Why's my SPS dying?

[Dylan]

Why's my SPS bleaching?

My nanocube 28 has been going steady for a while now. Perfect parameters for the past 2 months, with SPS the whole time. I was running a 250w sunpod with a 20k EVC, and everything was doing great. The ballast crapped out (Lucky me) and I had to order a new light. The tank went without light for a day, and then I put a 150w sunpod with a 14k phoenix over it. Everything's mad...

So I have had one pink birdsnest , and an unknown acro RTN on me. Now I have a pink montipora digitata and a purple montipora digitata bleaching. Everything else is fine... my monti caps, my milleporas, my pink lemonade...

I HAVE NO CLUE WHY THEY ARE DYING.

My parameters are..
Temperature: Dead steady 78
SG: 1.025
Nitrates:0-3
Phosphate: 0
Calcium: 420
Alkalinity: 8.6
Magnesium: 1250

1 week ago the Calcium was 410, the alkalinity was 7.9, and the magnesium was 1200. The only difference is the lighting. Also, I turned the flow up on my Vortech MP10. What did I do?

Pink monti digitata

Purple Monti digitata

 

[Dylan]

FTS The acro that RTN'ed is on the front right near the ricordeas. THe birdsnest is above it. The purple digitata is above the birdsnest. Could it be too much flow? That wouldn't explain why the entire digitata is bleached though.

 

[Dylan]

Bump..

 

[Reef Pets]

Hey Dylan - Did you lose only a couple SPS are all of the RTN'ing?
From the looks of it everthing else is happy except the 2 pieces of SPS. I can see zoas/palys opening and so on.

Since you turned up the MP10 is it blasting the acros that died? It looks like the acros that are having issues are on the same side as the pump.
Do the other acros have polyp extension?

 

[Dylan]

Hey Dylan - Did you lose only a couple SPS are all of the RTN'ing?
From the looks of it everthing else is happy except the 2 pieces of SPS. I can see zoas/palys opening and so on.

Since you turned up the MP10 is it blasting the acros that died? It looks like the acros that are having issues are on the same side as the pump.
Do the other acros have polyp extension?

This is an older FTS.

I had the monti's bleach, and the two acros w/ the most flow RTN. I think the flow caused the RTN on the birdsnest.. my mom turned up the flow :cry:

The digitatas didn't have much flow though. And they bleached. I think that tricolor acro might be RTNing now.

Everything has polyp extension.

 

[Reef Pets]

I am sure that you already turned down the flow. Frag what you can so that you dont completely lose them. Bleaching can be from the change in light, could be....

I would have to say the flow may have caused it. I see that the birdnest and the other dead acro are the closest to the MP10.

 

[Dylan]

I am sure that you already turned down the flow. Frag what you can so that you dont completely lose them. Bleaching can be from the change in light, could be....

I would have to say the flow may have caused it. I see that the birdnest and the other dead acro are the closest to the MP10.

Okay. The digitata's were too far gone when I woke up this morning to frag. I attempted to frag the acro in the front right; I didn't even bother with the birdsnest.

I moved the MP10 all the way to the front of the tank so that most of the flow hits the side glass and bounces around. So I can turn it up more but it isn't as direct.

 

[Reef Pets]

I think that will fix your problem.

 

[Dylan]

I think that will fix your problem.

Oi. I hope so. I'm so frustrated.. I think that pink chalice is a goner, too. Too much flow, also? It's pretty isolated from flow. :cry:

 

[Reef Pets]

I think the chalice will make it as long as nothing is wrong with the tank and its just a flow issue. I have received Chalice on shipment that come in looking worse an they make it and look fine in a short amount of time.

Of course I am just guessing because I can only see the photos. Just in case there are issues with the water it would be best to do a 20 percent or so water change right away.

 

[Troylee]

Have you checked for any pest?? Like aefw, or red bugs?? Also check for monti eating nudis but they won't touch a birds nest... It could just be a coincidence "spelling" dip a coral and see if anything comes off it... Also check for eggs..

 

[Dylan]

I think the chalice will make it as long as nothing is wrong with the tank and its just a flow issue. I have received Chalice on shipment that come in looking worse an they make it and look fine in a short amount of time.

Of course I am just guessing because I can only see the photos. Just in case there are issues with the water it would be best to do a 20 percent or so water change right away.

The water parameters are all dead-on. Wouldn't it be better to let the water stay stable? It's been a week since the last water change.

 

[Dylan]

Have you checked for any pest?? Like aefw, or red bugs?? Also check for monti eating nudis but they won't touch a birds nest... It could just be a coincidence "spelling" dip a coral and see if anything comes off it... Also check for eggs..

I'm pretty sure that the birdsnest and acro died from too much flow. I didn't check for any pests. I've kept my eye on them though, they went from healthy to bleached in 24 hours, so I don't think those are pests.

 

[Reef Pets]

Sometimes it can be something that cant be read through water testing. For example, something could have been on your hands or any other type of toxin that may have gotten into the water column, rotten frozon food, something on the gloves if you use them for feeding and the list could go on nd on.
When in doubt a water change is recommended

 

[Dylan]

Sometimes it can be something that cant be read through water testing. For example, something could have been on your hands or any other type of toxin that may have gotten into the water column, rotten frozon food, something on the gloves if you use them for feeding and the list could go on nd on.
When in doubt a water change is recommended

I'll get mixing :D

 

[bkoppes]

I don't know how long your tank has been up, but could something have been stirred up in the sand bed when the flow was increased? Just guessing here.

 

[wireefman]

going from a 20k 250w bulb to a 14k 150w bulb....... when u switched how did u do it.... is there a difference in height from where the 250w bulb sat in relation to the 150w... did u change your photo peroid? just a stretch

 

[Dylan]

going from a 20k 250w bulb to a 14k 150w bulb....... when u switched how did u do it.... is there a difference in height from where the 250w bulb sat in relation to the 150w... did u change your photo peroid? just a stretch

Same photoperiod, identical height. The 250w went out, the tank was lightless for a day. The day after, I put on the 150w phoenix.

 

[Dylan]

I don't know how long your tank has been up, but could something have been stirred up in the sand bed when the flow was increased? Just guessing here.

Tanks been running 3 and a half months. I don't think the sand is the problem. Everything, including my clams, is fine.

Thanks for the thought!

 

[epicenter]

Oi. I hope so. I'm so frustrated.. I think that pink chalice is a goner, too. Too much flow, also? It's pretty isolated from flow. :cry:

Dylan, dont give up on that chalice. I have had them come back from complete devastation.