LPS torches/hammers? Any ideas.

[ORCA1]

Hello new to forum but have been running a 210 gallon LPS for 3 to 4 years with some good success and of course some trials. Was wondering while doing very well with many varieties of LPS ...torches and hammers have been inconsistent some have done well for a couple years , some keep doing well and others last a shorter period of time. At times some are doing well then mysteriously turn for the bad. Most of my LPS seem to do very well but my Euphyllia success really ranges VERY widely with same tank conditions. I have a 210 with Radion lights set to the fixed LPS program running at 50 percent, 2 eco tech pumps MP40s set on the Lagoon random mode (previously was set to tidal swell but was worried about to much flow for these corals and thought maybe caused some loss). The Lagoon has them swaying nicely with current. Temp 78 to 79.
PH very consistent 8.3. Alk 8.5 to 9. Calcium 450 to 490. PH below 0.1 to just above after feedings. I do a 30 gallon water change weekly (nitrates in check) and feed Rods reef and Mysis once daily to fish. Use coral frenzy or reef roids 2 x week and broadcast feed. Hate to loss any corals and would appreciate any comments about Euphyllia or if this variance is just typical of that class. Thanks much everyone!

 

[DSC reef]

Are they all branching euphyllia or do you have some wall type euphyllia? Branching typically do much better. Also, there is no magic nitrate number but anything below 10ppm nitrate and my LPS would show signs of suffering. When feeding I primarily used LRS reef frenzy and reef nutrition refrigerated foods combined with reef roids.

 

[gotmesalty77]

I don't yet have any torches but I do have one splitting hammer and 4 large branching frogspawn colony. My euphyllia is thriving, I assume it's the dirty water that they love. My parameters are:
No3-25
Po4~.12
Ph-8.28
Temp 77.7
Ca 482
Alk 10.2
I also use lps schedule on gen 4 radions.
I don't knoe if this helps but I am finding success.

 

[ORCA1]

Are they all branching euphyllia or do you have some wall type euphyllia? Branching typically do much better. Also, there is no magic nitrate number but anything below 10ppm nitrate and my LPS would show signs of suffering. When feeding I primarily used LRS reef frenzy and reef nutrition refrigerated foods combined with reef roids.

Thank you. Mostly wall but have had a few branched as well. Maybe I will try some more branched and see how it goes. I do keep a pretty clean tank but do the broadcast feed 2 x week and that always dirties it up a bit. Seems to always raise phosphate more than my nitrate though. I do have some media that I have ...maybe I could pull out the nitrate binding media and just keep in the phosphate? Want to increase nitrate but keep phosphate in check ....would that be the bet way to accomplish that.

 

[ORCA1]

I don't yet have any torches but I do have one splitting hammer and 4 large branching frogspawn colony. My euphyllia is thriving, I assume it's the dirty water that they love. My parameters are:
No3-25
Po4~.12
Ph-8.28
Temp 77.7
Ca 482
Alk 10.2
I also use lps schedule on gen 4 radions.
I don't knoe if this helps but I am finding success.

Thank you. Similar parameters...except the nitrate maybe that’s the key.

 

[DSC reef]

Thank you. Mostly wall but have had a few branched as well. Maybe I will try some more branched and see how it goes. I do keep a pretty clean tank but do the broadcast feed 2 x week and that always dirties it up a bit. Seems to always raise phosphate more than my nitrate though. I do have some media that I have ...maybe I could pull out the nitrate binding media and just keep in the phosphate? Want to increase nitrate but keep phosphate in check ....would that be the bet way to accomplish that.

That sounds like a good plan. For now try more branching euphyllia before making changes to the tank.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

What is mg?

 

[ORCA1]

T

That sounds like a good plan. For now try more branching euphyllia before making changes to the tank.

Thanks will do!

 

[ORCA1]

What is mg?

 

[ORCA1]

My MG always runs about 1500 ppm ...never really changes

 

[45ZoaGarden]

My MG always runs about 1500 ppm ...never really changes

With what test kit? 1500 is a tad high imo

 

[ORCA1]

With what test kit? 1500 is a tad high imo

Red Sea....and use Fritz Pro for the 30 gallon water changes weekly. I do the weekly changes so that I can get away with feeding the corals more without deteriorating tank to much.

 

[DSC reef]

I used coral pro, magnesium at 1500 is perfectly fine and had no I'll effects in a reef tank tank 10+ years. I always kept mag at 1480 to 1520 range

 

[S2G]

What's your nitrate and phosphate levels?

I'd try the branching types. I did really well with hammers in slightly dirty water. I've made a bad mistake in the past chasing numbers trying to make 1 coral happy and ended up hurting the others in the process.

 

[Mical]

You mentioned you keep a clean tank, maybe too clean. I found my hammer & frogspawns do well in a little dirtier water. Torches are another story...

 

[ORCA1]

I used coral pro, magnesium at 1500 is perfectly fine and had no I'll effects in a reef tank tank 10+ years. I always kept mag at 1480 to 1520 range

I used coral pro, magnesium at 1500 is perfectly fine and had no I'll effects in a reef tank tank 10+ years. I always kept mag at 1480 to 1520 range

yes mine has always been right at that number and never budged much....it seems to really help prevent bad algae growth and keeps my CA and ALK stable with little precipitation in the tank. Never supplemented Mag just the water change keeps it there.

 

[ORCA1]

What's your nitrate and phosphate levels?

I'd try the branching types. I did really well with hammers in slightly dirty water. I've made a bad mistake in the past chasing numbers trying to make 1 coral happy and ended up hurting the others in the process.

Phosphate is always about 0.07 to a about 0.15 depending on when I feed corals....it always has a little jump after feeding it seems. Not so much fish because they are fed once daily...but more so the Coral. Nitrate usually probably 5-10. Seems the feedings spike my phosphate more than my nitrate.

 

[ORCA1]

You mentioned you keep a clean tank, maybe too clean. I found my hammer & frogspawns do well in a little dirtier water. Torches are another story...
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[ORCA1]

Thanks for all the help everyone just bothers me that they often do well for a long time then sometimes deteriorate so fast with no changes....I think from what I gather from all getting nitrate maybe up a little bit may help But I do have a phosphate level that wouldn’t really indicate totally clean tank. Also I will slant more towards branching variety and see how that goes. I do have a few on bottom of tank that seem to be really open and loving life. Do you think lack of food might be a possibility? As mentioned I broadcast feed 2 x week with coral frenzy or reef roids with pumps turned way down for at least an hour. Also frozen reef food for fish. I would hope the corals are getting enough.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

Whata weird in my case, is my lps is thriving. My frogspawn, hammers and torches are growing like a wildfire in low nutrience (.2ppm) med flow and med high light (~280 - 320 par) I do dose amino acids and roids 2-3x a week so that could be why.