Recent Move Impacted my SPS

Maxi · 05/16/2018, 09:22 PM

Hello,

Recently I moved across town, about 25 minutes, and the tank is finally getting back on its feet but it definitely took some damage on my SPS corals. Sorry for the long post:

I have moved this tank across the country 3x in the past year, so I know I didn't do anything different regarding the move. I always use zip ties, inside a heated and running cooler with egg crate on the bottom, plugged in to an outlet in the car.

But, then I noticed the tips of my SPS got burnt looking, the bases as well. So, I immediately tested when I noticed the change and my parameters where:

Alkalinity: 6.1
Calcium: 420
Magnesium: 1230
Salinity: 1.026
Temperature: 78

I also do weekly 5 gallon water changes. My tank is a 25g innovative marine lagoon. I am running the ghost skimmer, and blue lights only, running from 2pm to 12am.

After noticing the above parameters, I started dosing 2 part again, which I never dose much of. I'm guessing since the corals are larger now, my water changes aren't enough to keep up with the demand. I am using Seachem.

Stats after dosing for two weeks, almost daily testing at around the same time of day with salifert kits. This is what the parameters stick to:

Alkalnity: 7.7~8.6
Calcium: 430~460
Magnesium: 1320~1400
Salinity: 1.026
Temperature: 79

I raised the temperature by 1 degree, I live up north so the average temperature in the house with the AC off is around 75.

The steps I have taken other than the above, is changing the light cycle from 12pm to 10:30pm, to 2pm to 12:00 am so I have more time to observe it after work.

I have reduced the intensity of my LED lights Artic t247, from 45% to 38%. I have also increased my feeding to 3/4 mysis cube a day, spot feeding everything. Please correct my spelling if you find something.

The tanks inhabitants:

1 True Percula
1 Six line Wrasse
1 Pom pom Crab
4 snails
LPS (acans, Euphylia)
Zoas
1 Kenya Tree(it is starting to spread)
Some other softies like a rhodactis mushroom, gsp on the glass floor.

My tank is bare bottom. I have about 15 pounds of Pukani rock in there as well. The tank is turning 2 years old in August. For flow, I have 3 Jebao's, 2 running at random, and one at setting 1, not the pulse setting. Middle speeds for all, that tank flow is great I would say, the only deadspot collects all the poop, and I just siphon it out.

Please let me know if I am taking the right steps. Another step I have been thinking of taking is dosing alk in the mornings, and calcium at night. Not sure if this would make any difference.

Thank you for all of your help, this tank is amazing and I would hate to lose the SPS. They are definitely recovering by the looks of it, but how long does the recovery take?

bertoni · 05/16/2018, 10:26 PM

The recovery time is going to be hard to predict. Have the fish been doing well? Have you checked the nitrate and phosphate levels? I might try some activated carbon for a bit, just in case there's an organic buildup in the water column.

Maxi · 05/16/2018, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

The recovery time is going to be hard to predict. Have the fish been doing well? Have you checked the nitrate and phosphate levels? I might try some activated carbon for a bit, just in case there's an organic buildup in the water column.

Thank you for your response. The fish are great, and so is everything else in the tank including inverts and other corals. Looking better than ever. It is just the SPS that are being impacted.

I have not checked the nitrate and phosphate levels.

What do you mean by organic build up?

bertoni · 05/17/2018, 12:59 PM

Corals seem to be sensitive to various kinds of organic compounds. When the tank was moved, there might have been enough decay or detritus stirred up to add a fair amount of organics to the water column. Carbon or water changes help in some cases.

Maxi · 05/17/2018, 05:26 PM

I used to dose vodka as well. Should I start that routine again?

I will do another water change this week, I have already done 3 water changes in the past 3 weeks.

bertoni · 05/17/2018, 09:49 PM

Dosing vodka might help. That's difficult to predict. I might give it a shot.

ramseynb · 05/17/2018, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxi

I used to dose vodka as well. Should I start that routine again?

I will do another water change this week, I have already done 3 water changes in the past 3 weeks.

You need to test your nitrate and phosphates first. There's not point in dosing vodka if those are already low. Even if only phosphates are high, I wouldn't dose vodka.

