sps die
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Some specifications about your aquarium's physical and chemical parameters would help. If they're dying from the base up, it really could be just a lack of required light intensity. Or it could be high phosphates in the water interfereing with calcification (a problem softies don't have). Or it could be low water movement which may lead to tissue recession in more delicate stonies. There's numerous possibilities really. More information will help in narrowing down these possibilities.
Are the pumps fixed or on a wavemaker or sea swirl? Do you mean 10000K bulbs?
What species of SPS have you tried to keep? Where did you place them? Do you have DE HQI bulbs?
We need more information. Also, what are the dimensions of your tank, and how much Live rock do you have. Any live sand? Where are you located (obviously not in the US)?
What soft coral do you have?
Ernie
What species of SPS have you tried to keep? Where did you place them? Do you have DE HQI bulbs?
We need more information. Also, what are the dimensions of your tank, and how much Live rock do you have. Any live sand? Where are you located (obviously not in the US)?
What soft coral do you have?
Ernie
does the whitening happen slowly or rapidly?
if slowly, i would suspect lack of water motion
that tends to happen from the inner branches out because the lack of flow inside the branches is lacking to a greater degree.
lack of light does this as well, but it is the shaded areas that first show the signs.
if the whitening is happening rapidly, as in overnight, that is RTN.
HTH
if slowly, i would suspect lack of water motion
that tends to happen from the inner branches out because the lack of flow inside the branches is lacking to a greater degree.
lack of light does this as well, but it is the shaded areas that first show the signs.
if the whitening is happening rapidly, as in overnight, that is RTN.
HTH
Hi,
I don't even have a tank yet so take my word as it is... I remember I read somewhere before that another reefer had exactly (yes, he described almost exactly as your) what you experience. His SPS did very well the first few days and all the sudden they start to die from bottom up (like become white and the color is like wash-off). All other animals (including fish, soft coral, etc) in the tank are doing fine. All water parameters are also fine. What he found out later is that the UV radiation from the light is killing the SPS. Sorry but I don't remember what type of light he has. BUT I do remember the reason why he found out it's the light and UV is because if he put the star poly (almost look like dead in the main tank) in his refu, the star ploy will open up almost immedately! So he thinks his main tank's lighting system (too much UV) is actually killing the SPS... HTH
Maybe you check your lighting system then? Put your SPS in a shaded area and see if they do better?
As I said before, I don't even have a tank yet. So take my word as it is... Just trying to help as so many people helped me before.
david
I don't even have a tank yet so take my word as it is... I remember I read somewhere before that another reefer had exactly (yes, he described almost exactly as your) what you experience. His SPS did very well the first few days and all the sudden they start to die from bottom up (like become white and the color is like wash-off). All other animals (including fish, soft coral, etc) in the tank are doing fine. All water parameters are also fine. What he found out later is that the UV radiation from the light is killing the SPS. Sorry but I don't remember what type of light he has. BUT I do remember the reason why he found out it's the light and UV is because if he put the star poly (almost look like dead in the main tank) in his refu, the star ploy will open up almost immedately! So he thinks his main tank's lighting system (too much UV) is actually killing the SPS... HTH
Maybe you check your lighting system then? Put your SPS in a shaded area and see if they do better?
As I said before, I don't even have a tank yet. So take my word as it is... Just trying to help as so many people helped me before.
david
I think you need a ton more flow, preferibly from a device that will cause random currents like a sea swirl or a wavemaker.
Are you sure that the two powerheads that you have are pumping 500 gph each?
You need some serious chaotic water movement for many SPS to be happy. Have you ever seen a real reef? The water movement is incredible and the polyps on SPS take a beating- they seem to love it.
Were the corals captive raised? Montipora digita is a good starter coral that is quite hearty.
I have lost SPS corals due to low water movement.
I would wait until your tank is overwhelmed with coraline algae before trying any more SPS corals.
What is your calcium reading at?
Ernie
Are you sure that the two powerheads that you have are pumping 500 gph each?
You need some serious chaotic water movement for many SPS to be happy. Have you ever seen a real reef? The water movement is incredible and the polyps on SPS take a beating- they seem to love it.
Were the corals captive raised? Montipora digita is a good starter coral that is quite hearty.
I have lost SPS corals due to low water movement.
I would wait until your tank is overwhelmed with coraline algae before trying any more SPS corals.
What is your calcium reading at?
Ernie
RTN = rapid tissue narcosis. The entire coral sloughs off its tissue in a matter of hours (typically around 2 days tops). What you are describing sounds more like white band disease type II. The white area at the base of the coral slowly moves up a few cm every day towards the tip. In this case you want to frag the entire coral leaving a few cm between the band and healthy tissue to make sure the new frag is disease free. However if this is happening over the course of 3 or more weeks it sounds like the coral is simply not doing well in your environment. Lack of lighting or water movement could be factors.
so bar,
would you sat thta the whitening is happening in the shaded areas first, or the areas protected from current first?
it looks like you keep a clean tank, you must scrape the coralline off, right?
if the equipment you are currently using is the same as the equipment from the last tank, it may simply be undersized for your current application. how big was that original tank?
two 150w bulbs may not meet the needs of that 500 liter tank, it looks deeper.
the same for the power heads.
would you sat thta the whitening is happening in the shaded areas first, or the areas protected from current first?
it looks like you keep a clean tank, you must scrape the coralline off, right?
if the equipment you are currently using is the same as the equipment from the last tank, it may simply be undersized for your current application. how big was that original tank?
two 150w bulbs may not meet the needs of that 500 liter tank, it looks deeper.
the same for the power heads.
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