What is the Problem?

Airborne · 01/08/2010, 09:46 AM

I have a 120g 48x24x24 tank that has been set up for 3 months. I have cycled and stayed on top of water changes every two weeks. My water parameters after the cycle have been perfect with little fluctuation. Cal-400, Mag 1400, Alk- 8.3, PH- 8.2, Spec Gravity- 1.024, Ammonia-0 or undectable, Phosphate-0 or undectable, same with Nitrite and Nitrate.

I have a Tek Light T-5 8 bulb fixture with all new bulbs. 4 are Geisman Actinic+, 1 ATI- Actinic, 1 Geisman Aqua Blue+- glows white, 1 Fiji Purple, and 1 UVL Actinic White. I have moved the fixture up from 8" off the water to 10". Actinics are on for 10 hrs and Daylights for 6.5.

Corals get drip acclimation then placed on a movable frag rack and slowly acclimated for one week at different heights. However, it seems that some of my corals lose their vivid color rather quickly. Even the Chalice Corals at the sand level. If I have two frags of one type if chalice, 1 will look fine and the other shows signs of tissue recession or shows the skeleton. Same with Acans, some colonies have their polyps fully infated and one won't. Some are coming back from a near death experience and others are near death.

Can't figure out what is happening. Some look great and others look they are dying.

Any ideas?

I can't seem to be able to figure why some do well and others don't.

Sisterlimonpot · 01/08/2010, 10:08 AM

What about flow? Sounds like you have some corals in a low flow area, I've seen corals die off under MH just because they were in a low flow area. Do you have access to a PAR meter?

NCNBilly · 01/08/2010, 10:23 AM

What are your temps like? Are they swinging or stable? 1.024 is a little low, 1.0265 is more natural for coral. How long are you acclimating?

Airborne · 01/08/2010, 10:46 AM

As far as flow is concerned, I have 4 returns in the tank and 2 MP 40's. I do not have access to a PAR Meter and my tank Temp is at 77 and when the lights are on it goes to 78. If I do not keep a fan on it the temp can get to 79 or even 80. So I keep the fan on it and in 24hrs the temp only swings 1 degree.

When I drip acclimate from the LFS to my tank, I drip for 2 hrs. Then I will acclimate on my frag rack starting at 1/3 from bottom to 1/2 way depending on the coral type itself. This process can take one week to get it to the desireed level of placement in my tank.

Thanks

Dutch06 · 01/08/2010, 11:50 AM

Everything looks good to me. Honestly, and this is the worst, your tank is probably just too new. Keep up the good husbandry, keep plugging along and come back in about six months if you don't start seeing results. Patience, patience, patience.

Airborne · 01/08/2010, 12:07 PM

Thanks.

Avi · 01/08/2010, 12:14 PM

Well, from the bare numbers everything is obviously okay, but I would raise the calcium level to about 450 and I prefer higher alkalinity, though that's most likely not the cause of the problem.

What kind of protein skimmer are you using?

Has the tank or rock ever been used by anyone else before you used it?

Airborne · 01/08/2010, 12:22 PM

Protein Skimmer I am not sure of. A friend gave me the skimmer. It is an old skimmer and it is in the sump. You adjust the amount of bubbles by pushing the pvc tube back and forth. I will admit that it does not crank out a ton of skim mate. In fact it takes a while to get 3/4" in the cup. Could take as long as 2 weeks to get 1/2-3/4" of skim mate. But Acros are doing great and Chalice or LPS not so great.

About 60% of the rock was from my prior tank and the rest new that was fully cured. Not used by anyone other than me.

Sk8r · 01/08/2010, 12:26 PM

See if you can get the calcium to 420. And make sure you are doing your routine water changes: that supplies the trace elements important to coral stability.

NCNBilly · 01/12/2010, 10:34 AM

Fish or inverts bothering them? My torch recedes every night around 9 just before the lights go out, almost like clockwork but its out in the morning. Do you have any softies? Maybe chemical warfare. Hydros? Something sounds like it's irritating the LPS.

