My SPS is dying

[squarereefer]

Over the last month or so all of my SPS seems to be dying. It started with not seeing as much polyp extension, which turned into white spots on the limbs and around the bases on the Monti Digi. The Monti Sentosa which has been rapidly growing began showing a white stripe across its middle.

Changes I've made in the last 30 days:
- added a few Zoa frags - dipped in Coral RX before adding
- occasional dosing of Quantum Bio-Enhance (1/4 tsp, 70 gallon tank)
- Changed MP40 covers to Neat Aquatics Limpet wide flow
- adjusted Noopsyche K7 Pro III (qty 2) lighting spectrum to be a little less red / little more white. Intensity stayed the same at 50% max. Reset this today back to SPS/LPS factory default, adjusted to 50% max - will ramp up slowly.

Water parameters are stable - testing with Neptune Trident + manual Hanna/Salifert testing
Salinity 1.025
PH - Swings from 7.8 - 8.2
Cal: 425
Alk 8.2
Mag: 1365
Nitrate: 5
Phosphate: .05

All corals shown are placed mid tank with no shading. Thoughts?

 

[Propane]

Almost looks like too much light. Have you checked par.

 

[Mikeltee]

Get a light meter. I had a tank for 10 years and never had one issue. I got a few sps frags and they bleached out. I went down the accessory rabbit hole and dropped my Nitrates to zero and got dinos. It ended up being too much light. Most reef stores rent a light meter. They really aren't expensive. I've burned $1000s in sps and have had dinos for 2 years. Had I spent $250 on a light meter 4 years ago I'd be selling $500 frags...

 

[squarereefer]

Good suggestion and I will go rent a meter. It's been on my to-do list but I have not made it a priority. I know these lights are supposed to be strong, so I've not ran them past 50% intensity. Based on another forum member that posted par readings with these lights on a similar tank depth, the corals are likely in the 150-175 par range.

 

[dadnjesse]

A par meter is a place to start but 150-175 is not too much light for Sps. I doubt it's too much light.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Over the last month or so all of my SPS seems to be dying. It started with not seeing as much polyp extension, which turned into white spots on the limbs and around the bases on the Monti Digi. The Monti Sentosa which has been rapidly growing began showing a white stripe across its middle.

Changes I've made in the last 30 days:
- added a few Zoa frags - dipped in Coral RX before adding
- occasional dosing of Quantum Bio-Enhance (1/4 tsp, 70 gallon tank)
- Changed MP40 covers to Neat Aquatics Limpet wide flow
- adjusted Noopsyche K7 Pro III (qty 2) lighting spectrum to be a little less red / little more white. Intensity stayed the same at 50% max. Reset this today back to SPS/LPS factory default, adjusted to 50% max - will ramp up slowly.

Water parameters are stable - testing with Neptune Trident + manual Hanna/Salifert testing
Salinity 1.025
PH - Swings from 7.8 - 8.2
Cal: 425
Alk 8.2
Mag: 1365
Nitrate: 5
Phosphate: .05

All corals shown are placed mid tank with no shading. Thoughts?

I suspect high alk and low calcium as they have to be balanced. Insufficient flow can be another cause and any of the following:
- Temperature spike
- Salinity spike
- Low dissolved oxygen
- Poor water quality related with phosphate levels up to 5 ppm
- Change in water flow
- Additions of sand
- Changes in brand of salt
- Bad test kits giving faulty results
- Levels of minor elements such as Iodine, Potassium, Strontium
- Light intensity

 

[squarereefer]

Rented an Apogee 510 and confirmed that with my lights at current settings - I am hitting ~140 par where the Sentosa is mounted that is beginning to turn white. The digitata are getting ~190. Based on my understanding, if this is light related then it's too little light? I can easily move hem to a higher rock in my tank which is testing between 300-350 across the rock.

I am wondering if it was the change to the Limpet wide flow covers on my mp40s? Doesn't make sense to me, since the factory guards should have been a more direct blast of flow based on where the power heads are mounted relative to the dying corals. The wides should be a wider softer flow.

 

[hunterallen40]

Rented an Apogee 510 and confirmed that with my lights at current settings - I am hitting ~140 par where the Sentosa is mounted that is beginning to turn white. The digitata are getting ~190. Based on my understanding, if this is light related then it's too little light? I can easily move hem to a higher rock in my tank which is testing between 300-350 across the rock.

I am wondering if it was the change to the Limpet wide flow covers on my mp40s? Doesn't make sense to me, since the factory guards should have been a more direct blast of flow based on where the power heads are mounted relative to the dying corals. The wides should be a wider softer flow.

What does the flow look like? I'm not familiar with those wide flow covers, but I certainly have killed some SPS by blasting them with direct flow before.

If your flow pattern is super strong and the polyps never extend, then it is likely too much direct flow. This is not super likely, given you said it should be a wider, softer flow, but maybe change back to the original or lower the flow intensity some? Perhaps you increased the intensity based on the assumption it would be softer in flow (pretty reasonable thing to do, just want to understand the situation a bit better)?

Honestly, something seems off. Those parameters you presented don't seem bad to me, especially if you keep them there.

Have you sent it an ICP test? It may be a good idea to do so in this case. It could be something is leaching into your system and this is the result.

 

[helmsreef]

If it’s only your Montis it could be montipora eating nudis, the odd bleaching and sections of your montis seem inconsistent with normal bleaching from parameters