What are the keys to a SPS tank?

andrew22sass · 10/09/2008, 02:50 PM

I recently bought a frag of acropora and its been in the tank for about a week know, its began to die and the tip of one branch is turning white. I dont know what is doing this could it be :

lighting ?( I have 6x54w on a 55 gallon tank and its almost 6 WPG)

water? ( no nitrites, nitrates, ammonia, PH = 8.2 Temp=79.8 SG= 1.025, i do a five gallon water change ever week and i use RO/DI water with everthing)

supplements? ( currently all im adding is B-Ionic 2 part and coral exxcel)

Or filtration ( i have a reef octopus which is working great! but i do no have a phosphate reactor or calc reactor but i do have phosphate binding matrial in the sump)

cirrculation (im good with i have two koralia 2s on each side with really strong current.)

I need all the feed back i can get. And I need help to find out whats to blame

Thanks Drew

Capt_Cully · 10/09/2008, 03:18 PM

I'm assuming those are T5 lights?? It looks like you're off to a decent start. There are some questions about the frags themselves. Are they wild? maricultured? or aquacultured? Where did you get them, from whom. How were they transported? Where do you have it placed in the tank? Do you see any pests on them? Flat worms? Red bugs?

Generally successful SPS systems are Hi flow, low nutrient, intense lighting systems. Wild caught acroporas are generally more tempermental and sensitive to captive reef tank environments. Certain types of SPS are hardier than others. The transport of corals can increase their succeptibility to demise. If it was left in a small bag for a long time with variant temps, it could be a gonner. Many people have successful SPS tanks under T5 lights. (what brand of light bulbs and fixture/reflectors are you using. SPS may need to be acclimated to your tanks lighting. Some can be burned by being placed too high, too quickly. Some T5 set ups are VERY intense and can "burn" frags. Best to start them low and move them up over a few week period. If burned, they can be rehabbed by moving them down, they can also go the other way quickly (live-n-learn).

Lastly, Red bugs look like tiny reddish, orangish pieces of saw dust. They can annoy or harm Acropora Genus corals to the point that they fail to thrive or even die. AEFW's, acropora eating flat worms are an equal death sentence and MUCH harder to spot and treat.

Hope this helps!

MileHighFish · 10/09/2008, 04:59 PM

you need all 4 things to do it right!! IMO

andrew22sass · 10/09/2008, 05:12 PM

Yes Cully there T5 lightings Nova Extreme 48". The frag is a aquacultured acropora from the LFS. I drove it home and it was in the bag a max of 15 mins and i acclimated it over and hour. With no bugs and it started a about in the middle range and ever 30 mins i moved it up to its final resting spot and today i started to notice the coral dieing and i moved it about 3 inch up to the highest point in the tank , and how do i tell if its burned. And if not what could it be ( lighting, filtering, supplements ect. )

MileHighFish · 10/09/2008, 05:18 PM

i move corals up over a 2 week time frame.. 30 min is not enough..start it on the bottom

MileHighFish · 10/09/2008, 05:19 PM

too much light is bad...at 1st

andrew22sass · 10/09/2008, 05:24 PM

what would you consider too much light
and should i move the coral down ?

Capt_Cully · 10/09/2008, 06:03 PM

Move it down. IMO people don't give T5s enough credit. Though they have low wattages they have HIGH PAR ratings. That is why the watts per gallon rule of thumb is out dated. It would take a coral several weeks to keep it under stressed by new lighting that intense.

Dropping it down will give it time to recover, it may not be a gonner yet. What coral is it, name? Some are hardier than others and more tolerant to stress and recovery.

Tswifty · 10/09/2008, 06:56 PM

STABILITY

andrew22sass · 10/09/2008, 07:33 PM

Acropora Stag horn sound right ? and is it my timers mabye there on to much? then should the blue come on and off same with white.

