LPS not good Skeleton showing?

  • Thread starter Thread starter a123h
  • Start date Start date
  • Tagged users Tagged users None

a123h

New Member
View Badges
Joined
May 14, 2026
Messages
16
Reaction score
11
Location
australia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Tanks been running for nearly 6 months only had a soft coral so decided to try 2 LPS small candy cane and acan. Acclimated and dipped couple hours later to a day later looking like this skeleton showing etc. These are the conditions
Nitrate low around 2
Phosphate used salifert test kit absolutely 0
Alkalinity 6.8-7 Calcium 440 Mag 1500
a620586a-6815-47ec-b285-011d9758d3eb.jpg
8ebea807-aa4e-4120-a404-7aa76e066928.jpg
 
Low alkalinity and zero phosphate can cause tissue recession in LPS. In my mixed reef I kept alkalinity at around 9 and always had some nutrients in the tank from bioload. There's no magic number when it comes to chemistry but if you plan on keeping LPS I'd get those numbers up and stay consistent. Those corals can bounce back as well.
 
Low alkalinity and zero phosphate can cause tissue recession in LPS. In my mixed reef I kept alkalinity at around 9 and always had some nutrients in the tank from bioload. There's no magic number when it comes to chemistry but if you plan on keeping LPS I'd get those numbers up and stay consistent.
Should i dose Phosphate and alk? ive been feeding more to up nitrate and Phosphate but hasnt helped, my bio load is pretty small just added my 5th fish in a 4 foot tank all pretty small fish.
 
Agree with the above - low alk is most likely to blame here.

Try getting it up and spot feeding some ReefRoids to help get those phosphates up a bit.
 
Should i dose Phosphate and alk? ive been feeding more to up nitrate and Phosphate but hasnt helped, my bio load is pretty small just added my 5th fish in a 4 foot tank all pretty small fish.
Yes, dose Alk but raise it slowly. Stability is key.
 
Should i dose Phosphate and alk? ive been feeding more to up nitrate and Phosphate but hasnt helped, my bio load is pretty small just added my 5th fish in a 4 foot tank all pretty small fish.
Yes, dose Alk but raise it slowly. Stability is key.
Will do thanks, would u say the coral here are dead or on the way out ?
 
The candy cane looks toast. The acan may have a shot at recovery! Fingers crossed and good luck!
 
How about showing a full tank picture? lps are fairly easy, and the 2 you chose are 2 of the easiest of all. I'd be surprised if the low alk caused that much recession in just one day to these 2 very hardy corals.. A full tank picture will let us see whats really going on.
 
What is your salinity and what are you testing it with? I agree, low alk won’t kill a coral like that in a day
 
Should i dose Phosphate and alk? ive been feeding more to up nitrate and Phosphate but hasnt helped, my bio load is pretty small just added my 5th fish in a 4 foot tank all pretty small fish.
Be very careful in dosing, remember small and consistent. Large changes can be even more detrimental. For me, fish, feeding and weekly water changes were my routine. 👍 Your coral is not dead, just upset. This can definitely happen pretty quickly especially not knowing what the parameters were like in their previos tank.
 

TOP 10 Trending Threads

ARE YOU READY TO CONFESS TO CRAZIEST, DUMBEST, FUNNIEST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE IN REEFING?

  • Yeah, I'll confess! (Share your story in the comments!)

    Votes: 26 54.2%
  • Nah, I'll keep mine a secret...(Don't be like that, share with the class!)

    Votes: 22 45.8%
Back
Top
Home
Post thread…
Market
What's new