Need some advice, cant keep SPS

krazysvede

krazysvede

New member
My tank cracked in May of last year and I restarted a few months ago.
I have been having a horrible time with SPS this go around and am in need of some help.

New SPS frags are added, PE is great, PE goes away over a couple days and then they begin to die from the tips down in most cases. Zoos, LPS, RBTA sre all doing OK. I don't see any signs of RB or AEFW. Monti's seem to go quicker than Acros and Birdsnests.

Alk is 7.8 (Red Sea)
Ca is 430 (Red Sea)
Mg is 1430 (Red Sea)
Ammonia is undetectable (Salifert)
Nitrite is undetectable (Salifert)
Nitrate is undetectable (Salifert)
PO4 is 0.05 (Hanna checker)

Tank is 220 gallons with 65 sump. Not currently carbon dosing or using pellets. I have a small fuge in my sump that is approx 30 gallons and use about 1/4 cup of GFO.

Current stock is a Juvi Naso Tang 4.5", 1 Lyretail Anthias, 1 small Potters Angel, cleaner shrimp, feed heavily and I have been dosing AcroPower the last few weeks to see if added Aminos will help any, so far I cant see anything different.

Thanks in advance!
 
Looks like necrosis to me.

Lighting is 5 AI Sol Blue, running for 8 hours a day, ramping up and down for 4 of that to a max of 50%.

20131209_195559_zps9197a89e.jpg
 
Sounds like an Alk issue to me. I've found my monti were very sensitive to alk swings. How are you dosing Alk?

-dan
 
Alk and Ca are maintained by a Calcium reactor and I test weekly. I haven't seen a swing since the reactor was set up. Maybe my test kits are bad? Calcium reactor is running 1 bubble/2 seconds (aquarium plants reg), Ill have to check the effluent rate when I get home.

Coraline is growing like mad too, I started with a mix of new base rock and old established rock from before the tank crack and its got so much Coraline on it now I cant tell the difference between the two.
 
Have someone test your water, another reefer or an LFS. Make sure that your results are valid. I have seen alk do this but your number is good, doesn't make sense so get another test source. Also have had light burn tips before on a coral, not a whole tanks worth, but try shading the tank with a couple layers of screen temporarily to see if it changes anything, you can add or remove a layer to adjust itensity. I know you can do this with the LED's also but trying to not change the "light" just what's getting to the coral. Also watch at night just to make sure no one is nipping. Just a few ideas, good luck.
 
Does this affect just SPS frags? What about SPS corals that have been in the system for a while? Are you acclimating new additions?
 
The whole system is newish so I don't really have anything established long as I lost all my old colonies when the tank cracked. The 1st piece I added was a small Tricolor Nana frag about an inch. It hasn't grown in the couple months its been in the system and never shows polyp extension but its colors are great base is a deep green with a bright purple tip. Every other piece of SPS I've added since then has been hit or miss as to whether it goes within a week or two or a month. All SPS seem to be effected, frag or mini colony, stuff from friends tanks or LFS.

Acclimation is float for 15 min to temperature and then a quick 15 min drip.

Water is RO/DI, filters less than 6 months old. Salt is red sea coral pro.

With such a small bio load is it possible I'm nutrient deficient?
 
Tagging along... I am having the same problem with my tank. In my past experience I was stripped of all nutrients. I started adding Aquavitro reef fuel and I was able to keep sps. Now I am facing the same issue again even though I am still adding the reef fuel 2-3 times a week. I have a 156 gallon tank with 80 frag tank and 50 gallon sump. I am currently running 1 cup of carbon and 150 grams of gfo. My corals are starving and dying on me. Another sign is my tank's glass can go a week without needing a cleaning.
 
krazysvede said:
The 1st piece I added was a small Tricolor Nana frag about an inch. It hasn't grown in the couple months its been in the system and never shows polyp extension but its colors are great base is a deep green with a bright purple tip.
Click to expand...

this statement right here makes me want to say its your lights. try running a steady 30-35% for 7-8hr photo period for a few weeks and see if you have any luck
 
krazysvede said:
The whole system is newish so I don't really have anything established long as I lost all my old colonies when the tank cracked. The 1st piece I added was a small Tricolor Nana frag about an inch. It hasn't grown in the couple months its been in the system and never shows polyp extension but its colors are great base is a deep green with a bright purple tip. Every other piece of SPS I've added since then has been hit or miss as to whether it goes within a week or two or a month. All SPS seem to be effected, frag or mini colony, stuff from friends tanks or LFS.

Acclimation is float for 15 min to temperature and then a quick 15 min drip.

Water is RO/DI, filters less than 6 months old. Salt is red sea coral pro.

With such a small bio load is it possible I'm nutrient deficient?
Click to expand...

Sorry I was not clear. How are you acclimating coral to the light?

Best practice is to start on sand bed for a couple weeks and begin placing in rockwork.
 
Had the same problem. Solved when I switched back to T5 from led. Not saying you should do the same, but you should really look into acclimating SPS to your lights or changing your lighting schedule somewhat.
 
Ok so got some new test kits.

Results are the same except for Alk new kit shows 8.1

I will try dialing down the LEDs and see how that goes.
 
This go around the tank has been up for 4-5 months maybe. I want to say I got the new tank in August.

I'm really not acclimating for light, as all SPS are in the bottom half of the tank due to my low rock work. The tank is 28" tall and the light rack is about 12" above the water.

20140218_202906_zpsfd89bb6c.jpg
 
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