Sps bleaching and Polyps help

Quoc Vu · May 22, 2020

Hi

This my first post on R2R I usually just read for education purposes. But now would like to get some help if possible. My sps are just not thriving like I would like them to. They grow and dont die but color and polyps are never good. Currently I tested the main three and got numbers below. I am doing an ICP test mail off will post them when results come back. Tank is a 90 gal with 30” trigger sump. Bubble Magnus 5 skimmer. I dose 2 part and kalk top off. My levels for main 3 are very steady. I use reef breeders photons gen 1 that ramp up to 90% blues and 10% whites. Zoas and LPS are all healthy only my sps colors and polyps are terrible. I also run carbon. Any help would be appreciated.

Cal 430
Alk 8.5
Mag 1300

MelReefer · May 22, 2020

How long has your tank been set up?

Quoc Vu · May 22, 2020

most of my stuff are all healthy and grow but sps colors and over all health suck. if you look at all my sps in image their colors are very bad and i dont get much polyp extension. If i take the same frag to a friends tank within a few days tons of polyps. I have two tangs flame angel, six line wrath and 1 clown thats all for fish.

Quoc Vu · May 22, 2020

4 years

MelReefer · May 22, 2020

It’s clear to me that the age of your tank isn’t a problem but your angelfish could be nipping the polyps of the sps.

Caseyoidae · May 22, 2020

Flow ? Everything else looks really good. Unless the waters so clear from carbon it’s bothering them at 90%. I wouldn’t think so though. Ever have red slime or any sign of phosphate? May be depleted

Sdot · May 22, 2020

What about your nutrient level? I had a similar problem, but it came down to nutrients.... i was starving the corals.

Rick5 · May 22, 2020

Quoc Vu said:
Hi

This my first post on R2R I usually just read for education purposes. But now would like to get some help if possible. My sps are just not thriving like I would like them to. They grow and dont die but color and polyps are never good. Currently I tested the main three and got numbers below. I am doing an ICP test mail off will post them when results come back. Tank is a 90 gal with 30” trigger sump. Bubble Magnus 5 skimmer. I dose 2 part and kalk top off. My levels for main 3 are very steady. I use reef breeders photons gen 1 that ramp up to 90% blues and 10% whites. Zoas and LPS are all healthy only my sps colors and polyps are terrible. I also run carbon. Any help would be appreciated.

Cal 430
Alk 8.5
Mag 1300

What are your nutrient levels and how do they look week over week?

Quoc Vu · May 22, 2020

MelReefer said:
It’s clear to me that the age of your tank isn’t a problem but your angelfish could be nipping the polyps of the sps.

Thanks for reply. I thought that at one point too but could never catch him even when sitting and stare at tank for 1-2 hours.

Quoc Vu · May 22, 2020

Caseyoidae said:
Flow ? Everything else looks really good. Unless the waters so clear from carbon it’s bothering them at 90%. I wouldn’t think so though. Ever have red slime or any sign of phosphate? May be depleted

I had red slime over a year ago. currently I only get a little algae. I tested for phosphate and nitrate 3 months ago and got undetectable for both. I feed my fish alot and assume fish poop would produce enough nutrients?

Quoc Vu · May 22, 2020

Sdot said:
What about your nutrient level? I had a similar problem, but it came down to nutrients.... i was starving the corals.

Can you tell me what you did to solve problem? I feel like this is could be my problem?

Sdot · May 22, 2020

Quoc Vu said:
Can you tell me what you did to solve problem? I feel like this is could be my problem?

Yes... i started dosing Phosphorus and Sodium nitrate.

Charlie’s Frags · May 22, 2020

Quoc Vu said:
Can you tell me what you did to solve problem? I feel like this is could be my problem?

Feed your fish more and turn your skimmer off while the lights are on

Quoc Vu · May 22, 2020

Chaswood79 said:
Feed your fish more and turn your skimmer off while the lights are on

never heard of this sounds interesting but why off when lights are on ?

Caseyoidae · May 22, 2020

You could also cut down on the carbon. Definitely strips the water and probably easiest way to get nutrients back up. I get nervous if I don’t see a little cyano here and there lol

Charlie’s Frags · May 22, 2020

Quoc Vu said:
never heard of this sounds interesting but why off when lights are on ?

Gives the corals nutrition while the lights are on and minimizes ph swing. I also recommend that you get your par checked. You could be over cooking your sps as well.

Quoc Vu · Jun 4, 2020

got my ICP test . I been running skimmer at night. Been dosing Fuel. Still barely see any improvement. Just check my Alk its at 8.9.

Graffiti Spot · Jun 4, 2020

Get rid of the frag racks and mount the frags in good spots. The corals in the middle look fine and the bubblegum digi looks just fine as well. I don’t really see anything off except for the frags on the racks that must not be getting the best light. Corals look like they are fine and not starving or anything, the flame angel is probably your polyp extension issue.