Lost my first SPS

AlexStinson · Dec 2, 2008

So, I no longer have a perfect track record (not that I have much of a record). So anyways.... I had two birdsnest on my frag rack along with a little pearlberry. Well anyways the biggest of the birdsnest all the sudden started losing flesh in a blotchy pattern, somewhat originating from the base, but also would lose at random spots. I've been having a hard time keeping my water parameters in check (calc and alk stay low). So anyways, does that sound like a pest or water issues? And if it is a pest, what would be the best method of locating, I just really don;t know what to look for.

revhtree · Dec 2, 2008

Could be flow with a birds nest and starting from the bottom.

bamachamp92 · Dec 2, 2008

not sure about the cause alex, but once you make sure nothing else is going to die I can give you a frag of my green polyp birdnest to replace it. Like rev said it could be flow or high nutrients from not skimming.

AlexStinson · Dec 2, 2008

yeah skimmer is on the fritz but 'trate and phos are still 0, birdnest had a koralia nano about 6 inches away pointed right above it, my other birdsnest is in the square right next to it

bamachamp92 · Dec 2, 2008

what type of test kit are you using, I have a hard time believing that without a skimmer that phos is zero, mine change color minimally and i have a big skimmer and zeo, but i dont think phos would kill it anyway not unless it was through the roof so probably not phos no matter what can some thing else lean over and touch it i had one that leaned over on an acro and it killed the acro and the birdnest.

AlexStinson · Dec 3, 2008

There is a hydno on the same rack, but that didnt appear to be the same cause (i would assume that would have been all on one side). And those kits are just the API test kits, im sure I have SOME phosphate, but I do also have a very large refugium that is hopefully doing it's job. I have been having pH swings from 7.9-8.3, I just stuck the fuge on a reverse cycle to try and compensate. Hopefully my new skimmer will land this week and I can get some wicked skimming going on.

ironman · Dec 3, 2008

what fish do you have in the tank?

revhtree · Dec 3, 2008

IME you need to have fow to the very bottom of a birdsnest as well. I moved mine a couple times and it started to kill it from the bottom up till I moved it back to get complete flow.

I also have some pompanae (sp?) frags you can have.

AlexStinson · Dec 3, 2008

It's got six line, a scopas, neon goby and a scooter blenny. i'm not really bothered by the fact that I lost it so much as I just wouldn't know what to look for if it was a pest.

bkv1997 · Dec 3, 2008

neon goby isn't sps friendly. They will eat the flesh off SPS to lay eggs.

My guess though is your tank isn't ready for SPS..... you can't go straight from Tball to the big leagues....

Baby steps young grass hopper.... baby steps