You sound like you're wanting to make rapid changes to fix the issue. Remember, only bad things happen fast in this hobby so take your time with whatever you decide to do. I know it can be hard to do sometimes.

bertoni · 05/17/2018, 10:42 PM

I agree that carbon dosing probably won't do much for the phosphate level, but it might help with other organics in the water column.

homer1475 · 05/18/2018, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxi

The tanks inhabitants:

1 True Percula
1 Six line Wrasse
1 Pom pom Crab
4 snails
LPS (acans, Euphylia)
Zoas
1 Kenya Tree(it is starting to spread)
Some other softies like a rhodactis mushroom, gsp on the glass floor.

What SPS are fading? I only see a couple softies and LPS.

Maxi · 05/18/2018, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer1475

What SPS are fading? I only see a couple softies and LPS.

Oops!

So a green slimer, red Monti cap, and a red planet acro. two other sps that I cannot identify. Red cap is pale definitely not as brightly colored. Polyps look like they want to extend on the slimer, but they are struggling. Base has polyps coming out again but very little. Cap is full of polyps, red planet is almost giving up.

05/16/2018, 09:22 PM	#1
Maxi Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 1,381	Recent Move Impacted my SPS Hello, Recently I moved across town, about 25 minutes, and the tank is finally getting back on its feet but it definitely took some damage on my SPS corals. Sorry for the long post: I have moved this tank across the country 3x in the past year, so I know I didn't do anything different regarding the move. I always use zip ties, inside a heated and running cooler with egg crate on the bottom, plugged in to an outlet in the car. But, then I noticed the tips of my SPS got burnt looking, the bases as well. So, I immediately tested when I noticed the change and my parameters where: Alkalinity: 6.1 Calcium: 420 Magnesium: 1230 Salinity: 1.026 Temperature: 78 I also do weekly 5 gallon water changes. My tank is a 25g innovative marine lagoon. I am running the ghost skimmer, and blue lights only, running from 2pm to 12am. After noticing the above parameters, I started dosing 2 part again, which I never dose much of. I'm guessing since the corals are larger now, my water changes aren't enough to keep up with the demand. I am using Seachem. Stats after dosing for two weeks, almost daily testing at around the same time of day with salifert kits. This is what the parameters stick to: Alkalnity: 7.7~8.6 Calcium: 430~460 Magnesium: 1320~1400 Salinity: 1.026 Temperature: 79 I raised the temperature by 1 degree, I live up north so the average temperature in the house with the AC off is around 75. The steps I have taken other than the above, is changing the light cycle from 12pm to 10:30pm, to 2pm to 12:00 am so I have more time to observe it after work. I have reduced the intensity of my LED lights Artic t247, from 45% to 38%. I have also increased my feeding to 3/4 mysis cube a day, spot feeding everything. Please correct my spelling if you find something. The tanks inhabitants: 1 True Percula 1 Six line Wrasse 1 Pom pom Crab 4 snails LPS (acans, Euphylia) Zoas 1 Kenya Tree(it is starting to spread) Some other softies like a rhodactis mushroom, gsp on the glass floor. My tank is bare bottom. I have about 15 pounds of Pukani rock in there as well. The tank is turning 2 years old in August. For flow, I have 3 Jebao's, 2 running at random, and one at setting 1, not the pulse setting. Middle speeds for all, that tank flow is great I would say, the only deadspot collects all the poop, and I just siphon it out. Please let me know if I am taking the right steps. Another step I have been thinking of taking is dosing alk in the mornings, and calcium at night. Not sure if this would make any difference. Thank you for all of your help, this tank is amazing and I would hate to lose the SPS. They are definitely recovering by the looks of it, but how long does the recovery take? Last edited by Maxi; 05/16/2018 at 11:29 PM.

05/16/2018, 10:26 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The recovery time is going to be hard to predict. Have the fish been doing well? Have you checked the nitrate and phosphate levels? I might try some activated carbon for a bit, just in case there's an organic buildup in the water column. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/17/2018, 12:59 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Corals seem to be sensitive to various kinds of organic compounds. When the tank was moved, there might have been enough decay or detritus stirred up to add a fair amount of organics to the water column. Carbon or water changes help in some cases. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/17/2018, 09:49 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Dosing vodka might help. That's difficult to predict. I might give it a shot. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/17/2018, 10:42 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I agree that carbon dosing probably won't do much for the phosphate level, but it might help with other organics in the water column. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/17/2018, 05:26 PM	#5
Maxi Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 1,381	I used to dose vodka as well. Should I start that routine again? I will do another water change this week, I have already done 3 water changes in the past 3 weeks.