SPS Help

[Mark 75g]

I just started getting into sps about 3 months ago. Have green slimer, Blue staghorn, red planet, Bellina Acro and some others. The polyps are not coming out during the day, but come out at night when the lights are all off. I do have a bushy acro that does keep polyps out all the time.

Is this common, or is something else wrong?

175 gallon
3-250w mh 14k phoenix with 4 - 39w t5 actinics
Light sits about 6 inches from water.
Tank is 30inches deep
Have 2 #4 koralias blowing across tank, #3 Koralia and 950gph pump to the return nozzles.
sps middle to top
9 Kh
400 calcium
8.4 ph
0 nitrate
0 phospahte

 

[Znut Reefer]

Some acros have more PE after lights are out. Do you have any polyp nippers?

 

[Mark 75g]

Dont think so

Flame angel
Yellow Tang
Blue Hippo
4 lyntail anthias
6 line wrasser
2 clowns

 

[Stanley-Reefer]

I have a 175 too with almost identical lighting. I have 3 250w phoenix in Hamilton Reefstars with 4 65w pc actinics

IMO, you don't have enough flow with your listed powerheads. If your tank is a 175 bow like mine they flow weird. I have a mag 18 return and started out with 4 K 4s which lasted about 3 mos before an upgrade to 4 K mag 5s which have since been replaced by 4 vortech mp40s.

Here's the progression shots. Much is in the way of MB7 and vodka, but alot can be contributed to the flow too.

K4s 3/20/09

Mag 5s on redsea wavemaker
10/25/09

4 Vortechs

 

[Mark 75g]

I have the exact same tank. NICE PICS BY THE WAY. I have my koralias on each side aiming towards one another.
Do you have good polyp extension during the day with all that flow.

How are u able to get a mag 18 to work. I tried a mag 12 and my overflows could not keep up.

 

[Stanley-Reefer]

I have good pe day and night despite the flow and nippers...

2 1" lines with the basic overflows and have never had a problem....I have a mag 9 on my 90. It's always worked so I don't have an answer for you.

Running carbon or GFO? If all your readings are 0 you might be at ULN! I dose vodka and mb7 in both tanks and my dipsticks still say I have 20ppm nitrates but Phos is usually 0 on my simple test, most likely higher in a hanna meter.

How long have the corals been in the tank?

 

[Mark 75g]

I run carbon & GFO in BRS dual reactor. Have sps for about 2 to 3 months. It seems like I have good flow. At night I got a flashlight and checked out the sps. The pe was very good and they were all blowing back and forth very well.

Could it be too much flow?

 

[Stanley-Reefer]

No--not too much flow IMO...If you have good pe at night then they are most likely healthy. Watch to see if the start to encrust--most times they do that to form a solid base before they sprout upwards.

 

[serpentman]

As long as you are getting PE sometime in a 24hr cycle, you should be ok. In the wild, a lot of SPS feed at night when the zooplankton rise from deeper depths.

Also, take a reeeeaaaalllly close look at your corals to check for red bugs. These little buggers will also keep a lot of SPS from extending their polyps to their full potential.

 

[belgian_waffleman]

I have very little PE during the day as well, but my corals are growing like mad.
I stopped worrying about it. Although it would be nice to see the hairy millies during the day...

Waffleman

 

[Mark 75g]

Just looked, did not see any bugs.
How small are they? Can you see with just holding coral up to glass?

 

[Znut Reefer]

They look like little red fleas. You should be able to see them with your eyes or a Magnifying glass.

 

[Mark 75g]

Thanks for all help
Did not see anything.
Everything growing great, maybe takes time for pe

 

[02REDZ28]

You sure your angel and tangs dont pick?

I had an eiblii angel and a kole tang and they both picked. They didn't do any damage, but my SPS all stayed retracted during the day.

 

[Mark 75g]

I have not noticed anything. I have seen the flame swimming around the corals very closely I will watch and see if maybe he is nipping.