Green slime on SPS

[Andrew17030]

I am new to reef keeping and purchased a purple cap montipora from a local reefer that looked great when i bought it. It has since grown green slime stuff and turned white on about half of it and am affraid that the rest will soom die. What could/shoould I do?

[flying_dutchman]

Is this your first SPS? what are you parameters? Light? Flow?

[BLKTANG]

sounds like inept water params.

[Andrew17030]

Yes, this is my first sps. Light is 800w metal halide seven hours a day, flow about 800 gph.

[BLKTANG]

Yes, this is my first sps. Light is 800w metal halide seven hours a day, flow about 800 gph.

Post all the parameters that u currently test,or have had tested.And the test kit used.

[BLKTANG]

What kinD of light was the Monti Cap under prior to going under the "800w's" of MH?

[Shane Hoffman]

how bout you water parameters???

Nitrite-

Nitrate-

Amonia-

Calcium-

Alkilinity-

magnesium-

Phosphate-

Temp-

Salinity-

We will need all of the above to truly help you...if you dont have all the tests necessary, just do what tests you can, and pick up the test kits you dont have when you get a chance. If you want to succesfully keep SPS you need to test regularly until your tank has settled down....

[Andrew17030]

temp 76.1-77.5 digital
salinity 1.0235 hydrometer
alkalinity 3.50
ph 8.1
Salifert

[BLKTANG]

CA,& MG? Very important with SPS.

[Andrew17030]

Also, I recently did something very foolish it turns out by adding amquel to reduce nitrates that were at around 4-5ppm. It was horrible to say the least. I bit heavy on the heart as well. My mushrooms all but disappeared a few survived but are not happy, snails stopped moving a few probably died, lost one starfish (it stopped eating and fell apart) the other two are not looking so good, three sea cucumbers exploded, and the rest of the inhabitants one sea cucumber, a leather, fire shrimp, and hermits are moving around now. I did a water change of 25 gallons the day after, and about 55 gallons the next day. Just letting the tank come out of shock although not really sure how to proceed. Before the addition of the amquel everything was awesome. The water was crystal clear, and the few corals were happy. The monti was not looking so good even then.

[Andrew17030]

Ca 440

[BLKTANG]

Well your params are ok,so i would say you bleached it with to much light.

Did i acclimate it to your light in your reef?

Post a pic,it would help.

[Andrew17030]

Did not even know that acclimating it to my lights would be a concern. I don't think it is bleaching. I dont know obviously, but it seems like a bacterial problem. It started on one side in a small area, then spread. I really should not be dabbling in sps with my knowledge base. I need to stick with softies, fish, and inverts. I added a tunze powerhead to increase flow in the tank. I will just wait until i have learned more before i purchase another sps.

[BLKTANG]

Sure u have to light acclimate.

If its growing algae on the bleached spots snap that piece off,& move the coral down to the bottom of your tank for a few days,& make sure it gets good INDIRECT flow.

[slapshot]

Yikes 800 watts. I would say you knocked it with the lights also. what BLKTANG said. Frag off the good part. Cut about 1/4 of an inch into the good stuff. Monties grow fast if you get it growing it will replace its self very fast.

[Andrew17030]

Done... I got as much of the bleached stuff off as I could and moved it about a foot lower semi sheltered. "Indirect flow", did not know that either. I had it at the top where my return snakes were aimed at it because it thought that sps needed more water movement. It sounds like a logical diagnoses given the dead side was the side exposed to the direct flow of the return snakes.

[tkeracer619]

Make sure to get all the dead material off leaving only good coral. Even if you have to break off some good material otherwise it will continue to spread killing the whole coral. SPS keepers go through this on occasion. Bone snips are a great tool to have.