SPS turning brown

[JizzHut]

Good Evening,

May i know what are the reasons that causes SPS turing brown? thanks

[AloysiusMun]

No. 1 reason: High Phosphate

[JizzHut]

Thanks aloysius mun for the speedy help.

my po4 is close to 0 could it be no3?

This is my first time keeping SPS so i've really no idea all the reaction from the SPS means.

Would a picture help? vid?

Thanks ppl

[wilsontantw]

Hi jizzhut, there are many reasons that can cause sps to go "wrong". But more importantly, is to know what parameters they need in order to thrive.

Why don't u start by sharing the below checklist, I'm sure u can find what's wrong...

1) lighting - What type? Tubes/bulb life span? Distance from said sps?

2) Ca/kH/Mg readings (how constant are these)

3) no3/po4 readings (I'm assuming the basics for ammonia and nitrite are taken care of)

4) water temp? How constant?

5) salinity?

6) water movement - enough movement around the said sps? (do u see polyp extension)

7) what type of freshwater top up are you using? Is TDS reading zero?

8) are you using CR/dosing pump or manual dosing?

9) how frequent is your water change? How many %?

The above is a list that helped me when i started sps, hope it helps you too..

Quick and dirty answer: usually it's insufficient lighting... But try monitoring/measuring the above, you will figure out why...

[AloysiusMun]

Usually for the simpler SPS its PO4, don't trust the salifert kits, they are not accurate. If possible use a Hanna checker or if you have goodbye Po4 with you (LaCl3) its the most accurate. Just take a small water sample and drop a few drops in. If a precipitate(ppt) form immediately you know there is PO4. The density of the ppt formed will allow you to gauge the amount of PO4 in the water

The various points that wilson tan mentioned is true too.

[JizzHut]

1) lighting - What type? Tubes/bulb life span? Distance from said sps?

2MH 20k + 2 t8s bulb around 2mths, distance around 1 1/2 feet.

2) Ca/kH/Mg readings (how constant are these)

i dont have tester for these =X

3) no3/po4 readings (I'm assuming the basics for ammonia and nitrite are taken care of)

no prob, no3 is 10ppm

4) water temp? How constant?

I set my chiller @ 26~27 i'm not sure how constant is it.

5) salinity?

1.050

6) water movement - enough movement around the said sps? (do u see polyp extension)

polyp meaning the hair? if so, its hairy. haha

7) what type of freshwater top up are you using? Is TDS reading zero?

i top up with salt water. made by tap water added with declorine

8) are you using CR/dosing pump or manual dosing?

not dosing anything

9) how frequent is your water change? How many %?

Every week around 15%

okay, meaning ive to get test kit for Ca/kH/Mg, stop using tap water and get a CR? or dose manually?

a quick question, isnt changing water adding the elements needed back into the tank as well?

I dose Gdbye p04 everyweek. using tetra for no2 no3 and topice marine tester for po4, can these be trusted?

Thanks people

[JizzHut]

SPS really not easy..

[AloysiusMun]

Wah... 1.050 is high dont you think? Recommended is 1.025, I keep mine at 1.023.

How do you control your PO4 in the tank? What form of export and what is your bioload?

[JizzHut]

sorrry i mean 1.025

I dose Gdbye po4 everyweek, my sump has a 4inch SB, skimmer,UV, chaeto and that red coloured bio homme.

ive

-4 clown fish

-4 purple firefish

-3 anemone shrimp

-2sexy shrimp

-1 scooter blenny

-1 yellow tang

-1 blue eye anthia

-1 doc shrimp

-1 doc wrasse

4x2x2.5

[wilsontantw]

Your lighting seems ok, try to give at least 4 hrs of MH and 10hrs of T5...

And ur salinity is through the roof, fish still alive??

Try to gradually bring it down to 1.023 - 1.025

Yes, to keep SPS, u should measure ca/kh/mg. They need all 3 to be constant... Dosing/cr helps maintain these (simplistically speaking)..

Water change is to aid nutrient export (so is skimming)... My suggestion is to use DI water. Some start with buying bottled water from ntuc, or get a DI unit... (google crystal pro).. I'm using tropic Marin pro-reef salt mix.. It reduces my effort to supplement the essentials that often..

Yes you are right, SPS not easy, but once u get the hang of things (or automate some boring stuff), you will love the joy of watching the sps speedy growth.

[JizzHut]

i on my MH for 9hours a day is that too much?

I'm currently using h20 salt.. guess tomorrow need to go buy some stuff

RO/DI unit not cheap right?

[wilsontantw]

Btw without measuring ca/kh/mg, you wouldn't know how much is consumed...

Take my tank for example, I dose ard 100ml each to supplement the intake of ca and kh daily... If without dosing pump or test kits, I wouldn't know... And end up under/over dose.. And if done manually, Just make sure you are home everyday... (read no holidays, no partying till late etc...)

start with regular w/c... With minimal sps... Should be able to maintain...

Enjoy the journey... Be warned, sps keeping is a massive money- and time-consuming hobby! Thus, always known as the dark side...

[wilsontantw]

i on my MH for 9hours a day is that too much?

I'm currently using h20 salt.. guess tomorrow need to go buy some stuff

RO/DI unit not cheap right?

I'll recommend 4hrs of MH plus 10-12 hrs of blue plus T5...

I have not tried other brands before... Been using TM since I started upon recommendation...

IMHO, DI unit is sufficient...

[JizzHut]

i wanted to try after viewing all the tank thread. almost all SPS tanks, VERY NICE.

