Problems

[spectra]

Ok have just kind of started getting into SPS. Well everything was doing good now all of a sudden things are going down hill(flame) Have checked everything and it is all in good form. The only thing I can think of is the light is there such a thing as to much? Tank is only a 30 gallon with a DE 250 on top of it. Some SPS are doing fine while others willl not open up like they used to. Also have had a few frags brown out on me. Let me know if you can think of anything that might help.

Thanks, Scott

[dsoz]

Have you checked the phosphates?

That has been my problem. I get some good colored frags, and when I put them in my tank I get brown sticks...
I just discovered my high phosphate problem (suspected, but was too afraid to find out for sure). Now I have to do something about it.

Good luck

dsoz

[spectra]

Yes just had them checked today and they were good. I run phosban and change it once a month. Am not sure what to look for next?

[andy]

That's a lot of light, but IME high light conditions lead to bleaching and not to browning out. I agree with dsoz re: phosphates, but if you've tested and don't have high levels I guess it can't be that. What are your other water params at?

Also, what corals are happy and what are not doing well?

[siskiou]

How about red bugs?
Though I'm not sure if they contribute to brown out.
But my SPS that were affected stopped opening up like they used to (was a slow process) and then I took a closer look...
How are your nitrates?

[spectra]

Well as for bugs have not seen anything but what are the things to look for?

Whats doing good all encrusting montis are open and having a great time. Plating montis are fine. Also have a few digis that are open and doing great. A few acros and a stag are not really opening up like they used to. Also have a unknown acro that was thriving under T5s and then once it hit the MH the color went blue and it was doing great. All of a sudden now it is looking like A** A few millis are doing ok but then others are not so good. So who knows whats going on.

Nitrates were almost undetectable last time I checked. Will do another check tonight.

[spectra]

Well just checked the nitrates and nitrites and both were almost undetectable. And as for the other tests had Jordan at Waves run them today just to make sure everything was good. Like I said it all checked out.

[mrgreenthumb]

Some sps definitely do better under brighter light and some thrive more under lower light. Can be difficult pinpointing which perfer which. Whenever I have a coral that is not cooperating I just keep moving it until it does. I only do this after first checking to make sure all parameters are within check(CA, NO3, ALK, PO4, PH, MG, and IO) Flow also plays a big part in polyp extension. Seems like the more flow my sps are in the further the polyps extend. Lets not forget about the roll temperature plays as well
HTH

[sontdo]

Try to increase random water current flow. I had the same problem before. So I added more flow and light to the tank. SPS are doing fine now.

[chewie]

Any temperature spikes recently?

[impur]

I would be checking for redbugs. Sounds like the symptoms, I hope not though. Look for tiny tiny red bugs on the coral. They feed on the corals mucus and are about the size of a pencil lead.

Acropora red bugs

Identification: One of the most recent "pests" who have now become prevalent is a very small crustacean that looks like a mite and appears to prefer most species of Acropora corals. This crustacean is yellow in color with a red dot, approximately 1/2 mm in length, and is very difficult to see without a magnifying glass. It has been theorized that red bugs are either a parasitic form of copepod or micro-amphipod, though very little research has been done and their true identification is not complete at this time.

Symptoms and signs: It has been speculated that the crustacean feeds off of the slime and waste products produced by the Acroporas. If you have an established colony of Acropora sp. that begins losing coloration and stops showing normal polyp extension, take a closer look at the tissue of the coral for any small yellowish/red specks. It is oftentimes easiest to distinguish these pests on the shadowed underside of a branch. An infected colony of Acropora will typically show poor or no polyp extension, and will slowly lose coloration over time. As a result of this infestation, it has been found that the growth rate of the colony is seriously affected, and may even result in death to the coral itself.

It is not clear why these bugs prefer certain species of Acropora over others, nor is it clear why they are not found on other SPS corals such as Montipora, Pocillopora, or Seriatopora.

Pics
http://www.melevsreef.com/id/redbugs.html


Hope thats not it, but its not the end of the world. Pretty easy to treat.

