using T5 4 tube 39 W

2 blue plus, 1 white, 1 purple.

when i realise that sps is dying is kinda too late

coz the SPS all bleach from bottom, due to i stuck them in btw rock it might not receive enough light

when i realise that i change all T5

now 3 blue plus 1 purple

then i add a clip on MH 150 Watt 14K quite white version

well i wonder if SPS start bleaching at bottom will it recover?

and also all top parts spores do open

maybe tonight i tank some pictures

My tank 3 2 2

[dnsfpl]

water parameter?

[leonard2k]

left in circle when put in is purple and nice

then 1 week turn bit brown

2 week bottom start to bleach

right side in red circle

lower bottom bleach liao, i believe the bleach part cannot recover

kh 9

cal = 380

mg i think 1100, a bit forget measure few days ago remember is just nice below required a bit

ph 8.3

amonia = 0

no2 = 0

no3 = i think 5? btw first colour chart and 2nd

T5 4 tube, 2 blue plus , 1 white , 1 purple and 8 hr per day

picture taken 2-3 week ago

now totally which and gone

before it gone it still opens

same with my first picture on the right

it opens but then below still bleaching

but my other LPS is doing good.

well the only problem i think of is light

my tank is beside window

sunlight can go in a bit 20%?

no algae at main tank coz i got a algae scrubber doing well

well now i trying to save my sps at the most left as bleach is still not that bad

now my tank spec

4Tube T5 , newly change 3 tube blue plus ati, 1 purple ati 8 mth 8 hours daily

MH 14k 150W 5hours daily

Algae Scrubber with 18W Warm white and 18W pure White run 8 hr oppersite of my main tank

8 hours no light from electric but there is a bit sunlight

Skimz Skimmer 201 24hr

manually add in mg,ca,kh, strongtium weekly

dose 5 in 1 coral good 2 times a week 2 caps each

return pump 3000 flow rate

2 X wave maker at main tank both blow diagonally from bottom to upwards.

[james72]

New Tank Syndrome?

[hammy]

what is your tank temperature?

[staromsa]

Well, not an expert, just a beginner , but from what i see and what u told posted, your nutrient levels could be at high levels. Esp your no3. Try to keep it as close to 0 as possible.. as for another major factor that is causing your sps to browned up , you might wanna consider testing on your po4 levels as well. You might think that yes you have a algae scrubber to scrub off your algae manually. But fact is that if theres algae growth, it determines 1 thing, which is the algae has po4 to feed on.. hence more regular water changes is required and would suggest that u use a phosphate remover. Thats for the browning part. Now into the bleavhing part, like what bro dnsfpl and james72 said, it could be water parameters unstable, or new tank syndrome. What youre facing i suppose is probably known as STN and RTN. Also if bleaching were to start from bottom, you might wanna consider looking out for pest or EGGS. Because some pest i known of that esp attacks from sps base and weaker sps is the deadly Flatworm. Hope that helps.

[reefer guy]

you need a chiller.

[tqut]

you need a chiller.

I agree with reefer guy.

manually add in mg,ca,kh, strongtium weekly

dose 5 in 1 coral good 2 times a week 2 caps each

Most SPS problems are linked in one way or another to Alk fluctuation. Keep Alk stable 24/7 and SPS will grow. If there is not enough light or high nutrients, SPS will turn brown first.

Just my opinion.

Thanks

[sherman]

Check your PO4 and NO3 with reliable tester.

Must be near zero. Especially PO4

[leonard2k]

hmmm some how my another new birdnest sps is bleaching very very slowly from bottom up, 1 mm per week. bleach up.

realise only those with spores open up have these issue. some other sps no issue like monti

api test kit ------po4 near zero first colour on chart

salifade test kit no3 0.2

api test kit ------no2 near zero first colour on chart

api test kit ------amonia near zero first colour on chart

salifade test kit MG -1500

salifade test kit CA - 520

salifade test kit KH - 12

PH 24hr meter - 8.4 constant

temp 26-27

i think i have enough light so far not light issue. because is 30 cm away from 150 W MH + 4 tube T5

so far i google the info most related to my issue is this

http://www.nature.com/srep/2012/121113/srep00804/full/srep00804.html

maybe tonight get some pic

[sherman]

Look like all your parameter is on the high side.

[leonard2k]

ya i did a 20% change last night,

all other lps is ok only sps problem

[bezz]

4 tubes of ATI T5 can keep SPS alive. Your high Alk + fluctuation of KH during the day and strong light will cause tissue necrosis which you are experiencing.

Your Alk is too high. Best to keep around 8KH and have to keep it constant round the clock. I suspect your Alk swings are too much for SPS to handle, cauing STN. I use to have STN problems from bottom up until I got my Alk stable.