Toddrtrex · 10/09/2008, 07:39 PM

Perhaps I missed it, but what are your Cal, Alk, and Mag levels? I wouldn't be doses 2 part without knowing those levels.

andrew22sass · 10/09/2008, 07:45 PM

im not sure right at this moment but monday they were all fine im gonna have to buy those test kits

Toddrtrex · 10/09/2008, 07:45 PM

What were the levels on Monday?

andrew22sass · 10/09/2008, 07:51 PM

410ppm , 8dkh, 1290ppm if that sounds right and i add 10ml or calc and alk everday

ihavtats29 · 10/09/2008, 08:08 PM

sps prefer very clean water with very intence lighting and lots of flow 30x turn over rate thats 1650gph of flow.

View Poll Results: What is the key part to a SPS tank?
Filtration	3	16.67%
Lighting	11	61.11%
Supplements	1	5.56%
Circulation	3	16.67%
Voters: 18. You may not vote on this poll

10/09/2008, 02:50 PM	#1
andrew22sass Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 33	What are the keys to a SPS tank? I recently bought a frag of acropora and its been in the tank for about a week know, its began to die and the tip of one branch is turning white. I dont know what is doing this could it be : lighting ?( I have 6x54w on a 55 gallon tank and its almost 6 WPG) water? ( no nitrites, nitrates, ammonia, PH = 8.2 Temp=79.8 SG= 1.025, i do a five gallon water change ever week and i use RO/DI water with everthing) supplements? ( currently all im adding is B-Ionic 2 part and coral exxcel) Or filtration ( i have a reef octopus which is working great! but i do no have a phosphate reactor or calc reactor but i do have phosphate binding matrial in the sump) cirrculation (im good with i have two koralia 2s on each side with really strong current.) I need all the feed back i can get. And I need help to find out whats to blame Thanks Drew __________________ IF THERES MAGIC IN THIS WORLD, ITS CONTAINED IN WATER Current Tank Info: 55g SPS tank

10/09/2008, 03:18 PM	#2
Capt_Cully Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 13,574	I'm assuming those are T5 lights?? It looks like you're off to a decent start. There are some questions about the frags themselves. Are they wild? maricultured? or aquacultured? Where did you get them, from whom. How were they transported? Where do you have it placed in the tank? Do you see any pests on them? Flat worms? Red bugs? Generally successful SPS systems are Hi flow, low nutrient, intense lighting systems. Wild caught acroporas are generally more tempermental and sensitive to captive reef tank environments. Certain types of SPS are hardier than others. The transport of corals can increase their succeptibility to demise. If it was left in a small bag for a long time with variant temps, it could be a gonner. Many people have successful SPS tanks under T5 lights. (what brand of light bulbs and fixture/reflectors are you using. SPS may need to be acclimated to your tanks lighting. Some can be burned by being placed too high, too quickly. Some T5 set ups are VERY intense and can "burn" frags. Best to start them low and move them up over a few week period. If burned, they can be rehabbed by moving them down, they can also go the other way quickly (live-n-learn). Lastly, Red bugs look like tiny reddish, orangish pieces of saw dust. They can annoy or harm Acropora Genus corals to the point that they fail to thrive or even die. AEFW's, acropora eating flat worms are an equal death sentence and MUCH harder to spot and treat. Hope this helps! __________________ People say cars are a bad investment. Those people don't have reef tanks. Current Tank Info: 120, Radion Gen 2 Pro x 2

10/09/2008, 04:59 PM	#3
MileHighFish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NM. Posts: 1,722	you need all 4 things to do it right!! IMO __________________ See "Red House" for pics!! I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. Mitch Hedberg Current Tank Info: Reef tank, 100 gal Lee Mar polished.. 60 sump.. 800 watts mh 20k radium..Ran on "Taiwan HQI Ballast" 330 watt VHO.. 48 watt compacts (dawn/dusk).. sps/lps tank..