01/08/2010, 09:46 AM	#1
Airborne Moved On Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Burbank,CA Posts: 574	What is the Problem? I have a 120g 48x24x24 tank that has been set up for 3 months. I have cycled and stayed on top of water changes every two weeks. My water parameters after the cycle have been perfect with little fluctuation. Cal-400, Mag 1400, Alk- 8.3, PH- 8.2, Spec Gravity- 1.024, Ammonia-0 or undectable, Phosphate-0 or undectable, same with Nitrite and Nitrate. I have a Tek Light T-5 8 bulb fixture with all new bulbs. 4 are Geisman Actinic+, 1 ATI- Actinic, 1 Geisman Aqua Blue+- glows white, 1 Fiji Purple, and 1 UVL Actinic White. I have moved the fixture up from 8" off the water to 10". Actinics are on for 10 hrs and Daylights for 6.5. Corals get drip acclimation then placed on a movable frag rack and slowly acclimated for one week at different heights. However, it seems that some of my corals lose their vivid color rather quickly. Even the Chalice Corals at the sand level. If I have two frags of one type if chalice, 1 will look fine and the other shows signs of tissue recession or shows the skeleton. Same with Acans, some colonies have their polyps fully infated and one won't. Some are coming back from a near death experience and others are near death. Can't figure out what is happening. Some look great and others look they are dying. Any ideas? I can't seem to be able to figure why some do well and others don't.

01/08/2010, 10:08 AM	#2
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	What about flow? Sounds like you have some corals in a low flow area, I've seen corals die off under MH just because they were in a low flow area. Do you have access to a PAR meter? __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

01/08/2010, 10:46 AM	#4
Airborne Moved On Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Burbank,CA Posts: 574	Conditions As far as flow is concerned, I have 4 returns in the tank and 2 MP 40's. I do not have access to a PAR Meter and my tank Temp is at 77 and when the lights are on it goes to 78. If I do not keep a fan on it the temp can get to 79 or even 80. So I keep the fan on it and in 24hrs the temp only swings 1 degree. When I drip acclimate from the LFS to my tank, I drip for 2 hrs. Then I will acclimate on my frag rack starting at 1/3 from bottom to 1/2 way depending on the coral type itself. This process can take one week to get it to the desireed level of placement in my tank. Thanks

01/08/2010, 12:14 PM	#7
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	Well, from the bare numbers everything is obviously okay, but I would raise the calcium level to about 450 and I prefer higher alkalinity, though that's most likely not the cause of the problem. What kind of protein skimmer are you using? Has the tank or rock ever been used by anyone else before you used it? __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

01/08/2010, 12:26 PM	#9
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	See if you can get the calcium to 420. And make sure you are doing your routine water changes: that supplies the trace elements important to coral stability. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

01/08/2010, 10:23 AM	#3
NCNBilly Black thumb reefer Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Harrisburg, PA Posts: 1,043	What are your temps like? Are they swinging or stable? 1.024 is a little low, 1.0265 is more natural for coral. How long are you acclimating?

01/08/2010, 11:50 AM	#5
Dutch06 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 75	Everything looks good to me. Honestly, and this is the worst, your tank is probably just too new. Keep up the good husbandry, keep plugging along and come back in about six months if you don't start seeing results. Patience, patience, patience.

01/08/2010, 12:07 PM	#6
Airborne Moved On Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Burbank,CA Posts: 574	Thanks.

01/08/2010, 12:22 PM	#8
Airborne Moved On Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Burbank,CA Posts: 574	Protein Skimmer I am not sure of. A friend gave me the skimmer. It is an old skimmer and it is in the sump. You adjust the amount of bubbles by pushing the pvc tube back and forth. I will admit that it does not crank out a ton of skim mate. In fact it takes a while to get 3/4" in the cup. Could take as long as 2 weeks to get 1/2-3/4" of skim mate. But Acros are doing great and Chalice or LPS not so great. About 60% of the rock was from my prior tank and the rest new that was fully cured. Not used by anyone other than me.

01/12/2010, 10:34 AM	#10
NCNBilly Black thumb reefer Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Harrisburg, PA Posts: 1,043	Fish or inverts bothering them? My torch recedes every night around 9 just before the lights go out, almost like clockwork but its out in the morning. Do you have any softies? Maybe chemical warfare. Hydros? Something sounds like it's irritating the LPS.