Killing Corals

[cjpitt80]

Over the past month or so, I've killed a few forest fire monti and birdsnest frags. The forest fire looked to be good for about 3 weeks, but over the past week the polyps seemed to just disappear then the skeleton turned completely white. The birdsnest coral base lighted then the polyps kinda blew away over 2 weeks. I believe the birdsnest was is too direct flow and maybe too bright. Does this seem to be a symptom of bad light acclimation? I had everything up "high" in the tank but used screen netting to block part off. I have a green and red monti digitata in the same place as the forest fire and both of them seem to be doing ok. I have Current USA Orbit Pro IC lights which I'm not sure how "strong" they are.

Params
1.025SG
1ppm nitrates
.08ppm phosphate
Temp 78-80F
Rest is here
https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/aquarium/auswertung-b/icp-oes/71285/

 

[cvrle1]

Those lights are most likely one of the reasons you are having issues. They are using 0.5W LEDs, which are only good for really shallow tanks and low, low light corals. As an example, out of 72 LEDs, they are only producing 42W. As comparison to even cheapest black box, out of 55 LEDs they produce 120W or so. They use 3W LEDs (throttled down, so thats why they dont get full 165W) and will grow any coral without issues.

Look into units like mars aqua, viparspectra, bloomspect and sb reef lights. If you want to spend a bit more and get great unit, look inot reefbreeders photon V2.

Also, SPS corals require a lot of light, a lot of water movement, stable and dialed in params and so on.

 

[cjpitt80]

Those lights are most likely one of the reasons you are having issues. They are using 0.5W LEDs, which are only good for really shallow tanks and low, low light corals. As an example, out of 72 LEDs, they are only producing 42W. As comparison to even cheapest black box, out of 55 LEDs they produce 120W or so. They use 3W LEDs (throttled down, so thats why they dont get full 165W) and will grow any coral without issues.

Look into units like mars aqua, viparspectra, bloomspect and sb reef lights. If you want to spend a bit more and get great unit, look inot reefbreeders photon V2.

Also, SPS corals require a lot of light, a lot of water movement, stable and dialed in params and so on.

I've been able to grow a plating montipora capricornis from a half dollar size to about dessert plate size over the past 8 months or so. The forest fire was higher up than the cap. If the lights are good enough for the cap, then wouldn't they be good enough for the forest fire? The birdsnest was directly under maybe only 6in from the lights. I'm wondering if I burned them with TOO much light. I guess my question is what are the symptoms of TOO MUCH light vs not enough. The polyps stayed the same color, they just kinda detached from the base, and the skeleton turned bleach white

 

[cjpitt80]

Light Issues

Light Issues

Ok, let me try to ask in a different way....

1)What are some signs a coral (montipora digitata in this case) is getting TOO MUCH light too fast?

2)What are some signs a Montipora digitata is getting TOO LITTLE light?

3) Assuming a hobbyist is able to successfully keep a plating montipora capricornis (nice color, white edges, clear and obvious growth from frag) what OTHER SPS corals should be able to be kept assuming same lighting level in the same tank(disregarding flow at the moment)

Thanks!