SPS Corals

[lhcorals]

My tank is mostly SPS's. I'm trying to figure out why i dont have Polyp extention during the day. The Polyp's come out at night when the blue lunars are on. I run (3) 250 watt Metal Halides and (8) 39 watt T-5's. All Corals are growing and very colorful, I guess what i'm trying to say is they look healthy. Does anyone have suggestion's or do i have anything to worry about? Also i'm feeding either DT's or Phytopheast every other day.

 

[JazzZero]

im no expert but i guess it just taking its time or the blue lunars show the color in your SPS better (polyps are probably more luminant)

 

[dots]

Stress from water quality, intense light, intense flow, nipping fish/crabs all have been known to cause this.

FWIW, most SPS are nighttime feeders, especially the ones with white polyps. As long as they are comming out at night, its just an aesthics issue

 

[lhcorals]

All water parameters are good. Weekly 25 gal water change.

 

[Rick55555]

If SPS polyps are coming out at night, that's normal and not a bad sign at all. Over time, polyps will usually begin to extend during the day as well (in my experience).

If you're dosing phytofeast every other day for the purpose of feeding your SPS you may want to just rely on fish feces instead. My understanding is that most SPS do not eat phytoplankton but instead feed on zooplankton.

Rick

 

[reefnut1]

It is usually a fish nipping at them. What fish do you have?

 

[lhcorals]

I have Yellow, Hippo, Sailfin, Vlamingi, Lavender Tangs. Coral Beauty, Flame, Keyhole Dwarf Angels that never pay attention to the coral. (3) Chromis. Pencil, and Six Line Wrasse. Chalk Bass, Dottiback, Ocellaris Clown, Pink Tail Trigger, Goat Fish, Orange Spotted Sleeper Goby. (2) Cleaner, (1) fire, and (6) Pepermint Shrimp. Assorment of Snail's and Hermits Crabs. Never see any of the Fish bothering the Coral.

 

[60Cubed]

I have noticed a significant difference since keeping my pH at or above 8.3 consistently through the day. I know some will want argue. This is just in my tank, your tank might be different!

Also watch that sailfin, I have seen them first hand nipping at acros!

 

[DML08]

my Cali tort would never have its polyps out during the day, so I checked my water parameters and alk was low 6.4dkh so I have been keeping it at 8.6-9dkh and have great PE day and night..

 

[reefnut1]

You have several potential nippers for fish in there. I dont think it is your alk because you say that you get PE at night. Well your alk is probably the same in the day as it is in the night. If you were never getting PE I would agree on water parameters as the problem.
I had a bicolor angel that I rarely ever saw touch my SPS but I had the same problem that you descibe. I trapped him and moved him to another tank. My PE started getting better within a couple of days and after about a month or so it became pretty much the same day or night.

With all of those fish I think I would just go with what you have now and not change it as long as you are getting growth and PE at night.

 

[lhcorals]

Thanks for the info everybody. My Alk is 9 dkh, Ph 8.2, nitrate less than 10, nitrite and ammonia 0, Phosphate- undetectable, Calcium 440, Mag. 1470, Salinity 1.024, Temp 79 to 80.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I found my answer in removing chorimanes, reducing nitrates and keeping alk stable.