I can't keep lps?!?

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strapingyunglad

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Hello, i have a 29gl tank with a 7gl refugium, my lighting is a nova extreme
24in t5, i have a pretty good protein skimmer (can;t remember the exact name), i have loads of live rock that i got from a freind so i dont know the exact weight, i have cheato in the sump and tank, i do a 1.5 gallon water change with RO water every week, and i run carbon. I recently (today) had my water tested and my nitrates and nitrites are zero. My calcium is at 450. salinity 1.025. and my ph is 7.8.

Now, onto the question. I have had a long history of trying and failing at keeping my favorite coral, lps's. while having great succes at keeping softies and my only sps a povona is doing great. But every time i get a lps the same thing happens. First the skin startes to recede at the base and when it gets to the top the polyps slowly get smaller and smaller untill theres nothing left. I drip acclimate all my coral and yet this happens. Its not brown jelly and every one of my lps's couldn't possibly have been injured.

Im realy not sure what this could be. Ive tried different flow different lighting and ive had a lps in about every possible spot in the tank. Any ideas would be helpfull, this is realy anoying. Ill atach a pic of my last remaining lps. its ashort tentacle torch and is slowly dying.

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and yes i do have red flat worms. though there not in large enough numer to mess with the corals, they usually just chill on the rocks. And this problem has been going on way before the flatworms became an issue. they just recently appeard.
 
dawgdude;379027 wrote: Looks like its bleaching, try moving them down lower and it looks like you have a MASSIVE flatworm infestation.
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my camera washes out color quite a bit, and ive seen the mother colony of this specimen and its thriving and has relativley the same color.
 
Strange.... I'd bump your ph up to about 8.2, but I don't really know what would cause the bleaching.

Make sure you acclimate the coral to the light, it's not a bad idea to add it to the tank with the lights off, and low in the tank. Then gradually move it up.
 
tabblet15;379030 wrote: Strange.... I'd bump your ph up to about 8.2, but I don't really know what would cause the bleaching.

Make sure you acclimate the coral to the light, it's not a bad idea to add it to the tank with the lights off, and low in the tank. Then gradually move it up.
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As far as acclimation thats exactly what i do. I have a buffer but i suppose that wouldnt help raise the ph, what do you suggest to get it up safely?
 
Well, I dose a two part solution that has always kept my ph around 8.2-8.3. I use Kent Nano A B.

Make sure you have good surface/air exchange, as low oxygen in the tank will cause lower ph. You could add an airstone and monitor your ph to see if it helps. Also check you temps...high temps can cause bleaching.
 
tabblet15;379033 wrote: Well, I dose a two part solution that has always kept my ph around 8.2-8.3. I use Kent Nano A B.

Make sure you have good surface/air exchange, as low oxygen in the tank will cause lower ph. You could add an airstone and monitor your ph to see if it helps. Also check you temps...high temps can cause bleaching.
Click to expand...


I have a power head pointing up to disrupt the water surface and my refugioum overflows into the tank.
 
Well dang, you got me stumped... I would still add an airstone and test tomorrow to see if it had any affect.
 
tabblet15;379038 wrote: Well dang, you got me stumped... I would still add an airstone and test tomorrow to see if it had any affect.
Click to expand...


ill buy an air stone soon. ( i have the pump but not the stone.)

Would'nt my protein skimmer airate the water enough?
 
Yeah, with the hang on fuge, skimmer, powerhead it sounds like you have plenty of O2 exchange. Hopefully someone that has experienced your problem will chime in.
 
dawgdude;379042 wrote: I would lean toward low ph of your water for your water changes, test that water for ph. I would just try to get your ph 8.0 or above. Dont chase a number but just make sure its stable. I still lean toward bleaching. LPS tend to not like a whole lot of light and if you have a nice T-5 fixture on there then you are pounding it with light.
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Ok, ill get my ph in order and untill then il lower the lps.
 
On a side note, i have had a cup coral and a bubble coral at the very botttom of the tank that met the same fate.
 
what mag? You should be testing that as well. Also buffer won't fix low ph for long. A PH of 7.8 is fine and not your problem. Can you run your skimmers air intake line outside? If so do that and your PH will come up to 8.0 in a few hrs.

Did you just change bulbs?

HTH
Jason
 
JAustin;379050 wrote: what mag? You should be testing that as well. Also buffer won't fix low ph for long. A PH of 7.8 is fine and not your problem. Can you run your skimmers air intake line outside? If so do that and your PH will come up to 8.0 in a few hrs.

Did you just change bulbs?

HTH
Jason
Click to expand...


Nope, in fact im about to buy new ones. But this problem has been going on for about two bulb replacements.
 
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