not seeing the polyps in my SPS.

[WXB]

in my question below about how do you know if the SPS is too far gone i got some good answers.
my only concern now is i am not, and have not seen any of the Polyps out. they used to be out all day. since i got back and have seen it looking like crap i have only seen a couple polyps out and that was yesterday. I dont know what is a normal length of time for them to NOT be out??? the only thing that has me wondering is the new brown string strans of algae i am now dealing with. dont know if it is bother it. I keep pulling the crap off if the SPS but with my flow being directly on it. this stuff is being pushed right on it. yes all of the water is good and MH lighting. 29 HQI. My house sitter did not have the lights on for the length of time i as for each day. I spent a tone of $$ on this one and i dont not feel like flushing it down the drain. Thanks.

 

[WXB]

One other thought is this is the only tank i have a fuge going on with it. My LFS hooked me up with the live plants for the back of the tank/fuge. it is a green string like plant. would this have anything to do with the String like brown HELL that is going on in my tank? i noticed that some of it has been going from the fuge and into the tank. The stuff in the Fuge is Green this crap is BROWN hell. any ideas?

 

[James983]

Without a picture it is hard to tell, but it sounds like you have hair algea. I know you said your water is good but did you test Nitrates and Phosphates? If either is high that would explain why your corals are showing little PE. You need to test Phosphates with a meter for accurate low range readings.

Are you running any GFO or GAC?

 

[James983]

Without a picture it is hard to tell, but it sounds like you have hair algea. I know you said your water is good but did you test Nitrates and Phosphates? If either is high that would explain why your corals are showing little PE. You need to test Phosphates with a meter for accurate low range readings.

Are you running any GFO or GAC?

 

[WXB]

here is a pic of it.

here is a pic of it.

The first pic is the Before this second is the AFTER. I just took it 5 min ago. i am seeing on the tips it looks more white. looks like it is dying??? is it??? someone was saying onces it starts dying you see the tissue start to go. is that what is happening. All i have in this tank is a fuge 14K MH light and skimmer. the water is fine everything checks out. I have no flue. out of the 6 things in there just this 1 is looking like crap. I know there is no cure all for this stuff but what can i do to help it?

 

[nano51]

The "string things" in your pictures might be the cause of it because it might irritate that sps. or it might be the water parameter.

 

[MammothReefer]

ugh, this is not what you described in the other thread, you piece is dying.

The flesh is coming off the tips. "Yes all the water is good." Means nothing.

What are you exact what parameters? Not only what are they now, but what have they been? To what degree do your parameters swing on a daily, weekly basis. What type of flow do you have in the tank? What is your husbandry like? How often do you do water changes. How old is your tank? Unlike most LPS, and softies. SPS are very finicky. Not only do your parameters need to be correct they need to be stable. In the other thread you talked about having somebody come in to turn on and off your lights manually.. Which makes me wonder are you using an ATO? If not are you toping off fresh water daily, are you using RO/DI water? How are you supplementing Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium.

The acropora you have pictured looks to be either a horrida or a plana..those are VERY demanding acroporas require high flow and high lighting.

 

[WXB]

The tank is 6 months old it has been stable for the past 3.5 months. PH is at 8.3 the amonia 0.00 as well as traits and trites. i took the water to have my LFS 38 years of doing salt water. he tested everything and he said it all looks good as well. My water is fine. I use distilled water have always used it. water changes every month like i do with all of my other tanks. the only difference between this and my other 3 tanks is that is is SPS and MH lighting. i have been doing salt for 10 years now. This is my first time doing SPS and using MH. All i am trying to figure out is how to SAVE it. I understand that it is not doing well. how do i save it. or can i save it. it was fine when i left and 4 days later i come back to this.... the brown algae i sucked out as much as i cold last night i added some turbos to help me out. this morning is the first morning that it doesnt look like its taking my tank over. I have great flow and it is directly on the SPS. that is also my problem. anything floating about gets pushed right on it. I keep pulling that crap off every time i see any one it. I have been doing the same lighting like clock work every day with no problems.

 

[MammothReefer]

I understand that you have been keeping salt tanks for 10 years, and I do apologize if I come off harsh, but based on your posts and responses I do not feel like you do not have a firm grasp of the fundamentals required in keeping SPS. Taking your water to the LFS to have them tests it vs keeping track of your own parameters in a spread sheet or a log?

If you have algae you have some sort of nutrient issues.

How are you maintaining calcium, alkalinity and magnesium levels? Just tossing a metal halide over your tank doesn't make it "SPS" (specifically acropora) ready. You claim to have high flow? What pumps are you using? Whats your turn over rate? What are you using for nutrient export?