[reefhut]

oh boy..could be a number of things. But mostly, I'd say your nutreint levels are too high. You may change your phos out sooner. If you run you phos to long it can create higher levels of nutreints. Try changing it once every 10 to 12 day's and change your return filter every third or fourth day. All this of course will depend on how much you feed your tank. You may want to step up your water changes to put back trace elements that the corals are useing up. Use a good quality salt, don't use the cheap stuff, your results will be "you get what you pay for". I would recommend doing weekly water changes of 20% for 2 months and then step back to every two weeks for a couple months and then once a month. You will notice a big difference in your corals and you'll start to have success. Like anything, start off with a good foundaton and keep good husbandary. It's worked for other people haveing the same problem your haveing. Oh yea, I would agree with the statement above, watch for big temp swing's and PH swing's. Anyway...that's my two cents.

Good Luck

[spectra]

Thanks for the info and as for temp spikes not sure. Everytime I look at the temp it says 79 to 80. Am hooking up a AC Jr so that should also be little better on the temp probe. Also will let me know PH of the reactor when I getit on line. As for water changes am doing them once a week now bit only about 10% at this time. Also going to look for bugs.

Thanks for the heads up guys and gals!

[spectra]

Well looked for bugs and could not see anything. Got out the kids magnifing (sp) glass and could not see anything.

[Nyles]

Scott,

Red bugs will NOT attach millipora, so thats not the case, I would recommend you do a heave dose of TMPCC on a coral thats not doing well triple the dose and let it soak for 15 min. Check the dish you put it in and see what comes off. My millis just recently got a nice attack from Acro eating flatworms and this was the case, tried flatworm exit last week and that was a waste of money, TMPCC did ok but not killing all of them so we are now going to step up to the potassium permanganate.

Try TMPCC and see what happens, hopefully thats not the case but I would check.

[impur]

Hey i've got the AEFW again!!!

I noticed my SPS looked a little less colorful the last few days. Pulled out my tricolor and sure enough it has bite marks all over it. I dropped it in a bowl with 2X TMPCC strength and you should have seen how many came off of it!! I was amazed. I dipped about 7 frags and found at least 50 flatworms. I don't have any room in my QT so i don't know what i'm going to do :( Weekly dips i guess, or i'm going to have to upgrade my QT. Now THAT sucks.


Nyles i'm finding that while KMnO4 will kill nudis, AEFW, and both of their eggs, it has a higher mortality rate for acros versus montis. For some reason montis can take it, acros can't. So TMPCC might be the best thing unless you want to step up to levimasole. It will work on both but also has a high mortality rate on corals so you have to be real careful with it.

[Nyles]

Figures.... Always something.

[spectra]

Well think I will go get some TMPCC and see what comes offDOH! Hopoefully nothing but who knows. Also am hoping nothing since I gave Jay a few pcs. Anyway will let you know if I find anything.

Thanks again!

[Nyles]

Ya, my frag system seems to be clean but my display is suffering, there tough to evict, Im going to setup a temporary third tank to put all my SPS in till I know the main tank is pest free... fun fun. That will be tons of work unfortunately.

[dsoz]

KMnO4 will kill nudis, AEFW, and both of their eggs, it has a higher mortality rate for acros versus montis. For some reason montis can take it, acros can't.

Make sure you document this. Take good notes on what you do and what you do it to. Also pictures of both survivors and mortalities. This is the type of information that could be passed on to Eric Borneman. Maybe he can use it in some research paper and make lots of money. :) If he can't I'll gather all the research and publish it so I can become rich and famous.

It is good to know that it works on AEFWs also. Did you use the same dose as for the monti-eating-nudis (50 mg/L)? Did you find a balance that can measure out 0.05g yet?

If acros can't take the dose that montis can, try a half strength, or less time. Maybe the FW will still die with a different dosage.

dsoz

[impur]

This is just from my researching Dennis. I haven't used it yet, i'm slightly scared to be honest (laugh).

