Please help ID these SPS's

[spoonman]

I bought these from a friend that needs money. Got these 4, an engineer goby, sand sifting star, the frag rack, a cleaner shrimp, a peppermint shrimp and a koralia 750 powerhead for $175. I just need to know what the SPS's are now. I have them on the frag rack about 4" away from an 8 bulb t5ho fixture. Am I going to be able to take care of these? I think I will change to reef crystals, anything else I should do? Here they are:
1.

2.

3.

4.

5. A group shot:

I will try to take better pictures with my good camera tomorrow.

 

[spoonman]

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Sniperhank]

1. Acro
2. branching monti
3. Encrusting monti
4. Encrusting dimpled monti

 

[spoonman]

Do they look healthy? Will being at the top of the tank with 8 bulb t5ho be enough? Sorry for all the questions, they are my first SPS and I kind of got thrown into them to help out a friend.

 

[Sniperhank]

Should be fine. That's a good amount of light. Just keep the water clean and you should be fine.

 

[spoonman]

Thanks for the response and the help. Would switching to reef crystals be worthwhile? I am about out of salt, so have to buy some anyway.

 

[Badfishofbabylon]

The first 2 are Acros of some type, #3 i think is a chalice which if it is then it's an LPS, and #4 I'm not sure but it like some sort of montipora. It's kinda hard to tell they all look like they're in bad shape. To get SPS healthy aside from propper lighting and flow, you'll need stable water parameters with Ca and Alk levels around 420-480 Ca & 8-12 dKH , switching to reef crystals is a good start.

If the coral in #3 is indeed a chalice then you'll want to move it to a lower light and medium flow area, I fried my chalice a few months ago and it's taking a while for it to color back up.

Good luck

 

[mr_X]

I would lower all of those corals. They do not need to be at the top of your tank. Your lighting should be able to sustain sps growth at the half way point of your tank with ease.
As stated, the chalice (3) should probably be on or close to the sand bed.
Hard to tell what type of acropora 1 and 2 are, but #4 looks like a montipora undata.
I'm in agreement that all of them are a bit under the weather.

 

[spoonman]

Thank you X. Would you suggest switching to reef crystals when I buy my next bucket of salt? Is there anything else I can do to bring them back to health?

 

[mr_X]

Any reef grade salt mix will help you get your water closer to NSW. Other than placing them where they can thrive and acclimating them to your light, nothing more can be done. You'll just have to wait it out.

 

[spoonman]

So, I will put the chalice on the sandbed and move the frag rack down about half way. Thanks for all your help. Keep your fingers crossed! I will do the best I can. Parameters are 0,0,10ppm. Gonna do a water change this weekend and get it down even more.

 

[Jason M]

Chalice mostly like lower light but u don't need it on the sandbed just shade it or something up higher if u want. And if you let it grow on an edge it will drip down. That makes it look cool. They grow the best under t5 it seems

 

[spoonman]

So, one of the acro's looks better today. I know changes will come slow but this one has little polyps extended. That should be a good sign, right??

BEFORE:

AFTER:

 

[Jason M]

Yeah some of my acros don't open their coralitrs for a month or so after acclimation

 

[mr_X]

Much better. Those ORA corals are pretty resilient anyway. What is that, a purple plasma?

 

[spoonman]

Yes, It is a purple plasma. He said they were ORA corals. One is purple plasma, one is an undata, and one he called joe the coral. Here are some new after pics:

DONT KNOW IF THIS ONE IS BETTER OR WORSE.

 

[Sniperhank]

Hm, I hope the first one is doing well. Its kinda brown at the bottom... The undata is looking well. So is whatever middle is.

 

[mr_X]

those black plugs are proprietary to ORA, but they don't mount them like the frag in the second pic. they are nice and straight when you get them and you don't see glue.
brown is a safe color. Nothing to worry about. Just as long as you don't see white, you are ok. True colors will come back over time.

 

[spoonman]

I assume that I should leave it the way it is on the plug. I dont want to mess with it as long as it is recovering, right? I think he probably fragged them once or twice.

 

[mr_X]

That middle frag was completely removed from the plug. You can take it off of the plug if you like. it's just freshly glued. it's not encrusted.