Bubble coral help...

[Calmwaters]

Hi everyone. Any ideas on what is going on with this bubble coral and what i need to do to fix it? I have two and the other is doing great so far.

 

[Sawacoral]

I would look at your flow. I’ve read gentle to moderate flow, but I would lean heavier on the gentle side. How long have you had it? Where are the other bubbles relative to this one?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi everyone. Any ideas on what is going on with this bubble coral and what i need to do to fix it? I have two and the other is doing great so far.

Any change in light or water flow?
Bubble corals do best with low to moderate flow which should be just enough to keep the bubbles moving slightly but ultimately, aim for gentle water movement. Anything more can actually damage this coral. This flow is needed for bubble to remove algae and debris as well as for feeding best at night as they use their sweeper tentacles to help catch food ditributed by this current.
Lower light keeps them happy and up to 150 PAR.
They require nitrates, phosphates, calcium, magnesium, and stable alkalinity especially Mag, alk and CA. regular water changes will help maintain these levels.
Lastly is feeding mentioned before. Good foods are : small pieces of shrimp, crab, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, and small plankton

 

[Calmwaters]

I would look at your flow. I’ve read gentle to moderate flow, but I would lean heavier on the gentle side. How long have you had it? Where are the other bubbles relative to this one?

The other bubble was about 4 inches away but I have moved them further apart from each other incase it was getting stung.

 

[Calmwaters]

Any change in light or water flow?
Bubble corals do best with low to moderate flow which should be just enough to keep the bubbles moving slightly but ultimately, aim for gentle water movement. Anything more can actually damage this coral. This flow is needed for bubble to remove algae and debris as well as for feeding best at night as they use their sweeper tentacles to help catch food ditributed by this current.
Lower light keeps them happy and up to 150 PAR.
They require nitrates, phosphates, calcium, magnesium, and stable alkalinity especially Mag, alk and CA. regular water changes will help maintain these levels.
Lastly is feeding mentioned before. Good foods are : small pieces of shrimp, crab, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, and small plankton

It's in a relativity low flow and at the bottom of my tank. Here are my parameters from a test on 8/1 before a water change and 8/4 24 hours after a water change.
8/1
Phosphate .25
Kh 9.3
Magnesium 1230
Calcium 460
Nitrate 25
Ph 7.7

8/4
Phosphate .25
Kh 9.3
Magnesium 1230
Calcium 480
Nitrate 25
Ph 8

 

[vetteguy53081]

It's in a relativity low flow and at the bottom of my tank. Here are my parameters from a test on 8/1 before a water change and 8/4 24 hours after a water change.
8/1
Phosphate .25
Kh 9.3
Magnesium 1230
Calcium 460
Nitrate 25
Ph 7.7

8/4
Phosphate .25
Kh 9.3
Magnesium 1230
Calcium 480
Nitrate 25
Ph 8

As I mentioned on phosphate, yours is quite high. Moderate flow like leaves in a soft wind and you want po4 in range of .03-.08. You are three times that amount and may be due to overfeeding, lack of skimming or insufficient water changes

 

[Calmwaters]

As I mentioned on phosphate, yours is quite high. Moderate flow like leaves in a soft wind and you want po4 in range of .03-.08. You are three times that amount and may be due to overfeeding, lack of skimming or insufficient water changes

I do water changes every other week normally but the most recent one was a little more than 3 weeks because I fell and hit my head and got a mild concussion and was not able to do one. I can increase to weekly if need be. The other bubble coral is happy could it be that I had them too close and the green one was stinging the other one? Also I have phosoguard should I add some to the sump?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I do water changes every other week normally but the most recent one was a little more than 3 weeks because I fell and hit my head and got a mild concussion and was not able to do one. I can increase to weekly if need be. The other bubble coral is happy could it be that I had them too close and the green one was stinging the other one? Also I have phosoguard should I add some to the sump?

Bubble coral have a potent sting and can be- keep 5-6” apart
2-3 gallon water changes daily for 10-14 days more effective but weekly also good for now
Phosguard works good but can strip po4 quickly

 

[Calmwaters]

Bubble coral have a potent sting and can be- keep 5-6” apart
2-3 gallon water changes daily for 10-14 days more effective but weekly also good for now
Phosguard works good but can strip po4 quickly

I moved them a lot further apart and it looks like the white one has some bubbles trying to reopen. I will do the water changes like you suggest and see if it helps.

 

[exnisstech]

I can't really help with this but I don't want you to start chasing lower PO4 and possibly cause issues to anything else in the tank. IMO your PO4 is fine. I've had a bubble for 7 years in PO4 0.25 - 0.35 and it thrives.

 

[Calmwaters]

I can't really help with this but I don't want you to start chasing lower PO4 and possibly cause issues to anything else in the tank. IMO your PO4 is fine. I've had a bubble for 7 years in PO4 0.25 - 0.35 and it thrives.

Thank you

 

[vetteguy53081]

Problem is what works for one's tank may not work for another. Yes some tanks thrive well with higher po4 but some also struggle. Your goal is not to zero it out but to reduce it.