Need some SPS help

[skeety]

Originally Posted by tdwyatt

I'd also consider potentials for alleopoathic conflict, as growth and/or bleaching is usually an issue when alleopathy occurs.

Also, and forgive me if my concept of the word alleopoathic is wrong, but that means...having used medicines, right?

I dose NOTHING! Kalk for a while, but stopped that months ago.

Since then, I've used the Ca reactor.

Only medicinal additive I've used is Seachem's reefdip, and that's during acclimation. Then rinsed with extra SW from the tank prior to placement.

NEVER adding any to the tank. Nor any other medicine (don't even own anything else).

[Geoff]

alleopoathic conflict- is chemical warefare between corals.

do you run carbon? i did not see it mentioned anywhere. this would be a good simple way to test if it is chemical warefare between corals. are the zoas anywhere near the SPS with the slowest growth?

are you sure you do not have redbugs? look very, very close at the Acros.

do you have a clam? if so, how has its growth been?

G~

[skeety]

DOH! I was thinking allopathic, I think.

okay...good questions.

I do use carbon, and have been for about 3 months. (again, thinking that would fix things). I follow Tom's method, and split the amount recommended on the carbon box in half, and switch one half out every two weeks. So each bundle is in the tank for a month.

The carbon I use is Kent's Reef Carbon.

The zoa's are a GOOD distance away from everything. And the corals that have STN'd so far are nowhere near anything else (at least 6" clearance all around). Again, suprising me. Also, the zoa's are pretty slow growing as well. Was two polyps about 6 months ago, I now have maybe 5 or 6 polyps.

Also, I do not have a clam...so can't offer any help there.

[Geoff]

have you thought about feeding blender mush instead of the various foods you are feeding now?

G~

[skeety]

also...as for the red bugs....I'll look harder...but to look much harder than I have, I think I'll need a microscope! haha

but I'll keep my eyes peeled.

One question though: Wouldn't red-bugs lead to more than one coral bleaching at a time? So far, it's just been ONE coral at a time...and weeks go by before another one starts. Actually, right now is the ONLY time I've had two corals going at the same time...and I think that's more because of my absense during the honeymoon. (top off wasn't quite as stringent). They also appear to be making a comeback, which is new.

[skeety]

Originally Posted by Geoff

have you thought about feeding blender mush instead of the various foods you are feeding now?

G~

I think there may be something to this. I tried a dummed down version a month or two ago. Took some scallops, and a slice of salmon...and chopped them up quite a bit. Froze it.

When I added it the first two times, it just floated around...the clowns would go up, then leave it. Other than that, no one seemed interested. So I stopped doing it, and tossed out what I had left.

But I didn't blend it, just chopped it up a lot. This is on my list to do though...get a blender, and try one of these recipies out.

[Geoff]

is your waters surface always that still? do you have any build up on the waters surface? could you get a bit more surface aggitation going?

G~

[skeety]

Originally Posted by Geoff

is your waters surface always that still? do you have any build up on the waters surface? could you get a bit more surface aggitation going?

G~

is it always HOW still? Are you looking at a picture? oh...DOH! The one on my web-page. It's not as still as it looks, and that was before I put the eductors on. Now, my water surface is insane:



but even before, there was never a film...

[Geoff]

never mind.

G~

[skeety]

another shot of more of the surface...but still not sure it shows it well.

[skeety]

figure I should probably show pictures of what I'm talking about, eh? These pictures show the current episode, but it's still VERY Typical of how a coral usually go (base up...very slowly).

here's the tank a week or two before the wedding. I point out the two corals that were fine then, but are now bleaching (I even point out the zoa polyps):



and here's close up's of the NOW bleaching corals (taken mere moments ago):



and this one's already starting to get some algae over the bleached area:

[Wiskey]

Anyone else got their eye on that birdsnest?

Whiskey

[Twitterbait]

How is the flow in your tank mapped out. If you have constant current going in on direction on those that may be the problem too. put your hand in the tank and feel the current around those bleaching corals. if you feel a constant current then you have a problem. i bring this up because of the bleaching pattern on this one...

[skeety]

well...I'm not denying that flow patterns might be a cause. It's the one thing I can't figure out how to change. So PLEASE feel free to share tips on this one.

As for the pattern you pointed out. It actually started at the outter most growth on the LR. Then, in the last two weeks, it's receeded to the way it looks now (straight up the shaded area). However, that's NOT to say it's not the flow.

I know one solution is Tunze's. But is there ANY way to modify what I have already, and still get a good random flow? I currently have a PCX-70 (~1250 gph) shooting out two 3/4" eductors (one at each end of the tank). Both are aimed RIGHT at the front.

I also have my return pump, which is a Mag 7, pretty much smack-dab, in the middle of the tank. Again, shooting towards the front pane.

There are a few laminar areas, but when I look at bubbles and what not, they appear to be swishing all around. But not really occilation or anything.

But that raises the question...why isn't it only corals that are in the same spot or spots? WHy this one...than a month down the road, that one....then a month or two later, this one over here...then a few weeks later, that guy down there....etc.

[Wiskey]

Both the corals you pointed out have a greenish skeleton, indicative of phosphate wicking.

This is what happened to my tank too, some corals skeleton were very, very green.

Whiskey