why dont i have success keeping lps type corals

lmh11706 · 11/15/2007, 08:26 AM

my tank has been going for 3 yrs.i have many soft corals-leathers, star polyps,basic polyps,colored zoanthid polyps,a variety of mushrooms-colored,striped,hairy,ricordea which have been doing beautifully for a long time-i do have a small hammer head lps that seems to be doing ok-but 99% of lps i add such as brains-favites-galaxea-moons etc-last about a week and then dry up-i dont know why when everything else is ok-my calcium is good-my lighting is good-3 watts per gallon-75 gal tank-my flow is good-my fish are doing well-any ideas??

DrBDC · 11/15/2007, 08:33 AM

Tell us more about your system w/specifics, tank husbandry practices, and your water test results.

From the little in your post, I'm going to jump on the lighting first. Typically in a 75 you would want a couple 175-250 metal halides and a couple 110w vho's. Some run with 6X54 T5HO's.

LPS require almost the same conditions as SPS, maybe not quite as stringent although some are just as demanding.

Craig Lambert · 11/15/2007, 08:35 AM

You need to list your parameters including Alkalinity, (The most important one) and provide a lot more information about your system. What's the actual flow, filtration etc. 3 watts per gallon doesn't really tell us anything about your lighting. What type of lighting is it, and what bulb configuration. What do you dose? What fish are in the tank?

Do you run carbon? Chemical warefare can be a problem with softies, but the fact that you're losing lps' within a week, makes me think it might be something else.

lmh11706 · 11/15/2007, 08:51 AM

i have a 235watt t-5 vho fixture-metal halides are too expensive for me

luke33 · 11/15/2007, 08:52 AM

Yep, alk, mag are important factors but like mentioned above the 3watts per gallon is completely worthless. Watts per gallon don't mean anything. If your using pc's in a 75g and your putting your lps on the bottom then that would be the problem.

steve the plumb · 11/15/2007, 08:53 AM

Do you have phosphate in the tank?Leathers like a bit of po4 LPS don't what is your alk,mag,nitrate ,calcium,levels.Do you use RO water.I can tell you my friend uses tap water and keeps lps corals.I know TAP WATER.His tank is doing pretty good.

luke33 · 11/15/2007, 08:53 AM

lmh, whats the exact fixture your using

11/15/2007, 08:26 AM	#1
lmh11706 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: bayshore,long island ny Posts: 269	why dont i have success keeping lps type corals my tank has been going for 3 yrs.i have many soft corals-leathers, star polyps,basic polyps,colored zoanthid polyps,a variety of mushrooms-colored,striped,hairy,ricordea which have been doing beautifully for a long time-i do have a small hammer head lps that seems to be doing ok-but 99% of lps i add such as brains-favites-galaxea-moons etc-last about a week and then dry up-i dont know why when everything else is ok-my calcium is good-my lighting is good-3 watts per gallon-75 gal tank-my flow is good-my fish are doing well-any ideas??

11/15/2007, 08:33 AM	#2
DrBDC Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ballwin, Missouri Posts: 10,358	Tell us more about your system w/specifics, tank husbandry practices, and your water test results. From the little in your post, I'm going to jump on the lighting first. Typically in a 75 you would want a couple 175-250 metal halides and a couple 110w vho's. Some run with 6X54 T5HO's. LPS require almost the same conditions as SPS, maybe not quite as stringent although some are just as demanding. __________________ Some drink at the fountain of knowledge, some just gargle, but most are rabid. Current Tank Info: 180g sps+75 softy/lps on one system tunze's, seio's, mjmods, aquacontroller w/add ons, 2X400 XM10000 and 3X160 vho actinic, 110g sump, 110 frag tank, Geo Beckett and other stuff

11/15/2007, 08:35 AM	#3
Craig Lambert Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 2,897	You need to list your parameters including Alkalinity, (The most important one) and provide a lot more information about your system. What's the actual flow, filtration etc. 3 watts per gallon doesn't really tell us anything about your lighting. What type of lighting is it, and what bulb configuration. What do you dose? What fish are in the tank? Do you run carbon? Chemical warefare can be a problem with softies, but the fact that you're losing lps' within a week, makes me think it might be something else. __________________ "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will spend all day in a boat drinking beer." Current Tank Info: 75G Tank, 29G Sump, 100lbs LR, AquaC EV-180, Iwaki MD-20RT return Tunze nano streams 4X54 t-5/Icecap Ballast & SLR's 2x110 vho actinic

11/15/2007, 08:51 AM	#4
lmh11706 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: bayshore,long island ny Posts: 269	i have a 235watt t-5 vho fixture-metal halides are too expensive for me

11/15/2007, 08:52 AM	#5
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	Yep, alk, mag are important factors but like mentioned above the 3watts per gallon is completely worthless. Watts per gallon don't mean anything. If your using pc's in a 75g and your putting your lps on the bottom then that would be the problem.

11/15/2007, 08:53 AM	#6
steve the plumb Moved On Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 3,664	Do you have phosphate in the tank?Leathers like a bit of po4 LPS don't what is your alk,mag,nitrate ,calcium,levels.Do you use RO water.I can tell you my friend uses tap water and keeps lps corals.I know TAP WATER.His tank is doing pretty good.