I haven't found a balance yet, i need to pm Joel.


Good luck Scott. Let us know what you find. I haven't seen anything that lives thru a TMPCC dip, but luckily the corals are remarkably resilient to the stuff.

[reefboy]

Check your Ph from when lights are on for a few hours then a few hours after there off to make sure your not getting a major ph swing.Also did they check your salinity its one of the most missed test's or can be off do to bad hydrometer.

[spectra]

Have not done the PH when lights are on and off will look into it this weekend. As for salinity I have found this small tank needs more top offs than my other did. Have been keeping the salinity between 023 and 025.

Thanks for the info Jody(rock2)

[impur]

Find anything out Scott??

[reefboy]

Find anything out Scott??

Ditto:D just curious

[spectra]

Who knowsDOH!


Have checked everything and all is good. Dipped the corals and no bugs(clap)
Some are polyping a little and others are not so just going to let it go and see what happens. I told Impure am just going to stick with what grows(laugh) Montis are doing great and polyped out all the time they are encrusting over the rocks so I know they are at least happy. Will forgo the few sps I have if I have to but would like to keep everything. Am getting things togehter for another cube tank so hopefully can get this one right and grow everything(whistle)

[reefboy]

Does anyone you know have a hanna phosphate tester(low range) found out I had high phosphates after I got one salifert showed it was fine.

[spectra]

Does anyone you know have a hanna phosphate tester(low range) found out I had high phosphates after I got one salifert showed it was fine.


Not sure what that is but I take my water to Waves and have it tested for phosphates. They put it in some machine and it reads it not a salifert test as far as I know. Will see what it is this weekend if I swing by there.

[reefboy]

yep sounds like it what fish do you have do you have any pigmy angels that could be picking? not sure if this was asked already lol.

[spectra]

No fish the only ones that bug the corals are acouple of clown gobys that sit in them. Other than that nothing to think of.

[mrgreenthumb]

I thought clown gobies were known to nip at the smaller polyps of sps corals.

[spectra]

I thought clown gobies were known to nip at the smaller polyps of sps corals.

If so I have never watched them touch the sps yet. They just like to sit in them and watch the other fish swim by. But like I said am just going to run with what I have and see how it works out. Am getting tired of banging my head against a wall trying to figure it out.

[R-3]

Heres some threads for ya Scott

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71160

http://www.clamsdirect.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2065&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid=8d014b14e97fe9190528078d05eff3eb

[spectra]

Well maybe I will have to evict the little guys and see what happensDOH! I kind of like them and there antics but if they are causing problems then out the door you go(enforcer) Anyone want a couple of clown gobys:D

[spectra]

Well time for an update. Evicted the little suckers(rock2) One ended up disapearing but the other one is living fine in my sons nano. But as for the corals things seem to be getting back to normal. Corals are starting to polyp out again and they are actually growing. Also hooked up a calcium reactor and things are staying in check pretty well.

[mrgreenthumb]

Nice good to hear!!!

[plack]

Ok so I am new here but as I read this thread it occured to me that it could just be light shock from changing from t-5's to halides as everything was fine until....

IF !!! thats the case then any healthy but un attractive brown acro's may change color in a few months and you may not be able to do anything about it at all. Time will tell that !!!

:-)

Paul

[spectra]

Actually most of the corals really liked the change from the T5s to the MH. I had no brown outs but did have some fish that loved to nip polyps. My stag colored up so nice then the polyps disapeared when the fish came inDOH! But they are gone now and polyps are once again coming out(clap)

[plack]

I'm Glad to hear all is well !

Your first post said "Also have had a few frags brown out on me" Thats why I thought as I did !

I also have a clown gony that may end up in another nano some day for similar reasons ( bit's the tips off--but then they start to grow where he bit them so far .)

:-)

Paul

[spectra]

Sorry about that partDOH! I did have a few but think there were other things going on with parameters also. But everything is checking out great now and even my orange monticap that got knocked over on to the Duncans(flame) Is starting to grow over the dead spot that was created.