I will try to get the things needed tomorrow and see if i can upkeep this very first sps. =p

Thank you all again. lucky got soo many night bird like me. can go start 3am tank thread. haha

[TayHongSiang]

turning brown is usually po4 and too much "waste" or nutrients...there are 2 types of nutrients...organic and inorganic...inorganic are mainly from salt mix, additives and water. organic are from fish and livestocks, food, dead organisms in the tank, po4 released from substrate...etc...and this is the hardest to manage for sps tanks...

u can dose bacteria that feeds on organic nutrients or dose carbon / vodka to bring down your nutrients...after a week or 2, your sps should colour up...if u want to do water change, do it gradually...

wait till u kena STN or RTN...u will cry...hur hur...

[wilsontantw]

Siang. Haven't seen u post in awhile. Hows your SPS journey?? Haven't seen ur tank pics lately man.

[cedricang]

turning brown is usually po4 and too much "waste" or nutrients...there are 2 types of nutrients...organic and inorganic...inorganic are mainly from salt mix, additives and water. organic are from fish and livestocks, food, dead organisms in the tank, po4 released from substrate...etc...and this is the hardest to manage for sps tanks...

u can dose bacteria that feeds on organic nutrients or dose carbon / vodka to bring down your nutrients...after a week or 2, your sps should colour up...if u want to do water change, do it gradually...

wait till u kena STN or RTN...u will cry...hur hur...

+1 on your knowledge for the nutrients info

Btw Bro, just wanna learn from you what is your understanding on the cause for STN or RTN ? mind sharing with us your experience ?

[TayHongSiang]

+1 on your knowledge for the nutrients info

Btw Bro, just wanna learn from you what is your understanding on the cause for STN or RTN ? mind sharing with us your experience ?

too much fluctuations...esp temp...cannot fluctuate more than 2 degrees within 24hrs...otherwise, it's like global warming for these sps...and some sps do not require strong flow...it's not always the case for ALL sps to have strong flow...

main thing is the ca, kh, and mg...so long can maintain constant parameters...dun let them fluctuate too much...

and do not bring down po4 level too rapidly...your sps will also kena STN / RTN...

sps are pussies...need to give them a lot of attention...that is the reason why i decide to get out of the dark side...

[cedricang]

too much fluctuations...esp temp...cannot fluctuate more than 2 degrees within 24hrs...otherwise, it's like global warming for these sps...and some sps do not require strong flow...it's not always the case for ALL sps to have strong flow...

main thing is the ca, kh, and mg...so long can maintain constant parameters...dun let them fluctuate too much...

and do not bring down po4 level too rapidly...your sps will also kena STN / RTN...

sps are pussies...need to give them a lot of attention...that is the reason why i decide to get out of the dark side...

Hmm...i am having a constant temp swing around 3 degree everyday, so far so good. I think even natural sea temp do fluctuate as well.

Agree with you on the point for stable parameter, imo especially KH !

[TayHongSiang]

Hmm...i am having a constant temp swing around 3 degree everyday, so far so good. I think even natural sea temp do fluctuate as well.

Agree with you on the point for stable parameter, imo especially KH !

yep....kh is the main source

but do observe your sps...STN sometimes takes about 2-3 weeks to happen...hur hur

[sherman]

Watch out for KH fluctuation.Try to maintain this as constant as possible.

And keep your PO4 low,below 0.03 ppm.

Don't trust those chemical test kit. Try to get a Hanna PO4 tester.

Its one of the very good investment

[yikai]

main cause for browness?

oh plenty..

nitrates

phosphates

lighting

parameters etc etc etc.

SPS are like women during the time of the month. only difference is SPS is like that every day of the month, every month of the year. temperamental and bitchy. they can die on you for the slightest misnomer or turn brown due to slightest change. they can even RTN if you change your phosphate removing media.

so don't get too upset.

also some SPS are just impossible to retain the colour. depends on what SPS you keep also. some are just near impossible to maintain the colour in captivity. i'm sure it's possible if you do some magic to it... the people in reefcentral seem to be able to maintain colour very well.

but there's a invisible chart or guideline on SPS colour.

some are very easy like green birdnest (i've never seen green birdnest turn brown before), while some are very difficult like tricolor SPS or Acropora gemmifera etc.

so don't lose hope.

try easier SPS that cannot drop colour. like birdnest, chilli pepper monti etc.

[cedricang]

yep....kh is the main source

but do observe your sps...STN sometimes takes about 2-3 weeks to happen...hur hur

Wow...didnt know about this 2-3 weeks thingy from my humble experience, it take just 3 days to cause STN to start in the case of a severe kh overshoot or plunge.

Siang ge, your explanation here definitely is a sure display of you having very intimate knowledge about sps and fishes too too bad you quite the darkside...haizz

[TayHongSiang]

Wow...didnt know about this 2-3 weeks thingy from my humble experience, it take just 3 days to cause STN to start in the case of a severe kh overshoot or plunge.

Siang ge, your explanation here definitely is a sure display of you having very intimate knowledge about sps and fishes too too bad you quite the darkside...haizz

coz i have watched my sps die from STN disease over a period of time...these creatures will try to fight back and survive...so it will drag...the fastest i ever witnessed was 2 days...whole thing botak...fast n furious...

[yellowtang]

coz i have watched my sps die from STN disease over a period of time...these creatures will try to fight back and survive...so it will drag...the fastest i ever witnessed was 2 days...whole thing botak...fast n furious...

Am I glad its not STD you guys arev talking about.