SPS color problems
- Thread starter 1guydude
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tangs rule
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///forum/thread/386989/sps-color-problems#post_3401811
So someone plz tell me why i have problems with SPS...most are either not showing polyps, or bleached. or have turned brown! WTH
Some sps esp, acropora just need a very established tank - like 9-12+ months. We're not even sure what "changes" from month 4 to say month 11 (assuming all water parameters remain constant), but the odds of an acro frag doing well in a tank under 9 months old are very low.
keep your calcium very close to 450ppm
keep your PO4 near 0 (phosphates)
keep your ALK at 3.2 - 4.5 meq/L (9-12 dkh)
And of course those nitrates low too.
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///forum/thread/386989/sps-color-problems#post_3401811
So someone plz tell me why i have problems with SPS...most are either not showing polyps, or bleached. or have turned brown! WTH
Some sps esp, acropora just need a very established tank - like 9-12+ months. We're not even sure what "changes" from month 4 to say month 11 (assuming all water parameters remain constant), but the odds of an acro frag doing well in a tank under 9 months old are very low.
keep your calcium very close to 450ppm
keep your PO4 near 0 (phosphates)
keep your ALK at 3.2 - 4.5 meq/L (9-12 dkh)
And of course those nitrates low too.
1guydude
Well-Known Member
i didnt know they needed that well established tanks...i knew bout the calcium but for the most part im really new to this coral....They r living and actually growing new parts but for the most part...not thriving and keeping the color i want! Will the color come back in time? Darn SPS
tangs rule
Active Member
Yup - most LPS do not have the "new tank barrier" that a few SPS have. Even though all the testable parameters may not change for the tank from say month 4 to 9 or beyond - SOMETHING in there changes to allow acro growth...
If you attempt to keep the parameters listed, they might survive until they begin to grow and "come back" - but sadly the frags can bleach & void within a couple weeks, and it might be months before the water is correct for growth.
Hey - we all got some spare frag plugs lying around cause the little coral "attempt" we tried - failed...Welcome to reefs.
If you attempt to keep the parameters listed, they might survive until they begin to grow and "come back" - but sadly the frags can bleach & void within a couple weeks, and it might be months before the water is correct for growth.
Hey - we all got some spare frag plugs lying around cause the little coral "attempt" we tried - failed...Welcome to reefs.
1guydude
Well-Known Member
well how do i know if they arent or didnt make it? They still polyp sometimes! They appear to have flesh but its brown....and on my new larger piece its all white except the tips that have kept color!
stupid acros and monti!!!!! Whole nother ball game than LPS and zoos/palys
tangs rule
Active Member
When they are totally dead - you'll see either coraline alage or green alage begin deposit over them - That's when I pull the plug. A fresh sps skeleton is prime growing area for other alages once the piece has voided & died. How long have u had these sps frags in there??? How long since the original tank finished cycle??
Post a pic or 2 - sometimes bleaching can be prevented from killing the whole piece - but a survival "frag" must be cut from it - with no bleached area - and of course put into an enviroment where it'll come back. It's probably just too early for your tank to accept some sps - maybe by winter or early spring.
Edit: Ive seen people set up SPS tanks in just a few months - but I've never been able to do it the short way!
Post a pic or 2 - sometimes bleaching can be prevented from killing the whole piece - but a survival "frag" must be cut from it - with no bleached area - and of course put into an enviroment where it'll come back. It's probably just too early for your tank to accept some sps - maybe by winter or early spring.
Edit: Ive seen people set up SPS tanks in just a few months - but I've never been able to do it the short way!
1guydude
Well-Known Member
well its night light time right now so ill post pics tommorow! I did have a purple monti frag bleach out completly and get covered in green algae...i didnt know so i left it and it started to get red and purple algae....i tossed it prob sometime last week! Ive had two acro and another monti frag for at least a month and half, if not longer....ive recently added two small diff types of acros and one larger one! The larger one is the one that is bleached but still has color in all the tips and the base! its green with blue tips and i really have never fragged a SPS nor a LPS! Can i just snap off the ends? I dont want to! I wanted a nice size "show" piece....but its half bleached....
I'll post some pics tommorow when i get home from work!
I'll post some pics tommorow when i get home from work!
1guydude
Well-Known Member
ecoexotic!
they penetrate pretty good and i noticed with the two smaller recent frags....they didnt bleach! I put em on the sand bed and moved em up the the rockwork days later! This larger one i put up closer to the surface as soon as it was in the tank! That was one of my big mistakes me thinks!
they penetrate pretty good and i noticed with the two smaller recent frags....they didnt bleach! I put em on the sand bed and moved em up the the rockwork days later! This larger one i put up closer to the surface as soon as it was in the tank! That was one of my big mistakes me thinks!
tangs rule
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///forum/thread/386989/sps-color-problems#post_3402052
well shoot!!! Thxs
they will be okay right? Just b awhile (months and months) till the color comes back? If at all?
