Bifferwine
I am a girl
If your pH and KH are swinging enough that you find yourself constantly dosing, that could be the problem. Any sort of spikes (temp, pH, alkalinity) can harm pH.
SPS slowly bleaching out
- Thread starter Kizmar
- Start date
Kizmar
#derpface
Temp may be screwing with things... I'm trying to get it all leveled out and see if the bleaching stops... but it's not been easy in this weather (it's hot as hell in MI).
The small SPS is now 99% bleached out. /sigh
I have no clue what's causing this if it's not the temp.
The small SPS is now 99% bleached out. /sigh
I have no clue what's causing this if it's not the temp.
Kizmar
#derpface
Just bought a magnesium test. It's still over 1,500... How badly will the high magnesium affect the tank, and can I do more then wait for water changes to get it down?
Temp is holding, kH is 170 mg/L, pH I think is at 8.1 or 8.2, it's kinda hard to tell.
Temp is holding, kH is 170 mg/L, pH I think is at 8.1 or 8.2, it's kinda hard to tell.
Smitty
Reef pro
That level of mag isn't considered high, so that's fine.
Kizmar
#derpface
Well... maybe things are leveled out now... We'll see how the next few days test out.
Thanks for all of the input on this. I'd be lost without you guys (and gals) ;).
Thanks for all of the input on this. I'd be lost without you guys (and gals) ;).
Smitty
Reef pro
Good luck with everything bro...sps's are finicky at the beginning. Most of mines have just up and died also, for no reason.
Kizmar
#derpface
Thanks. I still have one golf ball sized SPS that's hanging in there. I've been told the colors on it are hard to find in an SPS so I hope I don't lose it.
This is a picture of the last remaining SPS. It was taken about two months ago. Tomorrow I'll post a picture of what it looks like now. Vast difference. It slowly got really light. Slow enough that I didn't notice it until the last week now that it's getting color back.
Wow that's huge.
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Kizmar
#derpface
Do you use a dosing pump or are you dosing manually every N days?
Smitty
Reef pro
That's a beautiful piece...i hope it makes it.
Kizmar
#derpface
It's still hanging in there.
All said and done, here's what I've learned: stop putting stuff in the tank just because the LFS says it will speed up coral growth. Get a temp monitor that will alert me and turn on a fan to keep the temp stable (because I don't pay enough attention to it every day).
Too bad it took 2 SPS frags to learn it the hard way. Hopefully it doesn't end up 3. :squint:
d2mini
Reef enthusiast
I dose 2-Part with BRS dosing pumps.
Some people, and I'm looking in to this as well, use kalkwasser in their ATO.
Either alone, or along with dosing pumps once the demand gets too high.
Kizmar
#derpface
I've been eyeballing a BRS dosing pump and reading about both the 2-Part and kalkwasser... still a little unsure about it and when you need it.
d2mini
Reef enthusiast
If I didn't dose, my Alk would be around 2dkh and my Calc would be about 250. That's how much my corals suck up and THAT'S when u know. ;)
Kizmar
#derpface
I gotta say, I'm feeling a little bit "mad scientist" with all the water tests I've been running the past couple weeks.
Looks like I'm getting things under control now. In addition to kH and temp issues, my refractometer calibration was +0.005 off. I'm slowly getting my salinity down to where it's supposed to be (1.025 instead of 1.03). Guess I'll remember to re-calibrate it more often.
Needless to say, the water I'm keeping was a mess in a lot of little ways.
On that note, I have good news and neutral news...
The neutral: 3 or 4 days ago my Bubble Tip Anemone pointed itself down so it's facing under the flat rock it's attached to. That rock is leaning on a 45 deg angle on another rock, so the anemone is still getting water flow and has plenty of room under there. I've been keeping an eye on it, and It seems to look okay. Did it change direction as a defense mechanism (because of the changing water conditions)? Is it likely to face itself back towards the light when it feels safe / healthy again?
The good: It appears that the two small green SPS frags I thought died, didn't die! It's a good thing I didn't pitch 'em. The polyps are bleached / transparent, but they are still there. Over the past 48 hours they've started to come out again. Here's to hoping I can save them.
Also, the blue / purple SPS is looking much better. It has more color now than it's had in weeks.
Looks like I'm getting things under control now. In addition to kH and temp issues, my refractometer calibration was +0.005 off. I'm slowly getting my salinity down to where it's supposed to be (1.025 instead of 1.03). Guess I'll remember to re-calibrate it more often.
Needless to say, the water I'm keeping was a mess in a lot of little ways.
On that note, I have good news and neutral news...
The neutral: 3 or 4 days ago my Bubble Tip Anemone pointed itself down so it's facing under the flat rock it's attached to. That rock is leaning on a 45 deg angle on another rock, so the anemone is still getting water flow and has plenty of room under there. I've been keeping an eye on it, and It seems to look okay. Did it change direction as a defense mechanism (because of the changing water conditions)? Is it likely to face itself back towards the light when it feels safe / healthy again?
The good: It appears that the two small green SPS frags I thought died, didn't die! It's a good thing I didn't pitch 'em. The polyps are bleached / transparent, but they are still there. Over the past 48 hours they've started to come out again. Here's to hoping I can save them.
Also, the blue / purple SPS is looking much better. It has more color now than it's had in weeks.
Smitty
Reef pro
I'm glad to hear that the water conditions/corals are getting better...the anemone is probably still trying to find that perfect spot he likes, so I wouldn't worry about him too much. He'll move if he doesn't like his location.
