I need help keeping SPS! Im stumped!

[Discordian]

My tank is a little over a year old. I've been keeping LPS in my tank an they are happy, healthy and growing. I have tried a number of times to introduce sps and every time the same thing happens. Two weeks ago I received an order of corals online, several acans, a chalice, a lobo, and an orange monti with green polyps.

Everything is doing well except the monti. It is slowly starting to turn white from the top. Every time I have added sps the exact same thing happens. They slowly retract there pylps and turn white from the tips in. Ive tried montis, stylos, and digitata. Everytime it is the same thing. My parameters are good and stable. I just don't understand!

Alk: 9.1 (last 5 weekly tests have alternated between 8.8 and 9.1)
Nitrate: 8.4 ( last 5 weeks have been between 13.4 and 8.4)
Phosphate .01 (last 5 weeks have been .01 or .02)
Calcium 440 ( last 5 weeks it has been basically right at that level)

Please help me! I've order an ICP test, but I doubt I'll have the results in time to save the monti. Does anyone know what could be going on?

 

[jolthoff]

What's your lighting situation? Salinity?

 

[jolthoff]

Also pH?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Your alk is too high for 0.01 Po4

Stable doesn’t mean anything if they are bad to begin with. What all are you doing for nutrient export?

 

[tgrick]

Your alk is too high for 0.01 Po4

Stable doesn’t mean anything if they are bad to begin with. What all are you doing for nutrient export?

I agree. I would drop the ALK to no higher than 8.6. In fact, I would say 8.2 would be better.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Nm
I remember now

Getting into SPS and don't know what's wrong

My tank has been up for about 8 months. All my corals (that aren't SPS) are doing great! Hammers, zoas, chalace, favia, torch, acans, lobo, avelopora, and a duncan are all doing great. But every time I add an SPS coral it dies fairly quickly. I added a purple stylo that made it about a month...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Rollman]

never read that 8.2-8.6 is sps target range lol. 9.1 is ok, usually more to the story.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

never read that 8.2-8.6 is sps target range lol. 9.1 is ok, usually more to the story.

We’re not saying that. We’re saying 9.1 is too high for 0.01 Po4….that’s the “more to the story”

 

[Discordian]

Salinity is 35 ppt and PH is 8.2. Yep that was my post from the last time I tried SPS. I have a kessil Ap9x Ive never tested par. I started the corals off to the side and low in the tank. I sort of decided maybe my tank isn't mature enough, and now I'm trying again and the same thing is happening. It is getting pretty frustrating.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Salinity is 35 ppt and PH is 8.2. Yep that was my post from the last time I tried SPS. I have a kessil Ap9x Ive never tested par. I started the corals off to the side and low in the tank. I sort of decided maybe my tank isn't mature enough, and now I'm trying again and the same thing is happening. It is getting pretty frustrating.

Are you still using Bacto balance? And elima np?

 

[Discordian]

Are you still using Bacto balance? And elima np?

Yes. Tons of reefers with sps tanks carbon dose. I did try stopping but it was disruptive to my tank and started back up. I don't think you can argue with the success many reefers have had with carbon dosing.

 

[FishyFishFish]

I’m following along here.

I’ve started an SPS tank and jumped in way too early with stocking. One thing that I found strange is that some of the additions are doing ok and others not so well. I’ve lost a couple of Monti caps but some of the Acros are doing fine. I also have a couple of encrusting Montis that are doing fine.

Are the new one(s) the same as what you had before or are they different?

I’m also interested in the Alk/PO4 balance discussed earlier. Why is 9.1 Alk too high for 0.01 PO4 and what is the ‘correct’ ratio?

 

[Discordian]

I’m following along here.

I’ve started an SPS tank and jumped in way too early with stocking. One thing that I found strange is that some of the additions are doing ok and others not so well. I’ve lost a couple of Monti caps but some of the Acros are doing fine. I also have a couple of encrusting Montis that are doing fine.

Are the new one(s) the same as what you had before or are they different?

I’m also interested in the Alk/PO4 balance discussed earlier. Why is 9.1 Alk too high for 0.01 PO4 and what is the ‘correct’ ratio?

No the same thing has happened with a several different types of sps. I am curious as well why 9.1 is too high. I will try lower it but I dose very little so that is basically just a smidge above what the red sea blue bucket tests at on my current batch of Hanna reagent.

 

[FishyFishFish]

What is your lighting schedule? i.e. how long are your lights on for? PAR would be useful too; can you borrow/rent a PAR meter?

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Salinity is 35 ppt and PH is 8.2. Yep that was my post from the last time I tried SPS. I have a kessil Ap9x Ive never tested par. I started the corals off to the side and low in the tank. I sort of decided maybe my tank isn't mature enough, and now I'm trying again and the same thing is happening. It is getting pretty frustrating.

Not much to work with no build thread recently, any pictures of your system and equipment?

 

[Discordian]

What is your lighting schedule? i.e. how long are your lights on for? PAR would be useful too; can you borrow/rent a PAR meter?

Ap9x - I run at max 40% for about 2 hours and ramp up and down over 12 hous at a mounting hight of about 16 inches. I'll ask our Facebook group who has a par meter I could rent or borrow.

 

[Discordian]

Not much to work with no build thread recently, any pictures of your system and equipment?

Yeah... I should probably work on that...

 

[MikeyG]

While I would to jump in with targeted recommendations if will restrain myself.
Instead I will simply say your parameters are no different from my 12 year old tank.
My recommendation it, get an ICP test done.
And brace yourself for some surprises.
My 1st ICP test totally changed the way I approached dosing, water change regiments, and feeding habits.
And most importantly, be prepared to take 2 steps back, for 1 step forward.
Keep us posted.

Mike

 

[Discordian]

While I would to jump in with targeted recommendations if will restrain myself.
Instead I will simply say your parameters are no different from my 12 year old tank.
My recommendation it, get an ICP test done.
And brace yourself for some surprises.
My 1st ICP test totally changed the way I approached dosing, water change regiments, and feeding habits.
And most importantly, be prepared to take 2 steps back, for 1 step forward.
Keep us posted.

Mike

My sample is in the mail. So I'm looking forward to getting the results. I am very curious what it will say.

 

[FishyFishFish]

A quick google search shows someone with a AP9X, 12 inches above the surface, giving PAR readings of 150-220 at full power.

Now this is only a google search so it could be complete rubbish, but if that is true then running it at 16 inches and 40% may or may not be powerful enough (even though some Montis prefer medium light).

Again, I’m not saying this is correct, but may be something to look at.