Chalice question

[hit_the_gap]

Hi Everyone,
i have a quick question regarding my miami hurrican chalice. I purchased this piece about 6 months ago and lately it has been looking bad (or at least to me it has been looking bad). i have the chalice in the front right corner of the tank (med flow - IMO). I run a 4 bulb T-5 fixture with Giesemann Bulbs (2 aqua blue actinic+ and 2 aqua blue +). Daylights are on for 6 hours per day (1pm - 7pm), actinics on from 11am - 10pm. I have posted several pics so hopefully you can see the differences. should i relocate this coral? is it dying? any suggestions or thoughts appreciated. Also, the hollywood stunnner recently died, it looks like it crystalized or something (went white within a few days). not really sure why what died either.. pic 1 is my tank. Chalices are located in front right corner, pic 2 is how chalice looked several weeks ago and pic 3 is how it looks as of last night.

 

[hit_the_gap]

forgot about the vitals:
temp 76*
salinity 1.024-25 (varies slightly)
ph 8.2
ammonia, nitrite/ates: 0.0
phosphates: .25
ca: 320 (varies slightly around 320)
mag: always inbetween 1300-1500
alk: 7 / 8 (varies slight). working on getting this number higher, but struggling.

i dose Seachem 2 part Ca / Alk. i have not been dosing Ca for a few weeks now, just ALK because Ca is consistant due to weekly 10% water changes. i also dose Red Sea Reef Care (Parts A/B) about 2 times per week.

 

[reefjunky24]

Your calcium should atleast be at 425, and id also try and get your phosphate down as close to zero as you can also

 

[hit_the_gap]

sorry i meant 430 for my calcium. only off by 100.lol.

 

[reefjunky24]

Ok then if Calcium is ok then def get phos down also how much flow are they under? they like low flow as well and you may want to put them on the bottom under some shade with some low flow. and try and keep your mag around 1400

 

[hit_the_gap]

so you agree that the chalice isnt looking very good?
i will tuck it under a ledge in a low flow area and see how it does. i just hate to leave it there because its so nice looking (was so nice looking). i dont know how you get the mag down. i dont dose anything that contains mag. its the salt that is making it that high (i assume).

 

[reefjunky24]

just keep it where it is at then (mag that is) from what i see looks like Phos isn't helping and probably flow but i could be wrong, just looks like somehting isn't making it happy what time of inverts do you have and fish?

 

[hit_the_gap]

i have mostly blue legs, some red legs, astreas snailes, turbo snails, nass snails, two cleaner shrimp, one starfish (purple)

fish, i have one yellow tail damsel, a yellow prawn goby, two clowns, a yellow tang, and royal gamma.

 

[hit_the_gap]

i never thought that .25 phos was that bad. i know everyone should have 0.0 (ideally), but i would have thought that .25 wasnt the cause/an issue. i guess i should look into some sort of phosphate remover.

 

[Aqua fire/medic]

What lighting is it under?

 

[Tab28]

Your phosphates are not the issue. If you acclimated the coral correctly. But they would be for more sensitive corals. Just try keep them lower before algae gets hold and your corals will be happier.

Your magnesium is not too bad, especially for chalices. It will decrease on its own. Just keep calcium and alk in check and it will be ok.

I would move it do an area with more shade. The stunner that died was it white because of bleaching or white because all flesh as gone?

 

[hit_the_gap]

the lighting is a T5HO Current Nova fixture. i am going to tuck the chalice towards the back corner of the tank (less direct light and flow). i would assume the hollywood stunner was lost due to bleaching. it basically looks like it just crystalized. i had them in my tank for about 5 months in the back corner and recently moved them up to the front so you could see them better. i may do some aquascaping so i can create a nice visible spot for it. some of my chalices are doing well under full light (on the bottom) (i.e. the riddler chalice and my cornbread bubblegum) while some arent. trying to figure out which chalice likes what lighting is difficult and expensive......

 

[hit_the_gap]

by the way, thank you all for the suggestions and help.

 

[Tab28]

the lighting is a T5HO Current Nova fixture. i am going to tuck the chalice towards the back corner of the tank (less direct light and flow). i would assume the hollywood stunner was lost due to bleaching. it basically looks like it just crystalized. i had them in my tank for about 5 months in the back corner and recently moved them up to the front so you could see them better. i may do some aquascaping so i can create a nice visible spot for it. some of my chalices are doing well under full light (on the bottom) (i.e. the riddler chalice and my cornbread bubblegum) while some arent. trying to figure out which chalice likes what lighting is difficult and expensive......

Many chalices can get use to higher light. For many this will cause then to morph into a different color. Miami hurricane was green when they first found it but i have never seen one green. But at the expense of a coral i would always start low lighting. You are more likely to loose it in high light than low light. You can slowly move then to higher light but very slowly.

 

[hit_the_gap]

i havent move the chalice up in the tank. it has stayed on the bottom. the only move i have made was moving it into more direct lighting. i am a little worried that the lighting isnt the issue and that it may be something else. i will move it back into the shade (less direct lighting) and hope it improves. unfortnuately shade = corner of tank and not easily observable.