Can not keep acans/micros/chalices alive

[Leonard]

Anyone want to venture a guess what I'm doing wrong? Other LPS (Duncans, Trachys, Fungiids, et al.) do fine, and SPS have great PE and growth (though muted colors).
pH 8.3
Ca 400+
Alk 12.5+
Mg 1300+
PO4 <0.05 (though I suspect this is because its being consumed by some chaeto-like macro i've been fighting in the DT)

Oh, I also can't keep Scolys alive past a year, but I know many other experienced reefkeepers have trouble with Scolys long-term in SPS tanks so I've given up on them.

 

[fab1971]

Your alk seems a little high, imo but I suspect you may have some type of parasite or predator in your tank if it's only affecting certain types of lps. I had a point that my tank could not support acans. After a year of staying away from acans, I can finally keep them again. gl

 

[Pkunk35]

What kind of lighting? Do you feed them and do they eat regularly/show polyp extension?

 

[Madreef]

From my recent experiences in acan and chalice death, I would say that if you get the alk down to like 8-9 and keep phos up to .05 or so I bet they would be much happier in your tank.

 

[Leonard]

I run 250W halides and VHO actinics. I stopped feeding them because my fish and crustaceans always steal the food. I might just not be able to keep acans and micros in this tank, even if I let it go fallow for any parasites to die off. I was under the impression that chalices don't require feeding. This is probably two different problems.

I'll let my alk drop but I don't want to increase my PO4 if I don't have to since I'm still battling this chaeto-like macro.

 

[aquabull]

It could also be too much water flow. Considering good polyp extension on sps, it may be too much flow for the chalices. Peppermint shrimp could be harassing the acans as well.

 

[JR's Reef]

Do a goggle on Aussie black bugs. Ktar had a big thread on RC about them. I lost a lot of my LPS because of them over the summer but got it under control finally. Also treatment is pretty much the same as red bugs.

 

[LeviTillie]

Once you confirm you are pest free, try spot feeding them a little when you feed your fish.

 

[gar732]

I lost most of my lps a while ago after my PO4 went up due to the wife way over feeding then I'd come home and feed the fish again. It was a while before I realized how much she was feeding. I developed a algae problem along the same time that was soaking up the PO4 so my salifert test kit read zero. At that point my live rock had absorbed much of the PO4 that even though I wasn't over feeding anymore and I was running GFO, PO4 sponge, and bip-pellets I still couldn't keep a lot of lps. Its been over six months now and I'm just starting to be able to lps again. It'll be some time before I try any real nice lps again.

 

[cjvale]

my inverts are my arch nemisis.... pep shrimp to be exact if i could catch um id put lps back into my tank. good luck.

 

[Reef Pets]

Like many have stated drop your ALK. Many SPS don't even like it that high. 8 seems to be a good number for a wide range of coral.

 

[Leonard]

I'll let my alk fall (stop adding the alk component of my 2 part and deal with the imbalance with the next water change). I don't think I have black bugs but who knows. I RELIGIOUSLY dip (with at least 3 solutions) and QT my corals. Still, it could have snuck in somehow, however unlikely.

 

[KJAG]

my inverts are my arch nemisis.... pep shrimp to be exact if i could catch um id put lps back into my tank. good luck.

Those things are nightmares.Luckily my yellow watchman ate the two that I had.