SPS not doing so well

AtisE

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 22, 2018
Messages
60
Reaction score
33
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Searching for some advice. While preoccupied setting up a new 75 gallon tank, my 40 gallon breeder has been having a tough time. Most of the sps has been looking terrible lately. Parameters this evening are:
Salinity: 1.025
Alk: 10.4
Calcium: 400
Mag: 1400
Nitrate: 2ppm
Phosphate: 0.09
I'm guessing the problems started about 10 days ago when my ph went from 8.1 to 9.1 within an hour when I tried to switch from 2-part to kalkwasser. Then when I switched back to 2-part, forgot to prime the dosing lines so Alk dropped to 8.7 from 9.9.
Not sure why, but I'm hoping to reverse the decline by moving everything to the new tank. Unfortunately new tank is still at 1ppm Ammonia... So... wait it out or does anyone have a suggestion? @ReefSquad?

_R3_0635.jpeg _R3_0636.jpeg Screen Shot 2020-11-22 at 8.39.30 PM.jpg
 

Flux Capacitor

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 13, 2016
Messages
718
Reaction score
1,719
Location
Mile High
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’d bet you’re right it was the ALK swing. You have burnt tips, and that’s a classic sign. The best thing you can do is keep your parameters stable, and hope for the best. Maybe they will recover.
 

ScottB

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 5, 2018
Messages
7,884
Reaction score
12,164
Location
Fairfield County, CT
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Setting up a new 75G is a great distraction, but yeah, the ALK swing can be a serious stress event. Especially in the "higher" ranges above NSW measure of 7 dkh. And that pH swing too.

I would not try rushing anything. Keep things smooth. If the tips die and algae attaches then clip them back to living tissue.

Lastly, most USA SPS vendors tend to run 7.5-8.5 dkh, so there is some transition stress from the get go. Are you using RS Reef Pro or IORC salt? I know they both mix at 11.
 
OP
OP
A

AtisE

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 22, 2018
Messages
60
Reaction score
33
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks so much everyone! @ScottB - I'm currently using Read Sea Coral Pro Salt. If I clip the tips back do I just leave them? Someone had suggested supergluing the ends.
 

Hincapiej4

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
1,262
Reaction score
1,284
Location
Portland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
supergluing would pretty much do the same thing, but some say if you clip them, it makes the coral want to grow back quicker. dunno if that's true.
 

High pressure shells: Do you look for signs of stress in the invertebrates in your reef tank?

  • I regularly look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 39 32.5%
  • I occasionally look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 28 23.3%
  • I rarely look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 23 19.2%
  • I never look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 30 25.0%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top