I'm done with SPS

[Kevin McG]

My tank is now a LPS and Softees only!

Seems every sps coral I have except for a few are heading down the tubes. All the corals seem to thrive and grow well and then all of a sudden start to slowly die and stn

All parameters are alway kept right on, I don't understand it so I am throwing in the towel.

 

[stevenp]

Not to sound pessimistic, but I'm sure I'll eventually end up at the same crossroads that you're at... seems inevitable with the luck I've had thus far. But until then I'll continue to fight the battle!

Steve

 

[GinaD]

Such a bummer! So sorry to hear you are having so much trouble that you're swearing SPS off altogether. Have you had a conversation with Bec? She seems to have the answers to the sps secrets.

 

[Kevin McG]

Such a bummer! So sorry to hear you are having so much trouble that you're swearing SPS off altogether. Have you had a conversation with Bec? She seems to have the answers to the sps secrets.

Never really talked to anybody really, she definitely has "the touch" though

What really is eating me alive is I have a really nice green slimer that I have had for a long time. It was growing really nicely then all of a sudden I notice something is up with the tips of the coral. Now I see lots of dead tissue and the coral seems to be dying off. Another coral is a green monti cap that I got as a small frag and that thing was growing HUGE and not it is dying off to

Kinda bummed but I am going to concentrate on what I know does well in my tank like softeees and most lps corals.

What really stumps me is I keep the tank very stable, alk 7-10, calcium 450, mag 1350, temp 79-81, ph 8.1-8.3.

All I can say is mabe its the lights, I am running 3 250 watt 14k Phoenix bulbs that I put in about 8-9 months ago, maybe they are shot?

 

[nichols]

I'm pretty sure you have to be a little "touched" to keep any corals.

 

[this is me]

I'll soon join the boat. I just cant dedicate that much time into such a small system of mine for sps. I've already replacing some sps for lps.

 

[Rays]

Kevin, sorry to hear that. Sometimes when the bulbs are reaching the end of the line, the corals will let you know. My lights are just about there too, time for new ones. Your lighting appears to be fine, and your params are good. Also, too many softies in the tank can have an adverse effect on sps. The softies can release toxins when they feel threatened by other corals. The toxins don't effect the softies but can wreak havoc with sps.

 

[Pat H.]

All I can say is mabe its the lights, I am running 3 250 watt 14k Phoenix bulbs that I put in about 8-9 months ago, maybe they are shot?

Kevin, I've been running 14k SE bulbs for a while now. I've noticed that around 9 months the bulbs are basically junk. Not sure if that's the problem, but it's definately a start.

 

[Kevin McG]

Kevin, I've been running 14k SE bulbs for a while now. I've noticed that around 9 months the bulbs are basically junk. Not sure if that's the problem, but it's definately a start.

I think it could be the mixing of the softees and sps with the toxins as noted above along with the bulbs possible needing replacing. I just checked and the 3 bulbs were placed in on 1/6/2006 so they are probably due.

 

[wrassefan]

do you run carbon 24/7? With a mixed reef, there is always the chance of chemical warfare

 

[NateHanson]

Sorry to hear you're getting frustrated Kevin. The bulbs might be an issue, or the chemical warfare, but I'd also raise your Alk a bit. I sort of forget how dKH translates, but isn't 7-10 on the low/medium end?

 

[MikeG]

I agree with Nate that the alk is a little low. I would aim to keep it around 10 and stay away from the 7dkh range of things.

 

[Richard]

I never had any sucess when I had leathers in my tank along with sps. After I sold all the leathers off is when my sps took off.

Alk at 7 is definatly on the low side IMO.
7dKH= 2.51meq/l
10.2dKH= 3.66meq/l

 

[vinny]

Are these the same bulbs you always used if they are ever think of changing bulbs maybe a to a 10k might help you.Hate to see you give up thats all.

 

[Michael Mota]

Just a guess but did you do a water change recently and then noticed the tips stn'ing?

 

[RichConley]

I disagree. Everytime I go near 10dkh, I start getting tip burn. 7-8 seems to be safe. Below 7 I get base recession.

Kevin, what brand of salt are you using. There are a couple that have some wierd Boron numbers that really screw up alkalinity. It really sounds like you had an alkalinity spike to me.


The real problem is, it seems that depending on nutrient levels, acros can take different things. It seems to me that the lower nutrient levels I get, the less alk my corals need/can take. Back a year ago, I was running my alk at 10-12. Since I've gone to much more flow, and a much bigger skimmer, I can't run any higher than 10 without getting some tip burn.


(NSW is 7-8, FWIW)

 

[Greg Hiller]

>Kevin, what brand of salt are you using. There are a couple that have some wierd Boron numbers that really screw up alkalinity.<

I think the problem was borate levels were high in the SeaChem salt formula. Don't know if that's still the case.

Kevin,

I'm surprised you are having so many problems. I don't know if we will be able to figure a fix here, but I sometimes wish people would post when they are having problems, but before they decide to toss in the towel.

Are you using RO/DI water? Anything you changed recently? Added equipment? What's your water motion like? How large are the soft corals?

 

[Kevin McG]

do you run carbon 24/7? With a mixed reef, there is always the chance of chemical warfare

Not usually, I will run it every once in a while but usually 1 week out of a month or so

Are these the same bulbs you always used if they are ever think of changing bulbs maybe a to a 10k might help you.Hate to see you give up thats all.

This was the 1st time I really have bought bulbs, I only started in this hobby about 1 1/2 years ago. Before these bulbs there were 10k in the fixture but none of the corals I have now were under that lighting.I do love the look of the 14k's though.

Just a guess but did you do a water change recently and then noticed the tips stn'ing?

I do one avery 3-4 weeks or so, time doesn't allow me a weekly or bi-weekly like I should be doing.

Kevin, what brand of salt are you using. There are a couple that have some wierd Boron numbers that really screw up alkalinity. It really sounds like you had an alkalinity spike to me.


The real problem is, it seems that depending on nutrient levels, acros can take different things. It seems to me that the lower nutrient levels I get, the less alk my corals need/can take. Back a year ago, I was running my alk at 10-12. Since I've gone to much more flow, and a much bigger skimmer, I can't run any higher than 10 without getting some tip burn.


(NSW is 7-8, FWIW)

I am using the IO and from what I have been reading it is one of the worst salts out there.

Its really weird some of the sps is doing great and others just don't fair to well.

 

[RichConley]

Kevin, IO is, IMO, one of the best. I think Greg uses IO, that right Greg?

I saw recently that Bourneman posted something about not liking IO, but it seemed to be in reference to him getting Cyano in the tank he tested with. I tend to think thats a problem with that tank, as many of us run IO, and dont have cyano.


As to the Borate, Greg, you're correct, it was high, so people were getting artificially high alk ratings, which I dont think is the problem here.

 

[Greg Hiller]

>Not usually, I will run it every once in a while but usually 1 week out of a month or so<

I would consider being much more aggressive about carbon.

> Before these bulbs there were 10k in the fixture but none of the corals I have now were under that lighting.I do love the look of the 14k's though.<

Since you have three bulbs, you might want to consider having the center bulb a 10K.

>I am using the IO and from what I have been reading it is one of the worst salts out there.<

Don't blame your salt, at least not if it's IO. About 90% of the most successful reefers use IO. While I've not seen the data about the recent salt study, I think the reason that IO (from what I hear) did not do well is probably just do to the lower levels of calcium and magnesium in IO. That problem is super simple to correct, and simply adding those I would guess would have shown IO equivalent to Reef Crystal (I think Reef Crystals [which apparently did well so I hear], is basically just IO with a few things tossed in).