Acans & alkalinity

[Reef-_-Noob]

Tank parameters.

Ph 8.4
Calcium 480-499
Magnesium 1460
Nitrates really low
Phosphates. Api test kit reading low
Dkh 8.6 normally at 9.2

My acans used to be puffy with feeder tentacles out. A couple weeks ago the dkh was slowly raised to 9.

At this high dkh the acan smoothed out and no longer has the feeder tentacles out. The color is more vibrant but not as puffy. It seems healthy but in a different state.

I noticed this before when I raised alk. Maybe ph is also affecting.

Has anyone noticed this from there acan? Which state is better to be in for the acan? Puffy or smooth and more vibrant colors?

 

[Reef-_-Noob]

Acan is on the left

 

[Reef-_-Noob]

It could also be to light spectrum . I have not turned on my whites in the same time period. I think the acans like whites

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Nitrates really low

How low?
They could be starving...

 

[Reef-_-Noob]

Undetectable in api. Could be a combination of low trates and alk. Maybe higher alk has overlapped with low trates in the past also. You don't think alk is related? Also ph is crazy high 8.4 . I haven't measured that in a month and was surprised by the number. Turned off the skimmer today will check tomorrow

 

[Lokipsl]

Bump up those nitrates

 

[Reef-_-Noob]

I have a heavy in heavy out system. I'm feeding reef roids 3x a week and 2x on weekends. Feed the fish daily 2 cubes.

Can it be anything else besides nitrates?

 

[Nick Steele]

Probably just a new state of living for them (if they look healthy). I’ve noticed my acans go back and fourth between what you are seeing and I just think when feeder tentacles are out they are in more of a mood to feed or sense food in the water.

 

[Reef-_-Noob]

The acan grew like 10 new heads a while aga and the heads are bigger. Looks like it is fitting them onto its skeleton

 

[Pntbll687]

I don't think it's the alk, probably low nutrients that's doing it.

Add some nitrates to the system to get them 5-10ppm and keep them there. How low is phosphate?

 

[Reef-_-Noob]

Update on acans they are retracted any way to save them?

 

[Reef-_-Noob]

Everything else is good just fed it some reef roids and did a water change

 

[flagg37]

When you feed the reef roids, are you broadcast feeding? I feed my acans a chunky frozen food like LRS with a turkey baster. I think reef roids are too small for acans. There’s likely other corals benefiting from them so keep that up as long as your po4 isn’t getting too high (I like to keep them between 0.03 - 0.1 but to each their own).

From the pictures I can’t tell if the skeleton is exposed or if it is just the color of the flesh. If it is the skeleton, then it is doing poorly. The water change is a good call. Did you do at least 50%?

 

[Reef-_-Noob]

I spot feed the reef roids. The acans have skeleton separating the heads but there is a flesh over them at the moment. In the mouth of the acans I can see white skeleton underneath. I just spot fed some shrimp and they seem to stick and are feeding.

I will try spot feeding these more back to health.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

acans like dirty water not heavy out systems, try to feed more, have you ever tried oyster feast and reef nutrition live phyto, also reef nutrition mysis feast is good stuff too. looks like they could use some food. reefroids are last on my list of foods, I like benepets much better has more nitrates, reefroids is all phosphates..imo

 

[Reef-_-Noob]

I have not spot fed in some time as I am dealing with algae and also switched from frozen food to pellets for a couple weeks now

 

[Reef-_-Noob]

I will pass by the lfs tomorrow and see if they have oyster feast or some other food.. I usually get frozen cubes anything I should look for in case they do not have the ones mentioned.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I will pass by the lfs tomorrow and see if they have oyster feast or some other food.. I usually get frozen cubes anything I should look for in case they do not have the ones mentioned.

they may not have them reef nutrition ships in 2 days, or benapets reef food is on Amazon

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

mmmmmmm.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

this is good stuff too...imo

Benereef 80g Jar https://a.co/d/1OF7lIV