10/09/2008, 05:12 PM	#4
andrew22sass Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 33	Yes Cully there T5 lightings Nova Extreme 48". The frag is a aquacultured acropora from the LFS. I drove it home and it was in the bag a max of 15 mins and i acclimated it over and hour. With no bugs and it started a about in the middle range and ever 30 mins i moved it up to its final resting spot and today i started to notice the coral dieing and i moved it about 3 inch up to the highest point in the tank , and how do i tell if its burned. And if not what could it be ( lighting, filtering, supplements ect. ) __________________ IF THERES MAGIC IN THIS WORLD, ITS CONTAINED IN WATER Current Tank Info: 55g SPS tank

10/09/2008, 05:18 PM	#5
MileHighFish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NM. Posts: 1,722	i move corals up over a 2 week time frame.. 30 min is not enough..start it on the bottom __________________ See "Red House" for pics!! I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. Mitch Hedberg Current Tank Info: Reef tank, 100 gal Lee Mar polished.. 60 sump.. 800 watts mh 20k radium..Ran on "Taiwan HQI Ballast" 330 watt VHO.. 48 watt compacts (dawn/dusk).. sps/lps tank..

10/09/2008, 05:19 PM	#6
MileHighFish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NM. Posts: 1,722	too much light is bad...at 1st __________________ See "Red House" for pics!! I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. Mitch Hedberg Current Tank Info: Reef tank, 100 gal Lee Mar polished.. 60 sump.. 800 watts mh 20k radium..Ran on "Taiwan HQI Ballast" 330 watt VHO.. 48 watt compacts (dawn/dusk).. sps/lps tank..

10/09/2008, 05:24 PM	#7
andrew22sass Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 33	what would you consider too much light and should i move the coral down ? __________________ IF THERES MAGIC IN THIS WORLD, ITS CONTAINED IN WATER Current Tank Info: 55g SPS tank

10/09/2008, 06:03 PM	#8
Capt_Cully Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 13,574	Move it down. IMO people don't give T5s enough credit. Though they have low wattages they have HIGH PAR ratings. That is why the watts per gallon rule of thumb is out dated. It would take a coral several weeks to keep it under stressed by new lighting that intense. Dropping it down will give it time to recover, it may not be a gonner yet. What coral is it, name? Some are hardier than others and more tolerant to stress and recovery. __________________ People say cars are a bad investment. Those people don't have reef tanks. Current Tank Info: 120, Radion Gen 2 Pro x 2

10/09/2008, 06:56 PM	#9
Tswifty Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: PA Posts: 14,022	STABILITY __________________ "Enough light? Heck I could go barebottom and grow SPS in the stand!" - DiscoReefRover

10/09/2008, 07:33 PM	#10
andrew22sass Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 33	Acropora Stag horn sound right ? and is it my timers mabye there on to much? then should the blue come on and off same with white. __________________ IF THERES MAGIC IN THIS WORLD, ITS CONTAINED IN WATER Current Tank Info: 55g SPS tank

10/09/2008, 07:39 PM	#11
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	Perhaps I missed it, but what are your Cal, Alk, and Mag levels? I wouldn't be doses 2 part without knowing those levels. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

10/09/2008, 07:45 PM	#12
andrew22sass Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 33	im not sure right at this moment but monday they were all fine im gonna have to buy those test kits __________________ IF THERES MAGIC IN THIS WORLD, ITS CONTAINED IN WATER Current Tank Info: 55g SPS tank

10/09/2008, 07:45 PM	#13
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	What were the levels on Monday? __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

10/09/2008, 07:51 PM	#14
andrew22sass Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 33	410ppm , 8dkh, 1290ppm if that sounds right and i add 10ml or calc and alk everday __________________ IF THERES MAGIC IN THIS WORLD, ITS CONTAINED IN WATER Current Tank Info: 55g SPS tank

10/09/2008, 08:08 PM	#15
ihavtats29 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: cordova , TN Posts: 2,882	sps prefer very clean water with very intence lighting and lots of flow 30x turn over rate thats 1650gph of flow. __________________ got reef? Current Tank Info: 29 biocube HQI