Purple Stylo dying- HELP PLEASE!

SBlisters · Mar 10, 2017

reefwiser said:
I would frag the best looking pieces and go from there.

I've got to find a LFS that sells cement discs I can blue the pieces too. What I've seen so far are the type meant for frag racks, which wont work for me. Hopefully I'll find some before the whole thing goes kaput.[emoji29]

sk8elenex92 · Mar 10, 2017

Your nitrates are super high. Get the protein skimmer running do couple water changes.
Some stores near by you should check out reef wise and aquapros. AP is my go to. They won't BS you.

Get your tank in order I'll give you a free piece of forest fire digi.

taintstick · Mar 10, 2017

SBlisters said:
What is still there is actually coming out, which is what I found encouraging. I've got 0 experience with this though, so I believe you. Installed a protein skimmer last night. Checked nitrates again today and they are still high (160).

Eeesh... yea what I would be doing is changing out the water slowly. Gallon by gallon or pitcher by pitcher. Slowly brings down nitrates while still being safe in the change in params.
Honestly I would have fragged off what looked good in the beginning. I think new fragged pieces will recover and grow faster than trying to grow over what's dead. Just my opinion.
What else do you have in the tank? (Curious cause with nitrates that high...)
By the way for extra info, I know people say that sps like a little nitrate and phosphate, in my system my coral do not like dirty water. I keep my water pristine with 15% WC weekly for my mixed reef. Every system is different.

Flippers4pups · Mar 10, 2017

I'll chime in and restate that stable alkalinity is key in keeping SPS, even the easier species. This must be tested once a day to a couple times a week and adjusted accordingly to keep at 8-9dkh.
(That's where I keep mine at)

Any new coral added to any new system needs to be light acclimated.

What the coral was use to in someone else's tank is going to be different in your tank.

Always start on the sand bed for a week and observe, then move up a little and observe and so on and so on.....

Keep your big three at:

Calcium: 350 -400
Alk: 7-9 dkh
Magnesium: 1350-1400

And
No3: 5-10pmm
Po4: trace

With at least weekly water testing and adjustment to keep with in those parameters, you should have no problem keeping SPS. ( Including proper lighting, water flow....etc...)

reeferfoxx · Mar 11, 2017

My stylo grows like weeds. I even tried killing once. Never did succeed. Tried letting alk drop from 8dkh to 5dkh. PO4 at 0.40. NO3 at 30. Various lighting wouldn't kill it. The only thing that bugs this coral is temps and stray voltage in the water.

sk8elenex92 · Mar 11, 2017

Flippers4pups said:
I'll chime in and restate that stable alkalinity is key in keeping SPS, even the easier species. This must be tested once a day to a couple times a week and adjusted accordingly to keep at 8-9dkh.
(That's where I keep mine at)

Any new coral added to any new system needs to be light acclimated.

What the coral was use to in someone else's tank is going to be different in your tank.

Always start on the sand bed for a week and observe, then move up a little and observe and so on and so on.....

Keep your big three at:

Calcium: 350 -400
Alk: 7-9 dkh
Magnesium: 1350-1400

And
No3: 5-10pmm
Po4: trace

With at least weekly water testing and adjustment to keep with in those parameters, you should have no problem keeping SPS. ( Including proper lighting, water flow....etc...)