Cats Paw help

[eirvin15]

I got a stylophora coral at my LFS for my 13.5 nano tank (6-7 months old) and for 2 weeks it was doing good and was really flourishing. Now not so much, LFS said it was “new growth” but idk. I did a water change to see if it was ammonia.
*Also i do not have exact water parameters rn bc i dont test at home with the fancy test kits.

 

[bluemon]

With SPS, you will definitely have to test with “fancy test kits”

You don’t even need fancy test kits, but you will need some for at LEAST calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, nitrate and phosphates.

You can’t expect success without testing

 

[eirvin15]

With SPS, you will definitely have to test with “fancy test kits”

You don’t even need fancy test kits, but you will need some for at LEAST calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, nitrate and phosphates.

You can’t expect success without testing

i usually bring my water into my LFS store to test every so often and they say my parameters are great. I’ve tried using redseas testers but i couldn’t figure out how to test with them for some reason. what do you recommend?

 

[NewCaliCaptives]

Gotta try, it’s an absolute necessity you learn to do these tests just follow the directions to a T and you’ll be good. Hanna testers are easiest to read, but not always the easiest to perform. Would you mind listing the params you do test for currently and their values? ( Temp, Salinity, etc.)

With SPS Alkalinity ahould be tested often and supplemented to remain stable along with calcium. Salinity is also a big deal that many people neglect. Phosphates I find to be far more important than nitrate numbers. Get those test kits!!

 

[bluemon]

Gotta try, it’s an absolute necessity you learn to do these tests just follow the directions to a T and you’ll be good. Hanna testers are easiest to read, but not always the easiest to perform. Would you mind listing the params you do test for currently and their values? ( Temp, Salinity, etc.)

With SPS Alkalinity ahould be tested often and supplemented to remain stable along with calcium. Salinity is also a big deal that many people neglect. Phosphates I find to be far more important than nitrate numbers. Get those test kits!!

I would say Hanna test kits are the easiest, especially compared to some of the titrations you have to do with regular test kits.

i usually bring my water into my LFS store to test every so often and they say my parameters are great. I’ve tried using redseas testers but i couldn’t figure out how to test with them for some reason. what do you recommend?

Do they tell you “they look great” or do they actually give you numbers?

Not sure I would trust an LFS that just tells you the former, unless they’re doing it for free

 

[Matt Bravo]

As others have stated, in order to properly care for sps testing is a necessity. They are considered to be some of the most sensitive corals that require stable environments to thrive. Get test kits for 1)alkalinity,2)magnesium,3)calcium,4)nitrate and 5) phosphate.

The stylo is definitely struggling and is on its way out unless you figure out what the issue is. Corals can have miraculous comebacks through, don’t pull it until it’s gone. Good luck

 

[NewCaliCaptives]

I would also like to add just so you know for the future, the way you can tell it isn’t new growth is because you can actually see the skeleton without tissue and the rest of the coral isn’t polyped out and happy. Sometimes growth tips WILL be white or pale, but they will have flesh and the coral will be very happy looking. There is no flesh on these, and there is a clear boundary where the flesh has been stripped away.

The tank also looks pretty new, get some easier corals like zoas, leathers etc. and follow the progression. FWIW local fish stores are almost always dishing out bad advice and very few know about corals as much as they do fish.

 

[BryanM]

I got a stylophora coral at my LFS for my 13.5 nano tank (6-7 months old) and for 2 weeks it was doing good and was really flourishing. Now not so much, LFS said it was “new growth” but idk. I did a water change to see if it was ammonia.
*Also i do not have exact water parameters rn bc i dont test at home with the fancy test kits.

My friend, this hobby is not forgiving, and SPS is even less forgiving.

At a minimum you should be testing your own water, and in my opinion making your own RODI water for ATO/water changes.

SPS generally require intense flow and light as well.

 

[eirvin15]

As others have stated, in order to properly care for sps testing is a necessity. They are considered to be some of the most sensitive corals that require stable environments to thrive. Get test kits for 1)alkalinity,2)magnesium,3)calcium,4)nitrate and 5) phosphate.

The stylo is definitely struggling and is on its way out unless you figure out what the issue is. Corals can have miraculous comebacks through, don’t pull it until it’s gone. Good luck

Come to find out my tank is lacking a lot of nutrients. So i bought test kits for it and im dosing it once a day now

 

[twentyleagues]

Come to find out my tank is lacking a lot of nutrients. So i bought test kits for it and im dosing it once a day now

What "nutrients"? What are you dosing? What test kit? What are the results?

 

[Matt Bravo]

Come to find out my tank is lacking a lot of nutrients. So i bought test kits for it and im dosing it once a day now

Great start, what were your numbers looking like?

 

[KrisReef]

You could have "Great numbers" but if you don't have stable alkalinity the results you are getting can be expected with SPS.

 

[eirvin15]

What "nutrients"? What are you dosing? What test kit? What are the results?

my calcium and alkalinity was low. so i got those two test kits from fritz and ATI essentials pro dosing for it. 3ml a day

 

[56longroof]

my calcium and alkalinity was low. so i got those two test kits from fritz and ATI essentials pro dosing for it. 3ml a day

ATI is not a great kit if you plan on keeping SPS. Get some Salifert test kits. The only Hanna one I like is low range phosphate.

 

[eirvin15]

my calcium and alkalinity was low. so i got those two test kits from fritz and ATI essentials pro dosing for it. 3ml a day

calcium was 280ppm and alkalinity is a 9

 

[56longroof]

calcium was 280ppm and alkalinity is a 9

What salt are you using and what's your water change schedule? I can't imagine calcium being that low without there being a testing error.

 

[Matt Bravo]

calcium was 280ppm and alkalinity is a 9

Test magnesium nitrate and phosphate next, also make sure you tested correctly for calcium that seems very low

 

[bluemon]

calcium was 280ppm and alkalinity is a 9

What salt are you using and what's your water change schedule? I can't imagine calcium being that low without there being a testing error.

Especially since this is the first stony coral.

 

[eirvin15]

What salt are you using and what's your water change schedule? I can't imagine calcium being that low without there being a testing error.

I usually do a water change every three weeks and my tank seemed like it was doing great. i had the cats paw in there for around 2-3 weeks and then one day i was feeding my corals with AB+ coral food and i think i over did it on accident. I know i should’ve measured but oh well. So then it started dying. i freaked out and did a huge water change at 3 am. then it kept dying and went and got tests 2 days later

 

[bluemon]

I usually do a water change every three weeks and my tank seemed like it was doing great. i had the cats paw in there for around 2-3 weeks and then one day i was feeding my corals with AB+ coral food and i think i over did it on accident. I know i should’ve measured but oh well. So then it started dying. i freaked out and did a huge water change at 3 am. then it kept dying and went and got tests 2 days later

Water change every 3 weeks should sustain calcium for one small frag, if it’s the only stony.

What salt are you using?