SPS Seem Stressed

[topshotta]

I have a couple SPS frags that have been doing amazingly well for the past few months. I've been doing weekly water changes of 3 gallons (tank is aquapod 24) and salinity is at 1.025, Ammonia is 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate < 2.5 ppm (Salifert tests). Phosphate is untraceable, Alkalinity is within the ideal range on Saliferts tests, Calcium was around 350ppm (I realize this is a bit low). Aquarium temp is about 76 degrees. I did a 4 gallon water change yesterday - all the fish seem happy and not stressed. Just wondering if corals from time to time shed or if they pull their polyps back? My zoas all seem fine as well as my palys. My few lps also seem to be shedding a slime coating as well. Really puzzled. I'm attaching a few pics for reference.

 

[allsps40]

That first birds nest looks burned to me.

 

[topshotta]

I don't understand why this would happen overnight? This has been growing from a 1 inch frag in the same spot for the past few months.

 

[Piper27]

If its overnight maybe that red thing next to it is stinging it. I dunno what it is though just a thought.

 

[topshotta]

The polyps on the red coral (capricornis I believe) don't extend enough to touch it. Do u think it's a goner?

 

[mike810]

doesn't look like a goner, polyps are just retracted. I would check alk and make sure your alk didnt shift. anytime my alk drops to 7 from 8, the polyps on my sps retract. Now I check my alk every 2-3days

 

[jwoyshnar]

What is the white stuff in the last pic? Are you dosing? Seems like a bacteria outbreak.

 

[sanchoy]

thats the problem with smaller tanks. parameters can go out of whack with a simple water change.

 

[mike810]

sanchoy

Is phuket really a city in thailand? LOL just curious....

 

[topshotta]

So far I lost the birds nest and the other branch like sps. I have a monti cap that's looking bad too. Yes - dosing with B-Ionic. Bummer

 

[allsps40]

Are you testing your water for ca, alk, mag, no3 and po4? If you are dosing anything you need to test. Really looks like alk issues to me.

 

[topshotta]

Yes - all of my parameters are in the first post. I do test ALK and CA fairly frequently.

 

[Ostentum]

Within ideal range on Alk?? Doesnt tell us what alk is. I know people who run unls that cant go above 7.5dkh or they have burn issues. My tank runs at 9.5 dkh which to me is an ideal alk level. All my Salifert test kits have a number value, so I am not sure where you get "Ideal Range" on a Salifert test kit. Test kits also go bad, so its a good idea to check the alk against the reference solution that is included with the salifert test kit.

 

[iriejp1]

sanchoy

Is phuket really a city in thailand? LOL just curious....

Sure is...SICK place to visit too. Sweet diving etc.

 

[iriejp1]

And BTW...any time I've seen a situation where the water parameters are seemingly where they should be and corals still dont look right....its always the same thing...pests. AEFW, red bugs, etc.

Just sayin...

 

[allsps40]

I also want to know what alk is, with safe range does not tell us anything. A rapid spike in alk can cause this also, like dosing to fast. Your water looks cloudy as well in the pics. You dont have mag in the OP.

 

[topshotta]

Within ideal range on Alk?? Doesnt tell us what alk is. I know people who run unls that cant go above 7.5dkh or they have burn issues. My tank runs at 9.5 dkh which to me is an ideal alk level. All my Salifert test kits have a number value, so I am not sure where you get "Ideal Range" on a Salifert test kit. Test kits also go bad, so its a good idea to check the alk against the reference solution that is included with the salifert test kit.

Sorry - my alk is 9.9. When I bought the test kit from my LFS the clerk put an ideal range on the paperwork. 9.9 is actually on the low end of what he told me was ideal. I also just checked my Ca and it was at 380ppm.

 

[topshotta]

I also want to know what alk is, with safe range does not tell us anything. A rapid spike in alk can cause this also, like dosing to fast. Your water looks cloudy as well in the pics. You dont have mag in the OP.

The tank is next to a window and the sun shining through makes it look like that. The water is not cloudy at all. I use Reef ionic 2 part - part 1 being alk buffer and part 2 being Ca. I usually add 5ml of part 1 nightly and when the cloudiness from adding that goes away I add between 7.5 and 10ml of part 2. I don't have a mag test. I should also note that I'm not running a skimmer on this. I've not found one yet that will fit in my back chamber. Been looking into hang on back style, but everyone that I've read about gets reviews that they are loud. Since this tank is so close to my living room etc. I don't really want anything that's loud.

 

[topshotta]

Within ideal range on Alk?? Doesnt tell us what alk is. I know people who run unls that cant go above 7.5dkh or they have burn issues. My tank runs at 9.5 dkh which to me is an ideal alk level. All my Salifert test kits have a number value, so I am not sure where you get "Ideal Range" on a Salifert test kit. Test kits also go bad, so its a good idea to check the alk against the reference solution that is included with the salifert test kit.

My Salifert ALK test kit didn't come with a reference solution.

 

[Finland]

and btw...any time i've seen a situation where the water parameters are seemingly where they should be and corals still dont look right....its always the same thing...pests. Aefw, red bugs, etc.

Just sayin...

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