SOS My SPS seems to be sick!

[luanluan]

I second this suggestion. Your basic parameters are fine. But something is very wrong for so many established colonies to be showing this kind of stress. I would be checking for metals, etc.

I will ask though -- have you had any problems managing temperature?

76℉ in winter and 78℉ in summer

 

[luanluan]

Its not the tips bleaching though? Any metals or anything that could be getting into the water. New salt mix? It almost looks like they are being hit with too much constant flow in that direction?

1200*600*550mm.I have 4 MP40, and the power is turned on to 60% . Salt Mix INSTANT OCEAN or hw Wiegandt

 

[luanluan]

Nothing has changed with flow or lighting? They are all bleaching in the same direction(up). Which can be lighting . Usually there is either a nutrient or something irritating it unless the lighting just jumped in intensity.

No change, but the sick sps are all on the left, the right sps are not sick.

 

[luanluan]

What about SG? Salanity?
How testing and how calibrated?
If ro water, I bet it's off.

Excuse me, what does SG mean? Salanity: 1
.026 used by Hanna

 

[luanluan]

ICP

Thanks, I'll take your opinion into account. But only these SPS got sick, most SPS didn't get sick.

 

[Dburr1014]

SG = specific gravity.
Is the Hannah calibrated? How was it calibrated?
Do you have a full tank picture?

 

[luanluan]

SG = specific gravity.
Is the Hannah calibrated? How was it calibrated?
Do you have a full tank picture?

I use model HI96822. Calibration is as simple as a few drops of purified or distilled water.

 

[luanluan]

SG = specific gravity.
Is the Hannah calibrated? How was it calibrated?
Do you have a full tank picture?

The photos were taken randomly. There is no better photo.

 

[sculpin01]

I have used Coral RX and Two Little Fishies. No pests were found.

Not sure I trust that dip for copepod parasites. I personally favor KCl 10 g/L tank water for 5 minutes.

 

[ScottB]

Assuming a normal ICP (e.g. no heavy metal issues/low potassium), my thought would be copepod parasites, namely Alteuthellopsis corallina. The bright green Acropora floridas seem to be especially sensitive to Alteuthellopsis. They look like this under a microscope:View attachment 3037972

I had these little buggers. I did not know what they were, but nuked them with Interceptor. I have a microscope picture somewhere on my phone. These are no joke.

 

[mtraylor]

Beautiful tank btw. I would start looking for metals like others are saying. Before I redid my tank. All my Sps that I didn't relocate, or sale went to #$&# before I got to them. It was because of a pump I had in my refugium that the magnet had rusted out. It totally decimated what was left in display. I have not more pumps out of site in sump anymore.

I'm thinking there has to be something like that or a pest. Did you do night time flash light to see whats going on then?

 

[ScottB]

Given that many acropora are unaffected while others are getting crushed makes me lean toward @sculpin01 parasitic copepod idea. AEFW are easy to detect -- and the damage does NOT look like bite marks from them.

The parasite in @sculpin01 picture is not easily visible with the naked eye. At least not my eyes. I would suggest removing an affected colony and dipping it in a potassium chloride solution (1 tablespoon per gallon). After the dip, let the debris settle. Syringe stuff from the bottom and look at it under some form of magnification.

Do you have access to Interceptor or Milbemycin Oxime?

 

[Graffiti Spot]

My main question would be how quickly did this damage appear? Was this over a night or two? If so I would not suspect pods. Though that would be the easiest possibility to fix. I would dip one to confirm there are no worms because even though it’s not typical damage, they can be very tricky to spot sometimes.

 

[luanluan]

My main question would be how quickly did this damage appear? Was this over a night or two? If so I would not suspect pods. Though that would be the easiest possibility to fix. I would dip one to confirm there are no worms because even though it’s not typical damage, they can be very tricky to spot sometimes.

I have successfully eliminated AEFW, red worms, black worms. These corals are all raised by me from about 2cm. This may be a pest that I can't see with the naked eye.

 

[luanluan]

Beautiful tank btw. I would start looking for metals like others are saying. Before I redid my tank. All my Sps that I didn't relocate, or sale went to #$&# before I got to them. It was because of a pump I had in my refugium that the magnet had rusted out. It totally decimated what was left in display. I have not more pumps out of site in sump anymore.

I'm thinking there has to be something like that or a pest. Did you do night time flash light to see whats going on then?

Every night I watch with a bright flashlight, maybe there are pests that are invisible to the naked eye.

 

[luanluan]

My main question would be how quickly did this damage appear? Was this over a night or two? If so I would not suspect pods. Though that would be the easiest possibility to fix. I would dip one to confirm there are no worms because even though it’s not typical damage, they can be very tricky to spot sometimes.

I suspect some disease, I have only observed this damage in Acropora millepora

 

[Dburr1014]

I use model HI96822. Calibration is as simple as a few drops of purified or distilled water.

Can this model be calibrated with a standard of 1.026?
Your directions are probably to use distilled water, but I'm asking if you can make your own calibration fluid per Randy Holmes Farley in his paper of how to do a calibration fluid to calibrate different measuring devices. I'm just trying to disqualify that your specific gravity is off. Or even have a local fish store check it.
If your slope is off you would never know that your specific gravity is off with your device.

 

[luanluan]

Can this model be calibrated with a standard of 1.026?
Your directions are probably to use distilled water, but I'm asking if you can make your own calibration fluid per Randy Holmes Farley in his paper of how to do a calibration fluid to calibrate different measuring devices. I'm just trying to disqualify that your specific gravity is off. Or even have a local fish store check it.
If your slope is off you would never know that your specific gravity is off with your device.

No, I didn't express myself clearly. I mean calibration only needs a few drops of purified water.

 

[Perry]

Nothing has changed with flow or lighting? They are all bleaching in the same direction(up). Which can be lighting . Usually there is either a nutrient or something irritating it unless the lighting just jumped in intensity.

Hmmm, may be on to something here.
Did you change or add carbon? Did you recently see a decline in nutrients? LED? To me it looks as though the lights are hot spotting and burning corals.

 

[luanluan]

Did you change or add carbon? Did you recently see a decline in nutrients? LED? To me it looks as though the lights are hot spotting and burning corals.

No, PAR is between 250-350.