how can i find out what my sps want???

zheka757 · 02/26/2020, 10:30 PM

Im somewhat new to sps corals. I cant understand why some sps corals doing ok in my tank while other dont. in the last month one by one some corals that being growing good, now dont show their polyps. Corals have being growing before.
Here are some possibilities i can think of.
2 month ago i turn my led white channels from 60 to 30%
2 month ago i changes from 2 part dosing my tank to calcium reactor, and my alkalinity/calcium got more stable then before.

Im clueless, and I hate that i have no explanation to my corals.

alton · 02/27/2020, 05:53 AM

For one buy, borrow, steal a PAR meter, stop guessing at your light levels. Some lights put out little spot lights. so one coral maybe getting plenty of light while the one next to it may not. Also not all SPS corals are the same, some grow faster than others, some require more light than others. If you have a birdsnest it may look as if it grows an inch a day, the same for caps, where as a Oregon Tort may not.

zheka757 · 02/27/2020, 08:18 AM

Lol, I'll guess I have to steal a par meter. But you got that right with corals. Because I have lots of different monti's as plating and branching style. And they are groing super crazy. I have 2 green and pink birds nest growing really good. I have acro corals that only 2 out of 7 corals that still growing and have polyp extensions. While the other 5 looks like stop growing and dont see polyps anymore.

clevername · 02/27/2020, 01:08 PM

one of the main reasons why i LOVE kessil lights and recommend them. You dont have control to mess with spectrum lighting that coral need.

I will say the average reefer with high end LEDS are normally over powering the corals. I lowered mine and they grow like crazy now. Of course now i can check out a BRS video that give me PAR readings at specific depths to be even more accurate

02/26/2020, 10:30 PM	#1
zheka757 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: North Port Florida Posts: 283	how can i find out what my sps want??? Im somewhat new to sps corals. I cant understand why some sps corals doing ok in my tank while other dont. in the last month one by one some corals that being growing good, now dont show their polyps. Corals have being growing before. Here are some possibilities i can think of. 2 month ago i turn my led white channels from 60 to 30% 2 month ago i changes from 2 part dosing my tank to calcium reactor, and my alkalinity/calcium got more stable then before. Im clueless, and I hate that i have no explanation to my corals.

02/27/2020, 01:08 PM	#4
clevername Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Manchester, MO Posts: 1,125	one of the main reasons why i LOVE kessil lights and recommend them. You dont have control to mess with spectrum lighting that coral need. I will say the average reefer with high end LEDS are normally over powering the corals. I lowered mine and they grow like crazy now. Of course now i can check out a BRS video that give me PAR readings at specific depths to be even more accurate __________________ In process: 210gal, VARIOS-8 return, Kessil Lights, 80 gal sump, mp60's, and REGAL 200EXT 8" RECIRCULATING skimmer

02/27/2020, 05:53 AM	#2
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	For one buy, borrow, steal a PAR meter, stop guessing at your light levels. Some lights put out little spot lights. so one coral maybe getting plenty of light while the one next to it may not. Also not all SPS corals are the same, some grow faster than others, some require more light than others. If you have a birdsnest it may look as if it grows an inch a day, the same for caps, where as a Oregon Tort may not.

02/27/2020, 08:18 AM	#3
zheka757 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: North Port Florida Posts: 283	Lol, I'll guess I have to steal a par meter. But you got that right with corals. Because I have lots of different monti's as plating and branching style. And they are groing super crazy. I have 2 green and pink birds nest growing really good. I have acro corals that only 2 out of 7 corals that still growing and have polyp extensions. While the other 5 looks like stop growing and dont see polyps anymore.