SPS frag dying?

noirsphynx · #1 10-14-2008, 04:05 PM

I just noticed that one end of a liitle frag I bought several weeks back is starting to turn white. Is it dying and should I try fragging what's left of it? It was under an 8 bulb T5 fixture and I have a 6 bulb T% so I don't think it's the lighting.
I'm also not sure what kind of sps it is either, some kind of Monti? It's a bright greenish/yellow color with orange polyps. The picture doesn't show the color well.

Snappy · #2 10-14-2008, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noirsphynx

I just noticed that one end of a liitle frag I bought several weeks back is starting to turn white. Is it dying and should I try fragging what's left of it? It was under an 8 bulb T5 fixture and I have a 6 bulb T% so I don't think it's the lighting.
I'm also not sure what kind of sps it is either, some kind of Monti? It's a bright greenish/yellow color with orange polyps. The picture doesn't show the color well.

It looks to be A.millepora and I don't see a lot of health concerns from the picture. Give it good random flow and put it a bit lower in the tank and it will likely be fine.

noirsphynx · #3 10-14-2008, 05:47 PM

On the left of the frag it's turned white.

Thanks Snappy, I'll try that.

noirsphynx · #4 10-14-2008, 05:53 PM

Here's a better pic.

FitoPharmer · #5 10-14-2008, 05:55 PM

whats your tank water like? lighting(bulb age)? water flow? acclimate time? i found some of the more delicate sps colonies i got would die back slightly in some spots when i fist got them. if the polyps are extending on the rest of the tissue that is left that is a good sign. no polyps = very bad. sometimes when the polyps only come out in the night.

Snappy · #6 10-14-2008, 06:07 PM

Almost looks like it got tagged by another coral. If you have LPS or soft corals give it some distance.

noirsphynx · #7 10-14-2008, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FitoPharmer

whats your tank water like? lighting(bulb age)? water flow? acclimate time? i found some of the more delicate sps colonies i got would die back slightly in some spots when i fist got them. if the polyps are extending on the rest of the tissue that is left that is a good sign. no polyps = very bad. sometimes when the polyps only come out in the night.

Tank params:
temp 77
salinity 1.025
ph 8.1
calcium 400
ammonia 0
nitrate 0
nitrite 0
phosphates 0
carb. hard. 100

Giesemann T5 HO Bulbs
- 4 aquablue
- 2 actinic
age-2 months

2-Koralia 3 pumps

I temp. acclimated in bag for about 30 min. & then added some tank water and allowed to sit for another 30 min. then added to tank.

I have no corals in direct flow and none are touching one another and they're not anywhere near any lps.

The polyps do show during day & night so I guess that's good. I did notice something else though and maybe it's just a barnacle? it's not easy to see but it's on the right of the coral and this is the area that's turning white

FitoPharmer · #8 10-14-2008, 06:33 PM

first thing i see, your bulbs are not the best for sps. you should have at least 2x10k. i do find its common for them to die from the bottom up for a bit when first adjusting to the tank. and by carb hardness you mean your ALK is 100ppm right now?

noirsphynx · #9 10-14-2008, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FitoPharmer

first thing i see, your bulbs are not the best for sps. you should have at least 2x10k. i do find its common for them to die from the bottom up for a bit when first adjusting to the tank. and by carb hardness you mean your ALK is 100ppm right now?

Here's the specs of each Aquablue bulb is
• T-5 HO 54W
• 60% actinic and 40% combination (15000K)
• Great as a stand-alone bulb, or in combination with Daylights or Actinic bulbs.
http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/lb...aBlue+%2B.html

I didn't pick the bulbs, the place I bought them from picked them for me when I bought the fixture. Do you think I should supplement two of the bulbs with something else?

FitoPharmer · #10 10-14-2008, 08:41 PM

if the polyps are extending thats good, it should stop dieing back. the lighting is sufficient if the dieing back stops and the polyps extend daily. however you will always get faster growth when you go lower in the K scale ie 10k will be lot better then the mixture of 15-22k you have right now. even know they look the best they grow corals the slowest. i always run at least 50% 10k's or lower.