SPS Bleached

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by badAZZlars

No getting a fresh cut frag shouldn't matter as long as the params in your tank are ok. I actually prefer fresh cut frags when I get them from others.

Agreed.

[daniella3d]

you say your parameters are spot on, but how do they compare to the tank the frag came from? you may have your alkalinity at 10 and think it's spot on, but the other tank was at 7.

What are your parameters compares to the tank it come from?

[Nano]

well I dont know about the params in the other tank, it was from RC in edmonton, so I'd assume the params were good, but I couldnt be precise on the numbers

but mine are
ph 8.2
CA (low) 320-340
Alk 11
nitrates and nitrites 0
ammonia is 0
phosphates 0
dont know about my magnesium, but I know it has been lower around 1095 in the past.
Salinity is 1.025-1.026

edit, guess they arent "spot on" since my CA is a bit low, and mag is most likely low as well, it usually has been. I have some Reef advantage Calcium(Seachem) that buffers ph and Mag, and Strontium

[Nano]

Looks done for! might still be a single polyp but not counting on it. damn what a bummer my first sps frag ever

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by nanomano

Looks done for! might still be a single polyp but not counting on it. damn what a bummer my first sps frag ever

monticap is sps my friend and its doing fine so dont get yourself down yet stick with easy sps untill your tank matures

[Nano]

Originally Posted by reefwars

monticap is sps my friend and its doing fine so dont get yourself down yet stick with easy sps untill your tank matures

thats the weird thing.. The monticap has actually seen some noticable growth in a short time. not huge but in comparing pictures, its changed. and the one you gave me(you know the small bleaching piece) is back 100%.. its so weird! I also added some bright red monti and same thing its doing great. my sps, is also quite low in the tank. but my tank isnt to deep, my alk is def. to high. hopefully I can get things undder control

[fishytime]

ya that frag looks like its pretty much toast.....like Denny said, your tank is still fairly new...stick with montis, and birdsnests.....maybe a milli.... these SPS are quite a bit more forgiving then most SPS and are great corals for the ego.....place them a little lower in the tank(save the uppermost prime spots for more light thirsty SPS) and see how they do.....after a couple monthes your tank may better accomodate some of the harder to keep SPS....

Ca, Mg and Alk form what they call the "big three"......if one or more of those numbers is off it makes maintaining the other parameters very difficult....my advice if you want to test and dose and do things by the book would be to pick up a Mg test and have all three additives......it sucks to begin with, testing and testing and then testing some more to figure out where your at and what your tank is consuming, but after you've got it dialed in, half the battle with SPS is won.................





.............or you could just do what I do and dont test or dose a thing

[daniella3d]

Alkalinity at 11 is too high. It could be ok but it could also cause a lot of RTN and STN if your level of nutriment is low and juging from your test, you have low nutriment.

You should keep your alkalinity at 8 or around 8, not more than this when you have no amount of nitrates and phosphates detectible.

I think this is your problem and why your SPS bleached, alkalinity shock with low nutriment system.

I could be wrong, but this is my guess, also your calcium is far from being spot on, and this also could be a problem, as well as the low mag.

I would try to keep the alkalinity lower though.

You should rise your magnesium before attempting to rise your calcium because no matter what amount of calcium you put in there, it won't rise if your magnesium is that low. First raise your magnesium to 1300 or a bit more, then rise your calcium to 420, then try to lower the alkalinity to 8 and you should be able to keep SPS no problem.

Originally Posted by nanomano

well I dont know about the params in the other tank, it was from RC in edmonton, so I'd assume the params were good, but I couldnt be precise on the numbers

but mine are
ph 8.2
CA (low) 320-340
Alk 11
nitrates and nitrites 0
ammonia is 0
phosphates 0
dont know about my magnesium, but I know it has been lower around 1095 in the past.
Salinity is 1.025-1.026

edit, guess they arent "spot on" since my CA is a bit low, and mag is most likely low as well, it usually has been. I have some Reef advantage Calcium(Seachem) that buffers ph and Mag, and Strontium

[Nano]

so by raising my calcium my alk should go down? my wallet is tapped ATM but I got caclium/Mag buffer combined its by seachem.

[daniella3d]

How come your alkalinity is so high? Are you dosing something for alkalinity? what type of salt are you using?

You just have to keep in mind that with very low level of nutriment it is a risk to have RTN or STN when you have such high alkalinity. It is not safe to keep your alkalinity so high.

First step is to raise your magnesium and calcium slowly, but don't dose anything for alkalinity until it drop lower. If you don't have much in coral it may take a while before your current alkalinity level drop.

But before buying any delicate SPS I would get these value: calcium 420, magnesium 1350, alkalinity 8. Then try to keep this stable and you will be fine.

Originally Posted by nanomano

so by raising my calcium my alk should go down? my wallet is tapped ATM but I got caclium/Mag buffer combined its by seachem.