Having issues with sps

rs1831 · Sep 7, 2015

Hello, I have a 90 gallon tank that has been set up for about 8 months now. I have a 6 bulb ATI fixture, a Vertex 150 skimmer, and two vortechs mp40's. My current parameters are as followed:

alk: 8.4
cal: 420
mag: 1350
nitrate: 4/5
phosphates: .03

About 3 weeks ago I stopped using gfo because I was constantly getting 0 with a hanna hi 736 checker and over the last couple of weeks I have raised my phosphate levels to .03.

The issue that I've been dealing with is that I'll get a sps that looks great at first but then over a few weeks will have less and less polyp extension and will start to lose color and eventually die. I was hoping that once I started having more nutrients in my system that I would start seeing better results but I am still having issues. What should I do?

Best,
Roland

Tahoe61 · Sep 7, 2015

Water source?
SG and temp please?
Is it possible to include an image or what type of Acropora?
How are you maintaining values?
Have you checked for Red Bugs or AEFW?

Sounds like a fantastic setup just need to figure out the mystery.

PaulKreider · Sep 7, 2015

Fish and critter stock list? Could be a potential culprit.

rs1831 · Sep 7, 2015

I've dipped everything before going into the tank and the fish are all reef safe and do not bother any of the corals. I only have snails and crabs for inverts.

2 clownfish
3 chromis
blenny
goby
yellow coris wrasse
melanurus wrasse
kole tang

PaulKreider · Sep 7, 2015

Ahhh what blenny and goby exactly? Most are known to nip at polyps of sps

rs1831 · Sep 7, 2015

PaulKreider said:
Ahhh what blenny and goby exactly? Most are known to nip at polyps of sps

Starry blenny and a orange spotted goby. They don't seem to bother any of the corals.

D maul · Sep 7, 2015

Do you light acclimate new arrivals? There could be a number of things making them go bad. Fish can peck at sps at night.

rs1831 · Sep 7, 2015

D maul said:
Do you light acclimate new arrivals? There could be a number of things making them go bad. Fish can peck at sps at night.

I start them low on a frag rack which I move up over a couple of weeks and then place them where I want them.

PaulKreider · Sep 7, 2015

Keep an eye on the starry eyed blenny, known sps picker.

rs1831 · Sep 7, 2015

Tahoe61 said:
Water source?
SG and temp please?
Is it possible to include an image or what type of Acropora?
How are you maintaining values?
Have you checked for Red Bugs or AEFW?

Sounds like a fantastic setup just need to figure out the mystery.

I'll try and post a picture tomorrow night. I keep my sg at 1.025 and temp between 78-79.5. Mostly 78-79. I've checked for red bugs and aefa and dip with bayer.

rs1831 · Sep 7, 2015

PaulKreider said:
Keep an eye on the starry eyed blenny, known sps picker.

I'll do that but at this point I've never seen him nip at a coral.

rs1831 · Sep 9, 2015

I made a small adjustment the other night and I have noticed better polyp extension. I have the adjustable ATI fixture cut back the amount of light that I was using. Right now I only have it ramping up to 70% on channel 2 and 100% on channel 1. I am going do this for a few weeks and then start adjusting to a little more intensity and see how they react.

Russ265 · Sep 10, 2015

if they pale and die over the course of 2-3 weeks then id look at nitrate and po4. they need to photosynthesize something

sromero287 · Sep 10, 2015

Take the fuc&$ng blennies out, they were the problem with my SPS colonies, they were nipping them before the ATI's went to moon lights. I saw them with a wifi camera. Once they went to the sump everything flourished perfectly fine, believe me it took me a two months and like ten frags and two colonies. Good luck

ReefMadScientist · Sep 10, 2015

I too took my GFO offline but did not experience the issues you are dealing with. Check your NO3 and PO4 again. Your issues do not resemble your parameters which appear to be good.

May just be the Blennies.

rs1831 · Sep 16, 2015

Well, some good news. Over the last week I have noticed better polyp extension and I am starting to see some added color to some corals that were having issues. I starting using gfo again but only half the amount of the recommended dosage for a tank my size. One thing that I forgot to mention is that I changed out a Aquablue Azure and added a ATI coral plus.