IMOP As you seem unable to answer the questions at hand, your acropora will die as your tank/you are not ready yet for keeping acropora. I'd suggest giving them to somebody whom you know is keeping acroporas and get a frag back at a later date. The issue isn't that it went bad due to you going out of town, it's that the symptoms don't always present them right away. Sometimes it takes a couple weeks for a new piece to start going south.

I know it sucks it's harsh, but the truth is I was in the same boat as you, I've had many efforts to keep acropora over the years and it took a LONG time for me to really work out all the kinks in my husbandry and reef keeping habits to be able finally have a tank where I can now do so. If you want to go this route really read up on what is needed ask alot of questions and not just from your "LFS". Also look at what other reef keepers (TOTMs are great examples) are doing to be able to keep acroporas alive and thriving. It may seem like the same mambo jumbo but it's the subtleties that make the difference.

If you don't know if you're salinity is changing from 1.021-1.026 every week or if your alkalinity is swinging from 7-9 on a weekly basis you will not be able to keep SPS.

Take a look at this.. this is my spread sheet it's what I've found I need to do to be able to keep SPS (my old tanks I kept a paper log book which works to)

If I didn't have this, I would be lost.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub...i7dG12ZFhsTXBGTUFZellSWTZ3QkhiLVE&output=html

Hope it helps.
-B

 

[WXB]

I add my supps to the tank every week as i always have. my water testing i do it every week. I took it to my fish guy just to make sure. Like i said this is my first sps ever. I know i dont know much about them. Not questioning that. What i want to know is what can i do to save it? as far as flow i have the hydor 425 nano in there.

 

[evoi19]

how big is your tank?

 

[JustinM]

You need a lot more than a 425 in there. I would add another one at least. How much return flow do you get with the BC29?

Since it is a smaller tank, did you ever think of doing WC's once a week instead of monthly? That would def help and maybe eliminate having to does anything.

 

[MammothReefer]

hydor isn't going to do it. Even in a small tank, before I switched to my 65 I was in a 34g Salona. I had 2 tunze 6025s once of which I had modded for more flow. I have a hydor 425 nano as well, and that pump is pretty much useless. There is no way it puts out what they claim.

So first I would start with applying more flow. Second I would get whatever tests kit your need and figure out what your exact numbers are make sure you are getting the parameters you need, and make sure you are maintaining them. Adding your supplements once a week may be enough or it may be to big of a swing. You won't know unless you test. You need to test before adding your supplements, after, and in between figure out what your tank is doing every day until you can establish a pattern.

After that you should really think about automation. If you want to keep SPS stability is the key. Automate as much as you can unless you are one of those super meticulous people (which I am not) who can do everything exactly the same way, every single day.

I'd suggest getting a controller, you don't need anything fancy like an APEX something as simple as a ACJR will work. Use this to automate your lights, heating, ph, and any dosing you are doing via dosing pumps. Not only is it a great peace of mind but it makes reef keeping alot easier when the simple tasks don't become monotonous tasks. An ATO is another great thing to get. I'd rather fill up a 5 gallon bucket w/RO DI once a week, then top off my tank every day.

You haven't talked about skimmers, or any nutrient export, what else is in the tank?

 

[moo0o]

I add my supps to the tank every week as i always have. my water testing i do it every week. I took it to my fish guy just to make sure. Like i said this is my first sps ever. I know i dont know much about them. Not questioning that. What i want to know is what can i do to save it? as far as flow i have the hydor 425 nano in there.

Heres what mine looks like:

Not as detailed but works fine for me.
When keeping SPS, spreadsheets help so much.

You need to buy your own test kits, LFS testing for you isn't good enough. I wouldn't trust someone testing MY water. I don't know that they do the same thing every time, I'd much rather do it myself and KNOW that what I'm doing is consistent from day to day.

Elos for CAL,ALK,MAG are my suggestions for test kits as they have proven to be pretty accurate from batch to batch for me.

I hope your powerhead isn't directed right at the coral as that is way too turbulent for it. You might strip the tissue right off the coral if thats how it is. You want strong indirect flow. There are videos at the top of the SPS Keepers subforum that show what polyps are suppose to look like.

I think you should really read the stickys at the top of the SPS Keepers forum as it really seems like you don't have the full grasp of what you're suppose to be doing.

You dont NEED a controller although it makes things alot easier/less clutter. If you can afford one I'd go with a RKL, they are nice and cheap and get the job done.
However, if you cant, timers for lights + ATO are the absolute minimum in helping keep things stable.
Recommendations: Tunze for ATO. I haven't ever used anything else.
Timers for your lights you can get a HD,Lowe's, basically any hardware store, just make sure you get the heavy duty ones that have 3 prongs.

