Ok, so what is that one SPS that you just can't seem to have luck with?

[DarkXerox]

I've talked to a few people and there seems to be somewhat of a consesus: there seems to always be one or two pieces that you just can't seem to keep alive. What is funny is that a lot of them turn out to be common/easy pieces.

For example, I can't keep a green slimer alive for the life of me. I've tried three frags in two different tanks with no luck. I have no idea why...I've been able to keep some of the far more demanding LE's or species, yet the green slimer of all corals eludes me!

So what do you all have bad luck with?

[Sk8r]

Good growth with green slimer: 10000k Ushio bulb, params 1.25 sg, 80 temp, 8.3 ph, 8.3 alk, 400 cal, 1200 mg, 6hr mh photoperiod, 12 hr actinic. Ditto outrageous growth in montiporas and blue and purple sps, also crocea clam, frog and hammer.

Absolutely can't get a millepora to thrive. I changed bulbs to a 12000k Reeflux, which is bluer, and nothing is as happy.

[Whisperer]

Same here Sk8r, I have tried and gave up on keeping millie alive. Interestingly, I also cannot keep prostrata alive. I have not tried aquacultured frags yet though.

[reefersnob]

Can't keep leathers alive. If I get xenia, it spreads all over the tank in a few months. Around month 4 it crashes in a matter of hours.

[bulfraw215]

I can keep most any Acro but can not keep superman monti or any other encrusting monti can not figure it out.

[smmscott]

I can't keep xenia for more than 3 weeks. That being said, I guess it is a good thing as I don't really like it. As for sps, the green slimer hates me. I can do most others but can't do that one.

[SDguy]

Multi colored montis. Superman, pokerstar, what have you. They live, but barely. No growth, ugly color. Frankly I'm over them. Using what I have left as frag plugs

[RichConley]

millis are easy.


I can't keep green slimers either. I also can't seem to keep digi, but have no problems with caps.

[Whisperer]

Yeah, that's what Andy from RM told me. I guess that milli and prostrata are my curse. My xenia is getting out of control. I have had monti digi and plating monti before and had no problem growing them (I sold them when I moved). I now have three kinds of encrusting montis that seem to be doing Ok and growing.

[checkinhawk]

green slimer here as well.

[PL-Reef]

i have al sorts of acros and they grow greatwith awesome colors but for some reason my monties look like crap and die off. i dont get it!

[Philwd]

Tri color cerealis. Tried 3 times. Just fades away.

Lots of people here in Az have had trouble with slimers. I found fresh cut frags to be very sensitive. If I cut and let heal for a week they all lived. Same tanks.

Milles and encrusting montis do great. Can't really keep xenia now either. Which I like.

[znut Reefer]

I use to have good luck with Desawali's, but that seems to be the only one so far I just can't keep. I've tried 3 times now.

[fish2morow]

I give up on Nasutas and hyacinthus-they all do well for a short while then rtn like its going out of style. All other acros do very well.

[rihanssu]

for all your peeps with monti problems, it may be do to low potassium, the montis are the first to go !

[mr. pluto]

gomezi's, every one i tried rotted away.

[CalvinC4S]

Great thread!

Millipora & hyacinthus are a challenge for me.

I have some frags of each in my tank now doing very well, but these types will turn on me real fast.

[dobly_1999]

Pink birdsnest

[tooshay]

I tried 3 green slimers before giving up on them

[gasman059]

ALL OF THEM LOL

[rutz81]

Originally posted by SDguy
Multi colored montis. Superman, pokerstar, what have you. They live, but barely. No growth, ugly color. Frankly I'm over them. Using what I have left as frag plugs

I've tried numerous supermans, and no matter where I put it, high flow, lower flow, high light, middle light, it always seems to die. My pokerstar is starting the same s***, too. But, all my other montis are doing fine..

[SDguy]

Originally posted by rutz81
I've tried numerous supermans, and no matter where I put it, high flow, lower flow, high light, middle light, it always seems to die. My pokerstar is starting the same s***, too. But, all my other montis are doing fine..

At least yours do you the coutesy of dying.

Mine just sit there, doing nothing but looking horrible. Once in a while they will tease me with some colorful new growth, then stop and fade

Ditto about placement, BTW.

[atzak]

I can't keep stylophora or pink birdsnest. I've tried numerous times for years

[gcarroll]

Plating montis are my problem. Encrusting montis thrive in my system but I can't seem to keep the plating ones. I will check the potassium thing but I remember keeping montis well before we knew anything about how important poptassium was to our reefs.

[tacocat]

Originally posted by gcarroll
Plating montis are my problem. Encrusting montis thrive in my system but I can't seem to keep the plating ones. I will check the potassium thing but I remember keeping montis well before we knew anything about how important poptassium was to our reefs.

True, but times are a changing.

Xenia dying off, large angelfish and triggerfish in reef tanks, and lighter colors were rare back in the day. Super effiecent skimmers, new food formulations, and lower bioloads are changing the way modern reef tanks are looking.

My Achilles heel used to be Cali tort. I couldn't get one to survive, or I would lose it to a snail dislodging, etc. Now I can't get hoeksemis to thrive.