Sps issues

[Gil2Gil]

Hey all,

So I?ve been having some issues with the sps in my system. All perimeters are perfect, they only thing that?s possibly fluctuated is the temp. I had it at 78 but it swung to 81.

The red Monti lost most color in a day, it seems to be coming back slowly. I had a frag of purple branching monti that looks mad. I bumped one branch while moving coral and that branch died mostly and there has been some more recession.

The really worrying one is a new stylocoeniella coral. It?s stsrting to lose color and not the best polyp extension. It?s at the bottom of the tank, so i don?t know?

I did a water change, I changed all dirty filter media, added new carbon. Any ideas, could it have been the few degrees in temp?

This is an old system.

 

[Spartanwarrior]

stylos are finniky. I know everyone says they are easy, but they do just random rtn or degrade slowly over time, esp with changing parameters.

red monti may have been susceptible to the temp swing, sure. 3 degrees isn't a lot, but 3 degrees high in just a few hours is a lot for corals to adapt to. they seem to do a bit better with lowering temps than increased temps. how long until you noticed the temp swing to correct it?

and u bumped anther coral, injuring it so thats normal recession.

doesnt sound like a huge disaster unless you havent corrected the temp. if you have, you may have limited your losses.

sps thrives in stablity any change can have a negative effect. look at the ocean reefs that are dying because of only a few degrees temp change.

on another note, some reefers notice a death in SPS especially in the wintertime. due to closing windows, artificial heating, there is less CO2 being removed from around the tank area and being absorbed by the water, decreasing the pH. have you checked that recently? i recently blocked my exhaust fan because of cold breezes and I swear only 4-5 days later i lost an entire colony of birdsnest and some rtn'd branches of others....removed the cap and everything looks happy again...coincedence? maybe. perhaps others can chime in...

 

[Gil2Gil]

The swings are quick. Never lasting more than a few hours.

The monti went first a few weeks ago, I thought it got too cold in the apt. It lost a ton of color but seems to be coming back. The. Yesterday I came home to the stylo bleaching. It lost for color color over night.

All testing is perfect, just did another water change days ago so everything nutrients wise should be topped off.

The stylo is new. I've only had it 2 weeks. I've had that monti cap for 3 years. Very sad to watch and not be able to do anything about it.

I'm not going to move it, I think that would cause more stress, I don't know.

 

[Spartanwarrior]

if these swings are happening on a normal basis that WILL be something you need to fix, whether it be a stronger heater or a chiller, more airflow with a fan, etc. temp swings like that will eventually stress out any sps.

 

[Gil2Gil]

It?s not normal and they aren?t new. Like I said, I?ve had that monti for years and the temp swings are super normal this time of year. Just, for some reason, they didn?t like it this time.

I should note that I?m speculating. I?ve never actually witnessed the temp go up, but they bleach the second I leave home.

Also, there is a brown string algae that?s been appearing in the system. I thought i was dino but I don?t know. It grows quick, near the coral only, brown, and is usually one thick strand.

Cheato is in the system and running great. Don?t know what else it could be