No PE on SPS corals

[pammy]

Thanks Kevin. These are all Milliporas, which I thought was an easier beginner SPS. Wonder if I should stick with LPS. My Alkalinity is 8. My flow is 35X the display size. (53gallon tank with about 2000 GPH flow. I have 2 Tunze Nano 6025's, 1 Maxijet 1200, and Eheim 1260 for return pump). Temp is 80 to 81 (after lights on for serveral hours). Nitrates are 5. Calcium 400. Mag 1250. Salinity 1.025 - Reef Crystals Salt.

Only softies in the tank is a small isolated rock with zoos on the sandbed and one small rock with mushrooms on the sandbed. All milliporas are on the top 1/4 of the rocks away from all LPS. LPS I have is a 3 headed Frogspawn, Duncan, Suncoral, all doing very well, and all quite a distance from any SPS.

I took your advice immediately by adding the TLF phosphate reactor. Should I try raising my Alk? I know 8 is in range, but maybe not high enough for SPS? Should I try lowering my temp to 78-79 instead of 80-81? Thanks for your help Kevin.
Pam

Hello,
Nitrates, high or low alkalinity, high temperate, high amounts of DOC's, not enough flow, are all factors that by themselves or in various combinations can cause STN. For sensitive Acropora corals nitrates should be undetectable for ideal conditions.

HTH,
Kevin

 

[kevinpo]

Your alkalinity is fine IMO. I would try to lower my nitrates and temperature to 77-78F. I don't think any of your other corals should pose a problem. I would consider Acropora millepora as one of the hardest corals to maintain over time. Not that they don't grow quickly but they just seem to have problems when many other Acropora corals are doing fine.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[kevinpo]

It can be difficult to maintain water quality when keeping Tubastraea sp. with Acropora and many SPS corals due to their feeding requirements. The regular feeding requirements of Tubastraea (Sun coral) tends to increase nitrates.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[pammy]

Thanks again Kevin. I'll take your advise. Are there any other branching SPS corals that would be easier than the Milliporas?

Your alkalinity is fine IMO. I would try to lower my nitrates and temperature to 77-78F. I don't think any of your other corals should pose a problem. I would consider Acropora millepora as one of the hardest corals to maintain over time. Not that they don't grow quickly but they just seem to have problems when many other Acropora corals are doing fine.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[packer]

montipora digitata might be one to look at for you.

 

[kevinpo]

Here are few moderately easy ones off the top of my head.
Montipora digitata
Porites
Acropora yongei
Acropora valida
Acropora microphthalma
Acropora nana
Acropora tortuosa

Many of the table Acropora corals I would consider the most difficult.

HTH,
Kevin