Frequently, sps (acro) frags in a new system just kinda peter out
Unless it's able to feed right, and get the right light, in the right water, usually a frag will void and die. It may be possible for some to alter their original color, morph to brown, survive, and come back - but this would be the exception, not the rule.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///forum/thread/386989/sps-color-problems#post_3402053
u can see in the last pick that the milli is prob doin the best! Its still kinda pink!
o i added another korillia nano 425 hoping that may help a bit too
again, some sps more paticular than others, You've added alot of new frags in short order, so with a new tank, some loss is very likely....just try to keep water parameters high, and hope for the best.
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///forum/thread/386989/sps-color-problems#post_3402052
well shoot!!! Thxs
they will be okay right? Just b awhile (months and months) till the color comes back? If at all?
Frequently, sps (acro) frags in a new system just kinda peter out
Unless it's able to feed right, and get the right light, in the right water, usually a frag will void and die. It may be possible for some to alter their original color, morph to brown, survive, and come back - but this would be the exception, not the rule.Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///forum/thread/386989/sps-color-problems#post_3402053
u can see in the last pick that the milli is prob doin the best! Its still kinda pink!
o i added another korillia nano 425 hoping that may help a bit too
again, some sps more paticular than others, You've added alot of new frags in short order, so with a new tank, some loss is very likely....just try to keep water parameters high, and hope for the best.
wartooth1
Member
Hey 1guyDude,
I litterally just got my first SPS coral today... According to the LFS I got it from, an Orange Digitata (Monti) is supposed to be one of the easiest and hardiest of the SPS. So I got one as my "starter" SPS. I'm sure if you get one and it does well, its a good sign you may be ready for some more SPSs
I'm optimistic about mine because 10 minutes after putting it in the tank all the polyps opened up... never seen a coral open up so fast!
I litterally just got my first SPS coral today... According to the LFS I got it from, an Orange Digitata (Monti) is supposed to be one of the easiest and hardiest of the SPS. So I got one as my "starter" SPS. I'm sure if you get one and it does well, its a good sign you may be ready for some more SPSs
I'm optimistic about mine because 10 minutes after putting it in the tank all the polyps opened up... never seen a coral open up so fast!
1guydude
Well-Known Member
ya apparently no matter wat sps it is....it needs some certain requirments....mine are kinda like hit and miss right now! Ive got three sps pieces that are great but my superman monti, echniopora, and 4 other acros just arent cutting it! Ive made a deal with a fellow from a local club! He wants to trade and ill be getting some high end stuff in return =)
......
prob not as many pieces hes getting cuz other wise it wouldnt be a fair trade!
......
prob not as many pieces hes getting cuz other wise it wouldnt be a fair trade!
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
From my experience, SPS are very sensitive to phosphate. Check your phosphate reading real quick and see what it is. Also, your Alkalinity has to be pretty constant and high. (~12dKh) Check your magnesium levels as well. There is a way you can keep SPS corals - but like they said above, you have to have a pretty well established tank.
When I kept SPS for a time, I regularly dosed kalkwasser to keep my calcium and alkalinity high six days a week and on the seventh day I wouldn't dose kalkwasser. I would dose a marine buffer to keep the pH/alk from dropping.
I find that it all depends on the maturity of the tank, the internal flow rate, the type of lighting and the chemical balance that makes SPS corals so difficult to keep.
When I kept SPS for a time, I regularly dosed kalkwasser to keep my calcium and alkalinity high six days a week and on the seventh day I wouldn't dose kalkwasser. I would dose a marine buffer to keep the pH/alk from dropping.
I find that it all depends on the maturity of the tank, the internal flow rate, the type of lighting and the chemical balance that makes SPS corals so difficult to keep.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
That's too bad. Sorry for your losses. Try again next time!
btldreef
Moderator
What test kits are you using to test?
With SPS, a lot has to do with how they're acclimated as well as what others are mentioning. I temperature acclimate all SPS and then light acclimate. Keep in mind that most of your LFS's do not regularly replace bulbs, they only do so when one pops, they also don't usually clean the reflectors, and splash guards. This usually means that your lighting is going to be far more intense than what the corals are used to.
Also, you're a dipper right? I've found dipping SPS in Melafix instead of other dips is less harsh on.
With SPS, a lot has to do with how they're acclimated as well as what others are mentioning. I temperature acclimate all SPS and then light acclimate. Keep in mind that most of your LFS's do not regularly replace bulbs, they only do so when one pops, they also don't usually clean the reflectors, and splash guards. This usually means that your lighting is going to be far more intense than what the corals are used to.
Also, you're a dipper right? I've found dipping SPS in Melafix instead of other dips is less harsh on.