All about SPS polyps

[jonnybravo22]

Can those masters of the coral please share what you know about sps polyps?

my two main questions are:

1) apart from predatory fish, what causes polyps to recede when they previously (i.e. in the LFS) were always extended? (and how do i get them out!!!?)

2) what causes polyps to go clear instead of keeping their color? is this the same as the coral tissue bleaching? (and how do i get the color back!!!?)

I have a joe the coral (in good pictures this thing is covered in thick green polyps). During the day mine has no polyp extension. at night it has decent extension and looks bushy except the polyps are now clear instead of green. the coral has lost a bit of it's luster color wise, but still has super blue tips. the rest of the body is brownish at the moment.

I have a borealis, which is also supposed to be bushy with polyps from the pictures i've seen. the coral itself has held good green color, as have the polyps, but they dont extend. If i blow on the coral with a turkey baster i can make them recede all the way in, but they are never really hanging out the way they should be.

what can you tell me? any help is appreciated!

 

[twiggyb]

What are your params like? Lighting?

 

[philipchan]

+1, lol
if you water, lighting and flow is good, your SPS will be good, thats all

 

[jonnybravo22]

grrr. but that means i have to pull out all those test kits!

i'll check again. but last time i did they were:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: 0
Calcium: 430-440
Magnesium: 1250
Alkalinity: 8.5


i'll check again.

Flow is 1x MP40 and 1x MP10 in an Elos 70 (55 gallons)

Lighting is 2x AquaIllumination LED Gen 2 units.

 

[jonnybravo22]

Tonight:
NH4: 0
P04: 0
Alk: 9 - 9.5
CA: 450
MG: 1250 - 1300

 

[divewsharks]

When were your last tests results (before tonite) from? Fluctuations in Alk can cause plenty of issues. You can also check for any signs of pests.

 

[Bigmike]

salinity? have you calibrated your refracto lately?

 

[strike2867]

What is your lighting schedule?

 

[mutateddogbone]

check for red bugs

 

[neoalchemist74]

check for red bugs

+1

 

[jonnybravo22]

When were your last tests results (before tonite) from? Fluctuations in Alk can cause plenty of issues. You can also check for any signs of pests.

Hmm it was actually a while ago, several months and before a switch so maybe not as relevant. Before any of the corals were put in.

salinity? have you calibrated your refracto lately?

Yes refracto is pretty new a few months old. salinity is 1.026

What is your lighting schedule?

LEDs. Ramp 0 - 40% white from 9AM to 2PM; 40% until 7:30PM; ramp down from 40% to 10% from 7:30 - 9PM; 5% at 10pm; off at midnight

Same for blue, but ramps 0 - 100%, down to 10% by 10PM and off at midnight.

What do you think of this?

check for red bugs

eek. Just grab a magnifying glass? if it were red bugs, wouldnt i have seen the same behaviour in the LFS?? They all came from the same place at the same time and looked good in the LFS (had great PE during the day).

Thanks all for your input

 

[jonnybravo22]

Tonight:
NH4: 0
P04: 0
Alk: 9 - 9.5
CA: 450
MG: 1250 - 1300

Adding:

NO2: 0
NO3: 0

 

[Mark 75g]

I had bought a ORA Bellina from LA about 6 months ago. It is finally just now starting to get its color back and the pe extension is coming back. I raised it up towards the lights and I have a heavy flow of water aimed in its direction.

Also, I noticed a huge difference in my coral switching from Tropic marine pro reef to Reef Crystals. Everything has just come to life and I dont know if it has anything to do with it but my PE has improved on my Blue stag and my red planet. I have been messing with my Koralias, so i am not sure what has been the main contributer.

 

[mutateddogbone]

lfs may have had them, and the stress from the move encouraged the spread of the bugs. healthy acros can live and grow with them, but when they reach a certain point, it can start affecting the colony. many have them and never know it. they are extremely tiny red specs. if you dont have any shrimp or ornamental crabs, i would interceptor anyways even if you cant find any. dipping your corals is the best prevention to any sort of critters getting in your system.

 

[wickedfish]

I would say high nutrients possibly from underskimming and maybe not enough flow, added a few koralias and rescaped with rocks off the sand and voila today especially PE mannnnnn, I have yet to have PE last longer than a week after it was at the lfs or at a fellow reefers set up, some would get fuzzy but not like now, its satisfying. Better skimmer if you doubt what you have and higher flow if thats out then I never said anything, GL

 

[jonnybravo22]

i can play with the flow.

dont think i have hihg nutrients cuz my parameters are all 0s

 

[reefsic]

Any type of flux (temp, salinity, PH, Photoperiod, etc etc) can easily be the culprit. Try to keep your params in a straight line!!! Consistency is key, my friend!

 

[jc-reef]

....



LEDs. Ramp 0 - 40% white from 9AM to 2PM; 40% until 7:30PM; ramp down from 40% to 10% from 7:30 - 9PM; 5% at 10pm; off at midnight

Same for blue, but ramps 0 - 100%, down to 10% by 10PM and off at midnight.

What do you think of this?....

Above you indicate that you are running lights starting from 9am all the way to Midnight...that would equate to 15 hrs a day (not including ambient light from other sources i.e., TV, windows, house lighting, etc.)...your corals may be becoming photoinhibited with that long period of lighting. I'm sure others would agree to trim down the lighting period. Many successful SPS keepers run main lighting for 6-8 hrs with total (dawn/dusk) ranging 8-10 hrs.

I personally have decreased my main lighting to 6.5 hrs with D/D totaling 9.5 hrs. and have noticed faster growth and nice PE.

---

 

[strike2867]

Above you indicate that you are running lights starting from 9am all the way to Midnight...that would equate to 15 hrs a day (not including ambient light from other sources i.e., TV, windows, house lighting, etc.)...your corals may be becoming photoinhibited with that long period of lighting. I'm sure others would agree to trim down the lighting period. Many successful SPS keepers run main lighting for 6-8 hrs with total (dawn/dusk) ranging 8-10 hrs.

I personally have decreased my main lighting to 6.5 hrs with D/D totaling 9.5 hrs. and have noticed faster growth and nice PE.

---

I second that, I just turned down my MH's to run 6.5 hours a day. But not sure how that compares to LEDs.