SPS Trouble

OffRoad322 · Apr 22, 2019

Hi All,
My tank is a year old now and I'm still having trouble with SPS coral. I know this is a common problem, but as most people say my parameters all seem fine (don't worry I put the numbers below). Any advise would be great...salinity is the only thing I can see as an issue. Any other issues you see?

Forest Fire Digitata

Salinity: 1.022 - will do a water change today and start putting this back to 1.024 - 1.026. Would this have a big effect?

Calcium: 502
Alk: 8.56
Mag: 1560
PO4: 0.061
Nitrate: 20
PH: 8.2
Temp: 77.1

dwest · Apr 22, 2019

OffRoad322 said:
Hi All,
My tank is a year old now and I'm still having trouble with SPS coral. I know this is a common problem, but as most people say my parameters all seem fine (don't worry I put the numbers below). Any advise would be great...salinity is the only thing I can see as an issue. Any other issues you see?

Forest Fire Digitata

Salinity: 1.022 - will do a water change today and start putting this back to 1.024 - 1.026. Would this have a big effect?

Calcium: 502
Alk: 8.56
Mag: 1560
PO4: 0.061
Nitrate: 20
PH: 8.2
Temp: 77.1

I would maintain salinity at 1.026 and keep alkalinity stable where its at. When you get good growth of coralline algae (I see it on the frag plug but not on the rocks), try another easy Sps. Do you have good water flow? What are your lights?

OffRoad322 · Apr 22, 2019

Tank is a SC Aquarium 80gal

Salinity - I'm going to use my auto top off to slow increase salinity to 1.026

Alkalinity - been stable between 8.5 - 8.8 for quite some time

Coralline - I get it in spots on the glass, backwall, but not on the rocks. Is that strange for a year old tank?

Waterflow - using two Maxspect Gyre's on each side of the tank

Lights - 2 AI Hydra 26 HD's using BRS AB+ Schedule

Rjukan · Apr 22, 2019

Looks like an aiptasia lurking right next to it... Could be getting stung. How long has it been in that spot?

Now that I'm looking for them, I see at least 2 more close by. You're going to want to take care of that before they start taking over.

ryboy707 · Apr 22, 2019

Do you spray anything on your house like aerosols? What’s your water source, i.e. RODI, etc. if that’s all good then try large water changes and then maybe send in an ICP test

OffRoad322 · Apr 22, 2019

Having the same issue with other SPS frags in the tank as well...aiptasia probably not the problem.

OffRoad322 · Apr 22, 2019

No aerosols, water source is RODI from BRS 4 stage RODI unit.

Good thought on ICP. Thank you.

ryboy707 · Apr 22, 2019

Are there any metal components in your sump like hose clamps or anything? What’s your water change schedule like?

OffRoad322 · Apr 22, 2019

No metal in the sump...20% water change every two weeks.

Fishfinder · Apr 22, 2019

how are non SPS corals doing? I think they aren't getting enough light

FishyDP · Apr 22, 2019

+1 getting salinity up to 1.024-1.026. Same question as above, what other corals do you have in the tank? Any issues other than SPS?

OffRoad322 · Apr 22, 2019

Non SPS are doing very well. Frogspawn and Octospawn look great.

How can I tell if I am providing enough light?

AI Schedule is max at 66W at the peak using this schedule

ryboy707 · Apr 22, 2019

You also have to consider the parameters of the water the frag came from. SPS can be sensitive to rapid changes and swings. If wherever you got the frag from kept there alk at say 11 or 12 then your alk of 8.5 would be a drastic swing for it. There may be nothing wrong with your tank and it was just a bad match of parameters for the frag

mpekoske · Apr 22, 2019

Not sure if it helps but I have a Biocube 16 with a ai hydra 26 HD mounted 10 inches above water... everyone said it was too much light but got a par meter and found out I needed to turn up the fixture... UV, Violet, blue and RB all maxed red and green at 5% and white at 40% to get 250 par about half way down in my tank... I would rent a par meter to see if you need more light

OffRoad322 · Apr 22, 2019

I'm not far off on light as you...

At Peak:
- UV: 118
- Violet: 117
- Royal Blue: 110
- Blue: 85
- Green: 6
- Deep Red: 5
-Cool White: 19

dansreef · Apr 22, 2019

I have some Forest Fire Digi in my tanks. It seemed like they are a bit more sensitive to LED lighting....I run Radions Gen 3's on an AB+ program at about 75% total intensity. One piece I had was in the upper half of the tank.... and was not as brightly colored....not as bleached out as yours.... but still not a deep orange with any green. One of my fish knocked it off the rock and I temporarily placed in toward the bottom of the tank and just left it. The coral has since really started to grow and color up very nicely.

When you got your coral, what lighting was it under? Also, you may want to move it down lower in the tank to see if it will color up. My guess is you could be giving it too much light....

The FF digi in my tank is in the center and it is about 4" from the bottom of the tank.