Birdsnest

djbetterly · Jul 12, 2015

So I've always read that birdsnest acro's are supposed to be one of the best starter SPS'. So I bought one. In addition to that I have a few monti caps that are doing really well and a tricolor acro that was a bit browned out when I bought it and is coming back nicely. Now, back to the birdsnest. I bought one of the bright green/yellow birdsnest frags, it looked great in the store. I placed in my tank, I started a bit lower than the tricolor and it immediately within a few days started to go brown. I moved it up a bit and it still hasn't come around. So I'm wondering if you can provide any help for me. I always thought browning was a nutrient issue. My PO4 never goes above .08, my nitrates are <=1ppm, calc - 500, alk - 8-8.5, SG - 1.026. Any thoughts?

I also fragged a few pieces off and placed them in other parts of the tank to see if I could get a feel for what the coral likes and those are all browned out too.

redfishbluefish · Jul 12, 2015

What are you doing in the way of lights?

djbetterly · Jul 12, 2015

I have AI Hydra 52 with all blues and violet at 100%, white at around 30%. I had my PAR measured and it was a bit low so I dropped the light several inches.

NanaReefer · Jul 12, 2015

My BN went through a couple stages before it acclimated well to my tank/lights. It took several months for it to adjust. Went from purple skin to totally white skin. Now the skin is a nice burgundy. However I always had great PE which are nice and green.
How's the PE and polyp color on yours?

djbetterly · Jul 12, 2015

The mini pieces I fragged off have no polyp extension, the big piece has good polyp extension towards the trunk. The tips are all brown. I'll try and get a pic later. Maybe my patience is too low with this piece...

djbetterly · Jul 12, 2015

Here's a photo of the birdsnest, my SLR is dead so I used my phone. I feel like it looks worse in photos than it does in person.

LetItReef · Jul 12, 2015

How about flow? Our Birdsnest in a moderate-strong flow position and doing well.

djbetterly · Jul 12, 2015

It could be lacking flow, I have a lot of flow, but I mounted it on the side of a rock that could be hindering the frag from receiving enough flow.

By the way, I have two MP10's at 100% in RC mode.

Chris Adams · Jul 12, 2015

Personally I have found birdsnest to be a bit of a touchy coral for me.
Have a green tip orange birdsnest which is placed to the side of tank so medium flow. This is 1 of my first corals to show signs when not happy with something in tank. Stability of params is key. One of my first corals to show signs of dulling when I was running my whites to high.

Had Hyacinth Birdnest but watched it melt away with alk swing(boo). Only thing to die in tank, where others corals showed a bit of burnt tip.

Have never had your type birdsnest so placement could be different.

djbetterly · Jul 12, 2015

OK, I'll see what happens. Moved the frag to an area with more flow. Its a touch higher, but a touch out of the hotspot as well.

Mdbbears34 · Jul 12, 2015

Ihave a bunch of acro's and monti doing well also but I managed to kill 2 birds nest at the same time can't figure it out either my parameters are also stable alk 8 call 450 mag 1260 po4 0 Hanna nitrate 0 I took my gfo offline it's only been a few days not sure if my tank is too clean or what but I feel for ya. I lost a ponape and orange tip Ora .

JFrar · Jul 13, 2015

does anyone else agree that djbetterly should be cutting those dead tips ??? they are past the bleaching stages of dying out.... and they look like they would be easy targets of snipping off with the appropriate tool

Chris Adams · Jul 13, 2015

JFrar said:
does anyone else agree that djbetterly should be cutting those dead tips ??? they are past the bleaching stages of dying out.... and they look like they would be easy targets of snipping off with the appropriate tool

That is a good question.

I have in the past clipped any dead area from my birdsnest. For me personally it seems to be a good place for algae to take hold and irritate the rest of the coral. But I also like to do a light iodine dip after I clip if possible.

djbetterly · Jul 13, 2015

Well I'm not opposed it if you think it would help. So you're saying clip the dark tips?

JFrar · Jul 13, 2015

I would, birdsnest are easy to snip. Shoot, I've accidentally broken frags off of mine and just glue them to new plugs to eventually trade in

hejjo · Jul 13, 2015

Most birds nest are hardy but a few are not. I have a birds nest that is used as a canary in my tank. If something goes south that b nest is the first to show symptoms. I had a few alk swings n it was the only coral to look not happy. The tips bleached out and were solid white about half an inch long on every tip. Even started to collect a little algae on the tips. Long story short I adjusted my doser and the tips regrew insanely fast. I was amazed because I didn't cut the tips either but what worked for me may not work for you.

As for my placement it's medium almost high light and high flow.

Good luck.

Nano sapiens · Jul 13, 2015

I recently acquired (3) different types (Ponape, BOP and a green) and all of them react negatively to alk swings (white tips, browning of the tissue). They also don't like being removed from water for any length of time since it appears that they don't produce much, if any, protective mucus. I had the rock with the three out for 15-20 minutes gluing on other frags and lost ~ 1/3 of their tissue from the tips on downward.

On the plus side, as mentioned in other posts, they can regrow very fast when conditions are correct. Takes them a while to get their fluorescent pigment back, though.

djbetterly · Jul 13, 2015

That would make sense...my DOS unit was back siphoning and my alk dropped below 6 at one point.

djbetterly · Jul 13, 2015

I use the Elos alk kit, that should be accurate enough right?

Chris Adams · Jul 13, 2015

Never used Elos so no opinion on that but I have the hannah alk checker and very happy with it. I would agree that alk swing would definitely cause problem. Good luck it should come back nicely