my new frags dont seem to be staying healthy

[paintball7]

Hi, everyone i just got 3 new frags......i believe they are acroporas. two of them were bought at that fish place and they didnt give the name......they were just labled assorted. the other was bought at a local store and i believe its called a green slimmer. the green slimmer still has some color to it but polyps havent been out on it since i have had it. one of the others has color but on some branches is turning white. the other has just turned straight wihte no color at all.

i have had them all roughly 5 days maybe more. What should i do? Whats is wrong with them or my tank?

a friend of mine sayed that they may not be getting enough ight.........?????

[Godbert]

What lights are you running? what are you dosing with? what shape were the frags in when you first got them? what are your water parameters?

[omard]

Godbert & "friend" likely right...Lighting is very big issue with SPS.

Check water params and do water changes as needed.

Otherwise, corals just pouting for change in environment and will spark up shortly.

Good Luck.

[reef_guru]

need light and parameter info?
pics will also help
more than likely the totaly white one is dead
the one with the branches changing color is dying
and the slimer needs fast rescue

[paintball7]

Godbert
"What lights are you running? what are you dosing with? what shape were the frags in when you first got them? what are your water parameters?"

well..........i have a coral life lunar light heres the lighting it has

Two 65 watt 10,000K and two 65 watt True Actinic 03 Blue straight pin base compact fluorescent lamps
Four 3/4 watt Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow LED lamps


alright im still pretty new with the reef tanks so bare with me here........what do you mean dosing and parameter?

And when i got the frags they were in good condition the green slimmer had its polyps out and was beautiful with its neon green color......the one that died was really nice to it was an acropora and in really good shape nothing looked wrong with it.............

the last one i believe i said it had just some white on one branch..........well besides that one branch its O.K. the polyps are kind of coming out on the top. the local fish guy told me that something might eating it / diseasing it.....so i should cut it off where he white starts.

[aquaboy]

I don't think thats enough light for arcoporas. SPS is not for begginer, stick to softies and maybe some easier LPS. dont rush your purchases. Research their requirements and whatnot. And always ask 3reef! lol

[gazog]

Usually SPS requires Metal Halides or T5's. Where are they in the tank, low or high. If low move them higher. What I would do is either return them if you can or find someone who has the proper lighting and see if they will take them for you so they don't die.

Water parameters and what they should be:
PH = 8.3
Ammonia = 0
Nitrates = 0
Nitrites = 0
Calcium = 440
Alkalinity 11 dkh
Salinity 1.24 to 1.26
and there are many others that should be checked when keeping SPS.

As a beginner you really should stick with the easier corals to keep such as Leathers, Zoa's, Xenia, Mushrooms and Ricordeas. There are some LPS that can be kept by a beginner. These corals are much more forgiving than Acro's

Hope this helps.

[lunatik_69]

For sure not the right lighting. You need something stronger than that.

[paintball7]

alright thanks guys i kind of figured it was the lighting when i did all the test (Ph, nitrates etc,) and everything was good. And the fact that everything in the tank looked good and healthy besides the coral. Only the one coral (dont have the name it was in the assorted bunch in a tank when bought) is doing okay..... its at the highest point in my tank, Im geussing thats why its thriving.

[Otty]

You should also be checking your Magnesium and Strontium too.