Bubblegum digitata polyps shrinking

[Hypen2000]

I have a mixed reef, 120 gallon, 2 year tank, and my calcium has been teetering between 370-400, but all my other numbers are good. Everything in the tank is doing well except for this digitata. I dose occasionally and manually. Any suggestions of best way to improve calcium level? Or should I be looking out for something else? Thanks!

Image is of a frag, but I have a piece that is 5 inch tall&wide. Just not a good closeup pick.

Tank Parameters
Radion XR15 Pros
77.5- 78.5 degrees
Salinity 1.025
Nitrates 0
Phosphates 0.12
Alkalinity 8.8
Calcium 370-400
Mag 1250-1350

 

[scott89wing]

Need some nitrates in tank sps have to have some nitrate.

 

[DSC reef]

Your calcium isn't terribly low but consistent dosing can remedy that. It definitely does not look happy. I'd try moving it to a different spot.

 

[29bonsaireef]

See this happening a lot with Digitata. This is an inshore coral for the most part. It can take tons of high quality lighting, but needs nutrients present to thrive. If you're under lighting it, it can look like this. Or if you're over lighting it with very little nutrients, it can also look like this. JME

 

[lbacha]

I have a bubblegum digi and it always has its polyps out unless my nutrients bottom out. Try increasing your nitrates and you will make it happy. An added benefit is your phosphates will probably go down as well as most organisms use both so having no noir eaters mean they aren’t consuming the phosphates either

 

[HB AL]

I would start with just 1 change and that would be getting some nitrates in the tank if its truly 0. With my heavy bio load of fish and a tank full of corals my nitrates stay between 10 and 20 dosing nopox and all corals are thriving. Maybe give that digi a little iodine bath, it couldn't hurt.

 

[Hypen2000]

Thanks guys. I think I need a more precise tester for the Nitrates. I have the Hanna and Red Sea for all the other numbers except Nitrate. But i do have 10-12 fish so it's surprising if it is exactly 0. I think i'll try to iodine dip just in case something is bothering it. Thanks!

 

[lbacha]

Thanks guys. I think I need a more precise tester for the Nitrates. I have the Hanna and Red Sea for all the other numbers except Nitrate. But i do have 10-12 fish so it's surprising if it is exactly 0. I think i'll try to iodine dip just in case something is bothering it. Thanks!

Try the Nyos kit, it’s cheap, accurate and easy to read down to 1 ppm

 

[Hypen2000]

Try the Nyos kit, it’s cheap, accurate and easy to read down to 1 ppm

What about the Salifert? It's cheaper and has good reviews too.

 

[jda]

When testing for nitrate, you have to remember that a cheap test kit is not all that accurate. "clear" on the test kit does not mean zero, it just means low. On Salifert, I have seen "clear" be as much as 2.0 when sent off to IC test.

If you have ANY algae or ANYTHING growing in your tank, then you do not have zero nitrate. You have enough. Zero nitrate is truly growth limiting, but does not kill things. Chasing zero nitrate can kill things, but it is the chase that kills them.

Calcium Chloride (dowflake is a cheap ice melter used for decades or you can buy some at BRS) will raise calcium safely and in isolation. 370-400 is no big deal, just pick a number and keep it stable.

 

[TX_Punisher]

Mine does not like high light. I moved it down to the bottom 1/3 and even started it on the sandbed at one time and out came its polyps. It is now below the halfway section of my tank and finally starting to grow.

 

[pjdiddy]

The exact thing happened to me when I bottomed out my nutrients. I slowly added Nitrates and now it is getting better. Polyps are still not extended as it used to be but I can tell it is getting in there.