Hope you take the advice we're giving you. GL

 

[James983]

WXB, I have to agree with Mammothreefer. Lighting alone does not make you ready for SPS. You have to have your own test kits for testing Nitrates, Mag., Calcium and Alk, at the very least. Also, nice to have a refractometer, not a swing arm hydrometer.

Dosing once a week is most likely resulting in swings in Calcium, Mag., and Alk. You would be better served dosing less once a day. Adding just enough to maintain levels.
By the way good numbers to start with are: SG: 1.025-1.026, Cal: 400, Alk: 8 dkh, Mg: 1200. If your not testing to determine how much of each you need how do you dose accurately?

Looking at you pics I'd say your corals are gone, but if you want to try several water changes to stabilize your levels you may give them a bit longer.

Good luck!

 

[WXB]

The return on the BC i dont know. I do have my own test kit. With the Fug I was told water changes would be better every 3 weeks to 4 weeks. Thats what i do on this tank. I have two 5 gal buckets ready at all times if i ever need it. Every tank has its own thing. as far as flow i have bee noticing that it realy isnt what it says it is. actoly have 2 more on their ways. as of a week ago. spread sheets sound great i used to do that in the beging years ago. with this SPS i see how important it will be. as far as timing and automating everything. No I get up every morning I do the same thing every day. I was blown up in Iraq so now i am at home getting back into my old hobby that i had to take a break from. SoMamothReefer i an meticulous person.
let me repeat this.
29 gal bio HQI with Skimmer
Has a Fuge in the back bio balls and carbon filter.
Has direct flow on corals. (needs more yes working on it.
water prams check out double checked with LFS. (Friend for 22 years)
New to SPS not new to LSP ect. I have soft and fish down. SPS far from it and i can honestly say that.
I want to thank all of you for your help. Some is a little ball busting but you know more than I do. Thats great. but one thing I still have not gotten my main question answered. HOW can i keep it from getting any worse. I got all of the brown hell (as i am calling it) off of the SPS. I am an infantryman not a marine biologist. I under stand how to do this. i dont have a encyclopedia of terms memorized to spout off to you guys. I just want to know what to do to save this SPS. I am working like hell to fix brow hell as well. I have never seen or heard of this ever. Somthing happen when i was gone. You say it was 2 weeks in the making. Everything looked great prior to me leaving. i come home and i have this going on. I dont want a lecture on how i dont know much of SPS i know that.

 

[JustinM]

I would do as James said if you don't want it to get any worse. Multiple water changes to stabalize your params. If you have 2 5 gallon buckets ready, use them. Also, point your nano 425 up a little to give it some indirect flow. Don't blast the coral directly at all.

Another thing you could do is possibly frag the coral. How much tissure is left on it?

Those are basically your 2 options. I would do the WC and see if that happens and maybe move the coral down a bit since there is little tissue on it. If it starts getting worse frag it and get the dead stuff out of the tank.

On your tank when you get things stable, I would honestly just do water changes religously every week and I bet you will never have to dose and I bet you could toss any SPS in there. Good Luck man.

 

[SPSEMPIRE]

Here is your best bet. It is okay to go through this process. Just learn from your mistakes.

Cut the acro off at the base and place them on opposite sides of the tank. Use some super glue gel to glue the acro to the rock. If you get lucky, you end up with a base that might color up in several months when things settle down.

Keep on doing 25% water changes once a week (maybe twice since you are in a 29g tank). What are you using for flow? If you don't have anything and are on a budget, get one or two korallia nano or a korallia 1 pumps.

Don't buy anything else for a month or longer

 

[WXB]

I moved the SPS after getting all of the brown hell off of it. Brown hell now has a name its dinoflagellates. I did a water change last night sucking up as much of that crap as i could. I plan on doing water chances every week till i get this crap gone. after it balances out I will do it every week. as for the coral its self it has i would say 95% still on it. Just this morning did i see that it is going south. I talked to my LFS and he told me the same thing about the fraging. I dont want it to have to get to that point. I dont feel good doing that. If i must I will.

 

[evoi19]

As others have mentioned, move it down a bit and out of direct flow of the powerhead. When the new ones arrive do the same thing. Weekly water changes, especially on a nano are very important.

Check your salinity and params every few days for the first few weeks, at least until your readings are stable.

I would suggest slowly taking the bio-balls out as they tend to collect nitrates. With every water change, take a few out. Are you running a skimmer? Also what is your photoperiod?

I'm a newbie also when it comes to sps, but i read up on alot of stuff before diving in. I've found small changes make a difference and patience is key. I only like to make one change every 2 weeks and see what happens, then go from there.