Birdsnest help

[cjtabares]

I added the 1st coral to my tank on Tuesday, it was a birdsnest, and a stylophora. The stylo seems to be doing well, with no issues, the birdsnest I’m not so sure about. It has some algae growing on the base, and 1 tip. It also seems really white under my bluish light, but under just the cool whites from the AI prime it seems to have color.

I was thinking of fraging everything above the algae and attaching to a new plug, but was worried if it is already stressed fraging it would make things worse.

What would you do?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

was the algae on it when you added it to the tank?

Looking at the white rock, its hard not to jump to conclusion that the tank is too new for sps corals.

Can you share more details? Tank age, parameters, lighting, flow?

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

You can nip off the dead tip. And use peroxide and a toothbrush on the base. That particular sp. of birds nest is a slow grower and needs a good amount of light. It is semi-hardy though. Since you are using a Prime make sure it is up high on the rock. Color-wise it is a shade of pink that does not really pop with blues so much.

 

[cjtabares]

was the algae on it when you added it to the tank?

Looking at the white rock, its hard not to jump to conclusion that the tank is too new for sps corals.

Can you share more details? Tank age, parameters, lighting, flow?

Tank has been up for 6 weeks, but I just turned the lights on when I added the 1st coral.

I have 4 ati blue+ with 1 ai prime 16hd

For flow I have 1 mp10 and a Maxspect jump 2k gyre. Flow seems pretty good.

Po4 .08
No3 10.6
Calcium 418
Alkalinity 7dkh

 

[cjtabares]

You can nip off the dead tip. And use peroxide and a toothbrush on the base. That particular sp. of birds nest is a slow grower and needs a good amount of light. It is semi-hardy though. Since you are using a Prime make sure it is up high on the rock. Color-wise it is a shade of pink that does not really pop with blues so much.

Ok, thanks. Are all the thinner branched birds nest slower growing?

 

[Dburr1014]

To new of a tank for sps.
Birds are very finicky even for experts.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Ok, thanks. Are all the thinner branched birds nest slower growing?

I have the same one you have, it is about two years old. I started with around the same amount as you did. It is now about the size of a baseball. It started out in a newer tank that went through different stages, nutrients, lighting upgrades etc. You also have to consider since the branches are delicate they are going to get fragged by you or fish etc.
The color in the top down shot is weird because the phone was shadowing part of it.

 

[Uncle99]

Too early.

 

[cjtabares]

To new of a tank for sps.
Birds are very finicky even for experts.

Too early.

Ok, think I should rehome them? I read these are hardy corals, for sps, so went with them. They tank will be all, or sps dominant, so don’t if or when I will add lps. How long would you wait before adding sps?

 

[cjtabares]

I have the same one you have, it is about two years old. I started with around the same amount as you did. It is now about the size of a baseball. It started out in a newer tank that went through different stages, nutrients, lighting upgrades etc. You also have to consider since the branches are delicate they are going to get fragged by you or fish etc.
The color in the top down shot is weird because the phone was shadowing part of it.

That looks amazing. I really love the look or birds nests.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Too early.

Depends on the reefer, Newbie or not. Age of the tank helps, but not necessary. Actual live rock from the ocean helps, whether it is a small piece or not. It depends on how much effort someone puts into it. The OP is asking questions which is research and a effort to become a good reefer. It is never too early, just laziness.
Remember when Jake started a day 1, hands off, 20 gallon reef tank?

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Ok, think I should rehome them? I read these are hardy corals, for sps, so went with them. They tank will be all, or sps dominant, so don’t if or when I will add lps. How long would you wait before adding sps?

Read my tank thread, It was just a couple months from when I went from a new tank to corals, All those corals I still have. And in reality that tank is just about a year and a half old. It is overgrown to a point I am switching out corals.
Just read everything you can and watch a bunch of youtube. Take everything with a grain of salt, look at the picture as a whole. Your tank is not others, so their advice may not be appropriate. My advice may not be correct for your situation. Just grasp concepts and goals and apply them to your needs.
Full discloser, I had my first fish tank in 1977 and my first salt water tank 10 years later in college, that turned into 11 marine tanks in my first year. So I may have a different experience than you and others.
If you want to be successful then do just that.

 

[cjtabares]

Read my tank thread, It was just a couple months from when I went from a new tank to corals, All those corals I still have. And in reality that tank is just about a year and a half old. It is overgrown to a point I am switching out corals.
Just read everything you can and watch a bunch of youtube. Take everything with a grain of salt, look at the picture as a whole. Your tank is not others, so their advice may not be appropriate. My advice may not be correct for your situation. Just grasp concepts and goals and apply them to your needs.
Full discloser, I had my first fish tank in 1977 and my first salt water tank 10 years later in college, that turned into 11 marine tanks in my first year. So I may have a different experience than you and others.
If you want to be successful then do just that.

Ok, I will take a look. This is not my 1st tank, but my last one was 10 years ago, and do not have much experience with sps even then. Thank you for the help.

 

[cjtabares]

Also feel like I am learning everything again.

 

[GuppyHJD]

Also feel like I am learning everything again.

I had better luck with the neon green birdsnest - faster grower.
For starting, I would try some monti caps - they are easier and you can see the edge grow.
I would try pulling the algea off with tweezers and a headlamp. Perhaps try h2o2 on a qtip. The white tips will get algae as the tank goes through the ugglies (first algae bloom, diatoms, etc). I would try some encrusters to get the tank going.

 

[cjtabares]

I had better luck with the neon green birdsnest - faster grower.
For starting, I would try some monti caps - they are easier and you can see the edge grow.
I would try pulling the algea off with tweezers and a headlamp. Perhaps try h2o2 on a qtip. The white tips will get algae as the tank goes through the ugglies (first algae bloom, diatoms, etc). I would try some encrusters to get the tank going.

Oh yeah, I have a monti cap, was a gift with the purchase of the other 2. Yeah, the 1st bloom started today. Will give that birds nest a cleaning tomorrow. I do plan on a couple more couple more birds nests, will take a look at the neon green. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[cjtabares]

Scrubbed the base, was worried about doing too much damage. Should I clean more than this?

 

[LgTas]

I've had a similar episode with two of birds nest with base STN. Check your N and P levels. Mine started STNing at 0.03 P. Once I got my P up to 0.08, it recovered and recolonised the STN'd sections. My N sits at 10 - 12 ppm

 

[cjtabares]

Seems to be doing pretty good, colors looking nice, and I can see some growth.

 

[Roatan Reef]

To new of a tank for sps.
Birds are very finicky even for experts.

This is Correct! No SPS for at least 1 year.