SPS question

[Thunderkat]

Ok, I bought a SPS frag about a month or more ago and it seems to be fading slowly. There are little patches on the underside that look to be becoming bare. I have dual actinic and dual 10k in my hood and light from the window (I put the frag close to the window part of tank to get more light). I am not sure if the thing is getting enough light or if it is dying for another reason. I have inspected it closely and don't see any varmints messing with it although maybe the hermit crabs may be crawling all over it and damaging it at night(I read that could be a potential problem for corals).

Any tips or help I could get from you guys out there? I saw a hood with halides but it was $621, if light is the problem anybody interested in trading my $50 SPS frag for some pulsing Xenia or mushrooms (I already have blue and brown ones)?

PS-I don't know what the sps is called but it has little flourescent green projections that stick out from it when the lights are on (less than 1/16").

[thedude]

Ok so how many watts of power compacts do you indeed have? Sounds like it could be a light issure but there are also alot of other factors that could play into it. It sounds like you have very little polyp extension which means one of your fish could be harassing it. What are your nitrates like? What's the flow like where you placed the little frag, as sps will often slowly die from the base up when they don't receive enough flow.

[SueT]

I'm thinking this could be a lighting issue too. SPS corals are some of the most lighting needy and if not given that lighting they will die off. And by lighting I mean the intense lighting of halides. There are some that can do well under pc's of vho's but this one seems to be having a hard time acclimating.

Is it getting good flow??

[RobertG]

I would say list all your parameters of the tank to be able to help. PC's & SPS I have not seen. T5's yes but not PCs. Lighting is the first thing that comes to mind, but there are to many variables not listed that would better help me & us help you. Flow is very important aswell. Then you have the wonder about acro mites. Sounds very similar to my experience with mites. But then again more info would help.

[TexasTodd]

Time to pick up a book or two and read. The "things sticking out "are polyps.

Lack of enough flow and too high of a temp are the two biggest killers of sps.

PC's are not good for SPS. If not Halide you need lots of VHO or T5.

There are a ton of things that could be doing this.

Todd

[gjuarez]

I agree with TOdd here. You definately need more light, halides will do great or if not T5. What other corals do you have? How close is the frag to them? Parameters, phosphates and nitrates? Flow? THere is many questions that must be answered so we can try to help.

[Thunderkat]

Thanks for all the advice, I have read up on corals I just dont' have an anatomy book on them, my book is called "Marine Invertabrates" and has lots of general info on most things but doesn't break down the corals as much as I would like them to. It does talk about their symbiosis with the zooanthellae, I have sufficient flow and sufficient light for my mushrooms and zoos to grow like crazy but not enough for SPS. To me a polyp is something that needs to be biopsied to determine if it is malignant or benign. Don't worry though, I have already talked to Gary and have everything under control, going to trade him for some Xenia. The rest of my aquarium doing awesome with the exception of coralline algae, it seems to be out of control and taking over everything.

[gjuarez]

coraline algae is not a bad thing, it looks nice and is a symbol that you are doing something right.