first SPS - losing tissue already

[FishWife1]

Hi - I bought a beautiful orange monti cap the other day. I put it in my tank right near the top under a 150 W 14K HQI - I also have 2X 24" (forget the wattage - 48 I think) actinics running. I have lots of current on it.

I do have a small green cyano outbreak on the sand but nothing major. Params are alk 6, calcium 625, pH 8.2, temp 78-80. Photo period is actinics 2 hours, HQI 8 hours, actinics 2 hours. I have a few softies; Kenya tree, a couple of Ricordia and a couple of other 'shrooms, a few small pieces of xenia, a couple of medium sized zoa colonies, and the rest are lps and 2 BTAs. The xenias are right near the monti and sometimes touch it briefly.

Any ideas what could be happening? I'd like to catch this before it gets bad. I've had SPS in other tanks and never had any real luck but I thought I would try again since this is supposed to be a fairly easy on to raise.

Thanks for any advice.

Laurie

[Peter Eichler]

For one, your calcium and alk are way out of wack. If you have some cyano, that's an indication that your water quality is a bit lacking. What are your phospate and nitrate levels, and what type of skimmer are you using? Are you using RO/DI water, and how often are you doing water changes?

Lastly, mixing softies and SPS can be a little tricky due to chemical warfare that sometimes occurs.

[plyle02]

Peter Eichler is absolutely right. I have a mixed reef with SPS dominating, and maintain 4meg, and 440 calcium with 8.2-8.4 ph. All three need to be in balance for calcification to occur. What test kit are you using. I personally would be concerned with calcium and alk that high. Coral placement is a must when maintaining a mixed reef, so be careful not to get them too close to one another. Be careful, SPS corals demand near perfect water, and great lighting. Here are my params to give you an idea.... Ammonia=0, Nitrites=0, Nitrates=0, Phosphates=.1, Calcium=440, Alk=10-11dkh, PH=8.2-8.4, and Magnesium=1250. RO/DI all the way, and it needs to test 0 on TDS meter. I would recommend visiting the SPS forum, those guys are pros, it would be a good idea to post on that site....Good luck....

[paulhines]

Zero on the TDS ? My Ro is currently at 3... should I break down and buy new cartridges now?

[FishWife1]

sorry I put my alk down wrong. It is actually 12 dkh. The test kit I have measures it differently and tells you to double the number to get your dkh. My calcium has been out of sight forever and is just beginning to come down through weekly water changes with a different salt - Reef Crystals now, Oceanic before. I will move the coral to get it away from the xenia.

Laurie

[plyle02]

Yep,
Oceanic tested high for me as well, I use RC, and I do buffer alot more calcium, but very consistent. BTW, are you using RO/DI? If not, I would invest in one. My tank is dialed in, and I owe it to perfect, sterile water, and of course a Euro Reef skimmer which kicks ***... I would also recommend using Salifert test kits if you can get them, they are really good....

[jen bee]

did you acclimate correctly? if you put it in right at top from the get go , you fried it, i put coral on the bottom with half lights for a day, then 3/4 light next day, then full lights on bottom for a week , then slowly move it up where i want it........

[jeeptp75]

I am no SPS expert at all but after having some questions about the one I have and posting pictures people showed concern for amount of flow directed at the SPS. You said you have flow but is there any chance it could be to much? People were saying that current thats to high could easily tear issue. THey suggested indirect current. just my two cents.

[FishWife1]

I've just moved it to the bottom of the tank - will move it up slowly. It was under 250 halides but on the bottom of the tank in the store. As far as flow, I didn't have any direct flow on it. I am waiting for a Hydor Korialis to come into our supplier. Right now I have a lot of movement in my tank but I want a higher rate of flow but more diffused.

Laurie