Green slimer diagnosis please

mrpontiac80 · Dec 29, 2022

Hello all. I have a green slimer that is not doing as well as I’d hoped. Along with other sps but we can focus on this one.

I know the parameters everyone recommends for sps and mine are pretty high in comparison. But I am trying really hard to lower them .

I will attach pics of my most recent tests
My lights are reefbreeders and flow are a couple of gyres.
tank is a 65gallon 4’ long mixed reef.
The green slimer sits about 250-275 par measured with apogee 510
I dose all for reef.. started about 3 weeks ago and replaces the 2 part I was using because I had it and figured maybe trace elements could help.
my most recent 2 icp tests show everything great. A little low on trace elements.. mostly iodine but I have the additive and corrected it per recommendation.
I also alternate acropower and ab+ daily.

the slimer is about a month in my tank and has polyps out all the time. But the bright green flesh has turned pale or bluish.
I am still trying to learn acros and was hoping you all might have ideas on what to correct. I chose the slimer for this topic because I understand they are hardy. I just don’t know if it’s a light issue, high nutrients or etc.
The frag rack pic is a couple weeks in the tank… the other one is tonight.

ScottB · Dec 29, 2022

Looks like you have some coralline going so that it a plus. Age of system? Live or dead rock start? Got sponges yet?

mrpontiac80 · Dec 29, 2022

ScottB said:
Looks like you have some coralline going so that it a plus. Age of system? Live or dead rock start? Got sponges yet?

The system is 2 years old. I started with Caribsea liferock and Caribsea live sand.
there are tons of sponges and have been for some time. Coralline is all over rocks, pumps and etc.

njreefkeeper · Dec 30, 2022

Just my .02 but other SPS in your tank seem to be doing fine. They also appear that they’ve been there a while and acclimated to being in the tank with that large leather coral. I’ve always steered clear of keeping leathers in the same system with acropora. The allelopathy alone is always going to be something you’ll need to deal with as the leather grows. You’ll need to run carbon continuously and change it more than the usually accepted practice of once a month. I know people keep leathers with acropora time to time but it’s hard enough keeping acros without a known enemy at the gate.

Hope this helps.

mrpontiac80 · Dec 30, 2022

njreefkeeper said:
Just my .02 but other SPS in your tank seem to be doing fine. They also appear that they’ve been there a while and acclimated to being in the tank with that large leather coral. I’ve always steered clear of keeping leathers in the same system with acropora. The allelopathy alone is always going to be something you’ll need to deal with as the leather grows. You’ll need to run carbon continuously and change it more than the usually accepted practice of once a month. I know people keep leathers with acropora time to time but it’s hard enough keeping acros without a known enemy at the gate.

Hope this helps.

I’ve known leathers give off a toxin but I’ve really not thought of that.

njreefkeeper · Dec 30, 2022

mrpontiac80 said:
I’ve known leathers give off a toxin but I’ve really not thought of that.

Yeah they’re beautiful as they grow out but I’ve never seen acros show their full potential in a tank that had any leathers in it.

mrpontiac80 · Dec 30, 2022

njreefkeeper said:
Yeah they’re beautiful as they grow out but I’ve never seen acros show their full potential in a tank that had any leathers in it.

I’m in the process of building a new 180 setup. I am definitely going to keep that in mind.

AV corals · Dec 30, 2022

mrpontiac80 said:
Hello all. I have a green slimer that is not doing as well as I’d hoped. Along with other sps but we can focus on this one.

I know the parameters everyone recommends for sps and mine are pretty high in comparison. But I am trying really hard to lower them .

I will attach pics of my most recent tests
My lights are reefbreeders and flow are a couple of gyres.
tank is a 65gallon 4’ long mixed reef.
The green slimer sits about 250-275 par measured with apogee 510
I dose all for reef.. started about 3 weeks ago and replaces the 2 part I was using because I had it and figured maybe trace elements could help.
my most recent 2 icp tests show everything great. A little low on trace elements.. mostly iodine but I have the additive and corrected it per recommendation.
I also alternate acropower and ab+ daily.

the slimer is about a month in my tank and has polyps out all the time. But the bright green flesh has turned pale or bluish.
I am still trying to learn acros and was hoping you all might have ideas on what to correct. I chose the slimer for this topic because I understand they are hardy. I just don’t know if it’s a light issue, high nutrients or etc.
The frag rack pic is a couple weeks in the tank… the other one is tonight.

I would run gfo to lower your phos at least closer to .11. I feel over .20 is rather high…. your nitrates are fine and I would try upping your calcium to at least 475 minimum. My green slimer loves these levels

mrpontiac80 · Dec 30, 2022

AV corals said:
I would run gfo to lower your phos at least closer to .11. I feel over .20 is rather high…. your nitrates are fine and I would try upping your calcium to at least 475 minimum. My green slimer loves these levels

I tried gfo for a while and it definitely works but I couldn’t help but get swings. It worked so well with new media I just couldn’t avoid them. So for about a week now, I have been very slowly using brightwell’s Phosphate-e. I’m hoping I can maintain a consistent level this way.

AV corals · Dec 30, 2022

mrpontiac80 said:
I tried gfo for a while and it definitely works but I couldn’t help but get swings. It worked so well with new media I just couldn’t avoid them. So for about a week now, I have been very slowly using brightwell’s Phosphate-e. I’m hoping I can maintain a consistent level this way.

Have you tried rowaphos? I’ve use this with a low low tumble and man it really does last awhile at keeping my phos levels in check.