New Sps reef

[dailydriven911]

I personally like the blue look of a 14k or 20k bulb but for growth I'd stay w/ a 10k or 12k bulb.

To Dailydriven911 and DonW,
Thanks for the input last night, it was really appreciated.

Here ar params for newly mixed Red Sea Coral Pro Salt
temp 25
Sg 1.025
dKh 8.3
Mag 1410
Calc 495
PH 8.24
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0

So I dont know where I am getting my dkh reading from.
What are the readings off Instant Ocean salt and also what K rating bulbs do you use. As mentioned I have 10000k but thinking of 14000k.

 

[kevinpo]

Hello,
The corals I suggested are not sensitive to high alkalinity especially if they come from a tank that has alkalinity kept in the high range (12-13 dKH). The alkalinity will quickly begin to drop once a 4-6 colonies have been added.

Cheers,
Kevin

 

[Hingeback]

Thanks again Kevin.
Going for a couple of locally fragged M. Digitata. I thought they would be more hardy than impoted corals. I was lucky to get talking to a man in LFS who has many frags of different sps corals. He invited me to house to see setup and offered a couple of frags very cheap. They look extremely healthy with many growth points. He keeps his reef at 12dKH, Ca neare 500ppm and mg near 1500pp. The colours and growth are phenominal.
Going to collect at weekend.

 

[kevinpo]

I thought they would be more hardy than impoted corals.

Spot on! I'm fairly sure they will do quite well in your tank too. Keep us posted how they do.

Cheers,
Kevin

 

[Hingeback]

Hi. A friend brought me a first addition to my Sps reef today. He brought it as a suprise present, it is one of the first he has fragged and about 6 weeks since fragging. He said its a Bali Slimer. Done a good search on the internet and it says they are hardy and good strong growers. Just one prob the skeleton does not look like a Bali Slimer ( but what do I know ).
Any way here are a couple of pics an hour after going into tank. I am so excited, its like being a kid at christmas again.

 

[dailydriven911]

Your right it does not look like a slimer. Your coral has very small/absent coralites. Did it slime at all when you placed it in the tank? I looks severly bleached if that is indeed a slimer.

 

[Hingeback]

No it did not slime. On the photo's the polyps are just starting to appear. They are now even more extended. These are 1/2 hour after last photo,s

They are even more extended now but my macro has decided not to focus for some reason.

 

[Hingeback]

Meant to say the top branch had been in the shade and i was concerned about the colour but as you can see there are polyps, so hopefully it will colour up.

 

[DonW]

Probably not a Green Slimer, more like a Digitata. I'm sure Kevin can give you a more positive ID.

Don

 

[Hingeback]

A couple more close ups

 

[kevinpo]

Hello,
Here are a couple of pictures of Acropora yongei. The first one is the typical "Green Bali Slimer". The second one is an unusual type I received from the Solomon Islands.
Notice the raised corallites rather than immersed like in your photo.

Cheers,
Kevin

 

[Hingeback]

Hi Kevin and thanks for the reply, I am more inclined to think its a Monti rather a Acro.
Have you any ideas. Will try to post later when lights on an polpyps extended.

Thanks to everyone for help.

 

[kevinpo]

It may not be Montipora digitata either but could be . Notice the new growth tips with the corallites beginning to form. Which is non-typical for Montipora sp.. I think it will have to grow out some more to help with an ID. It looks like the coral (the frag) was in an unfavorable location for good growth.

Here are a couple of pictures of Montipora digitata. Notice the new growth tips.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[Hingeback]

I am a bit concerned about the coral. I have had this 3 days and has turned from green/brown polyps to this. Please see pics earlier in the post.

Polyps still extending. Placed on rock on botton of tank as lights are stronger from where the coral came from. Good flow, Any input appreciated

 

[aquadude]

Feed Me, Symore!!!

 

[aquadude]

Check your dkh, as 14 is acceptable but also max. If it is too high you can lower salinity just a point or two,this should bring dkh down to a safe level. However,it should remain in double digits to prevent ph swings when the lights go out.[Co2 goes up. ph goes down]

 

[Hingeback]

dKh is down to 13, Ph 8.3 without lights, Ca 470, Mg 1410.
Coral is the same today, polyps well extended. I am just wondering if that is the colour of the coral under my lights. They were under 150w 14000k MH, they are now under 250w 10000k which is also a new bulb. There is no die back, infact I think there is growth at the base of the coral.
Thanks for info Aquadude much appreciated as is all the other input.

 

[kevinpo]

Hello,
Most certainly an adjustment to your higher light intensity and spectrum change. You should see an increase in growth rate (somewhere around 1"/month) from its previous owner under your conditions.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[Hingeback]

Thanks Kevin,
I have had no luck keeping sps corals hence setting up the sps only tank.
I knew in my mind that it was adjustment but with the luck I have had ????. Thanks for the input and for putting my mind at ease.

 

[Hingeback]

Some new additions to reef.

As per instructions which were gratefully appreciated

M.digitata

A frag of M.digitata given to me by a local reefer

An Ivory Cluster Acropora. This is a 3rd generation frag, so hopefully will be hardy