firefish2020
New member
The trouble with SPS:
Many of you have taken the plunge of late and have decided to try your hand at SPS keeping. A few of us have managed to have some success with these coral in the past but not without the headaches that they invariably seem to cause. For those who have not done so yet, I suggest you familiarize yourselves with Calcium and Alkalinity balance. Invest in a Kalkwaser Reactor or Ca reactor or both. Buy or build an Auto Top off system and run a temperature controller. I also suggest you keep an eye on your SPS daily and note any changes you may see. These guys are a bit less forgiving at times than the typical softies we deal with.
<b>RTN-STN</b>
Some acros for example can bleach within hours; reefers call this RTN (Rapid Tissue Necrosis). Though RTN is not in itself a disease it seems more a symptom of an unknown pathogen. RTN is not recoverable in my experience as the coral sloths off all of its tissue leaving a bleached white skeleton. STN (Slow Tissue Necrosis) however is another story. I have seen coral bounce back from this. Again it seems to be a symptom rather than a disease. STN seems to be caused by many common problems notably Ca and Alk problems.
<b>Red Bugs</b>
I have gone head to head with these creatures and many of you are infected with them and have no clue except a browned out coral that looses polyp extension. Red Bugs typically do not kill a coral outright, they devour it slowly over time and I believe can lead to its eventual death. They can be killed using the Interceptor treatment> http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=45859
Some reports are coming out that “Tropic Marine Pro Coral Cure†can kill RBs, however I do not take the accounts at 100% legit just yet. If you have Red bugs use Interceptor and don’t guess, it works. Of course the best way to win against Red Bugs is to know your enemy well. Learn what to look for before buying an SPS, dip and quarantine new SPS. If buying at swaps or from other reefers ask lots of questions and examine coral carefully. Dr’s Foster&Smith claim 100% parasite free SPS, I have a few of these in the shop tank and have to say they are great quality.
<b>Acro Eating Flat Worms (AEFW)</b>
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=899108&highlight=aefw
Relatively new scourge that threatens to eclipse the Red bugs. These things seem unstoppable but a 15 minute dip in TNPCC is said to kill them. The experts are not weighing in just yet as Borneman has yet to receive a live sample of the pest to begin experimentation on. They are also hard to see, harder than RBs and so are a serious threat to any SPS keeper.
<b>Lighting and Waterflow</b>
The most common failure in SPS can be traced to lack of proper water flow and lighting. This does not mean you need 100 million watts and an ocean simulator to sustain your coral. I t means you need to research where your coral is from and try to emulate that environment. Most of our SPS are from reef flats. These flats get high light, far higher than we can give them and they get lots of flow. I used to think light was the most important thing for SPS but I know how that there seems to be a balance between light and flow. (More on this at the meeting if I remember).
20X tank turn over will do for starters but I like 30 to 40X turn over. Im not getting into the lighting debate of what's better, what's not. I can tell you that PAR is the most important thing to look at when deciding on lighting for your SPS system IMO. Do some research and ask questions.
That said SPS are one of the most rewarding and colorful coral in this hobby and once their demands are met they can provide years of incredible beauty to your tank. Buy smart and learn what it takes to keep these guys healthy and happy and both of you will be rewarded
Hope this is useful to some of you.
Many of you have taken the plunge of late and have decided to try your hand at SPS keeping. A few of us have managed to have some success with these coral in the past but not without the headaches that they invariably seem to cause. For those who have not done so yet, I suggest you familiarize yourselves with Calcium and Alkalinity balance. Invest in a Kalkwaser Reactor or Ca reactor or both. Buy or build an Auto Top off system and run a temperature controller. I also suggest you keep an eye on your SPS daily and note any changes you may see. These guys are a bit less forgiving at times than the typical softies we deal with.
<b>RTN-STN</b>
Some acros for example can bleach within hours; reefers call this RTN (Rapid Tissue Necrosis). Though RTN is not in itself a disease it seems more a symptom of an unknown pathogen. RTN is not recoverable in my experience as the coral sloths off all of its tissue leaving a bleached white skeleton. STN (Slow Tissue Necrosis) however is another story. I have seen coral bounce back from this. Again it seems to be a symptom rather than a disease. STN seems to be caused by many common problems notably Ca and Alk problems.
<b>Red Bugs</b>
I have gone head to head with these creatures and many of you are infected with them and have no clue except a browned out coral that looses polyp extension. Red Bugs typically do not kill a coral outright, they devour it slowly over time and I believe can lead to its eventual death. They can be killed using the Interceptor treatment> http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=45859
Some reports are coming out that “Tropic Marine Pro Coral Cure†can kill RBs, however I do not take the accounts at 100% legit just yet. If you have Red bugs use Interceptor and don’t guess, it works. Of course the best way to win against Red Bugs is to know your enemy well. Learn what to look for before buying an SPS, dip and quarantine new SPS. If buying at swaps or from other reefers ask lots of questions and examine coral carefully. Dr’s Foster&Smith claim 100% parasite free SPS, I have a few of these in the shop tank and have to say they are great quality.
<b>Acro Eating Flat Worms (AEFW)</b>
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=899108&highlight=aefw
Relatively new scourge that threatens to eclipse the Red bugs. These things seem unstoppable but a 15 minute dip in TNPCC is said to kill them. The experts are not weighing in just yet as Borneman has yet to receive a live sample of the pest to begin experimentation on. They are also hard to see, harder than RBs and so are a serious threat to any SPS keeper.
<b>Lighting and Waterflow</b>
The most common failure in SPS can be traced to lack of proper water flow and lighting. This does not mean you need 100 million watts and an ocean simulator to sustain your coral. I t means you need to research where your coral is from and try to emulate that environment. Most of our SPS are from reef flats. These flats get high light, far higher than we can give them and they get lots of flow. I used to think light was the most important thing for SPS but I know how that there seems to be a balance between light and flow. (More on this at the meeting if I remember).
20X tank turn over will do for starters but I like 30 to 40X turn over. Im not getting into the lighting debate of what's better, what's not. I can tell you that PAR is the most important thing to look at when deciding on lighting for your SPS system IMO. Do some research and ask questions.
That said SPS are one of the most rewarding and colorful coral in this hobby and once their demands are met they can provide years of incredible beauty to your tank. Buy smart and learn what it takes to keep these guys healthy and happy and both of you will be rewarded
Hope this is useful to some of you.
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