No point dosing or wasting time chasing other things. Just make sure your Alk, Cal and Mag are stable with little to no fluctuation, your SPS will start growing like weeds. Then you can start worrying about getting them more colourful.

[kraken]

why do you even have NO2, NH4?

your tank is not mature enough to handle SPS.

FYI your big three are too high, CA, MG, ALK

[leonard2k]

hi hi

no2 and nh4 should be nothing, as api test kit the first colour on chart is the best possible result. normally i

o ya how to make sure that day time alk it didnt go fluctuation? at day time i not home cant really have chance to measure.

2 days ago 20% change

yesterday 20% change

now

salifade test kit MG -1200

salifade test kit CA - 460

salifade test kit KH - 9

[leonard2k]

actually mostly with those sps spores coming out if have this problem.

i wonder if possible flame angel like to eat sps not lol, but so far didnt see him doing it

i have 1 flame angel inside

[bezz]

Are you dosing anything now?

If you do, stop.

Measure the big 3 of Alk, Cal and Mag in the morning and then again at night. Continue for 2-3 days to compare the numbers and check how much these fluctuate. You'll know your tank's daily Alk and Cal consumption by comparing the numbers taken at the same time on different days. Usually Mag doesn't move much as long as you are doing regular water changes.

Then you can decide how you want to compensate this drop in Alk and Cal.

Some methods of compensating these elements are water changes, dosing kalk or 2 parts.

[FuEl]

If you cannot figure out what's wrong do a big 80% water change with either NSW or a reliable brand of salt. SPS are more sensitive to other contaminants which may not affect LPS that much, such levels of contaminants are always higher in lower grade sea salt. These cannot be detected by conventional test kits. Such contaminants include heavy metals which are often many times greater in low quality sea salt as compared to NSW levels.

[Quas111]

You shouldn't dose strontium. I don't know much about sps but I heard that too much of it will hurt your corals in the long run. Maybe too much strontium is hurting them?

[brojj]

Monitor & keep your water parameters as stable as possible, mainly your big 3, Calcium, KH, Magnesium. Check on your pH(ALK) too to ensure they stay well, around 8.3. Run reverse photoperiod for your algae scrubber to minimize ALK fluctuation. And lastly, do u acclimate your SPS before introduction & light acclimation? This two important to reduce stress.

[leonard2k]

yap I do reverse photoperiod, but there is still period of time that there is no electric light supply.

now I didn't dose any CA MG and KH for 2 weeks.

now I only dose

5 in 1 coral food. 10 ml per week

Sea Chem Reef Trace element, 10 ml per week

Sea Chem Reef Plus 10 ml per week

Purple Up every 2 days 5 ml

Salt I use is Fritz Pro Aquatics Complete Salt Mix

2 weeks ago I do dose sea chem strontium, recommended level from instruction but now also stop ready.

morning I only can measure CA MG and KH on sat and sun

[leonard2k]

Are you dosing anything now?

If you do, stop.

Measure the big 3 of Alk, Cal and Mag in the morning and then again at night. Continue for 2-3 days to compare the numbers and check how much these fluctuate. You'll know your tank's daily Alk and Cal consumption by comparing the numbers taken at the same time on different days. Usually Mag doesn't move much as long as you are doing regular water changes.

Then you can decide how you want to compensate this drop in Alk and Cal.

Some methods of compensating these elements are water changes, dosing kalk or 2 parts.

yap I do this on this coming sat and sun

[bezz]

yap I do reverse photoperiod, but there is still period of time that there is no electric light supply.

now I didn't dose any CA MG and KH for 2 weeks.

now I only dose

5 in 1 coral food. 10 ml per week

Sea Chem Reef Trace element, 10 ml per week

Sea Chem Reef Plus 10 ml per week

Purple Up every 2 days 5 ml

Salt I use is Fritz Pro Aquatics Complete Salt Mix

2 weeks ago I do dose sea chem strontium, recommended level from instruction but now also stop ready.

morning I only can measure CA MG and KH on sat and sun

My suggestion is to stop dosing trace and plus (which is trace+amino acid) since you only have a few small corals...

I am no expert but I truly believe the problems many new SPS reefers face is trying to do / dose too much. Keeping SPS alive is actually quite straight forward, just need good flow, strong light and (most important) reasonably clean water with very stable Alk, Cal and Mag. Many times, we make things more difficult for ourselves by trying to do too much and end up spending more $$$ on dosing and killing sps.

[bezz]

Not to mention the constant adjustments, whether to feeding, dosing or equipment.

I found that my SPS grew much faster when I just keep my Alk, Cal and Mag constant and my hands out of my tank (no fiddling with equipment or tank condition).

[spgohjc]

Sometimes corals kind of weird. If one is doing well in one tank and if I start moving them out to another tank even of the same water quality, it might just flop.