Chalice Troubles

[LbulletM]

I have two chalices that have slooooowly been getting worse and one that came partly bleached and hasn't gotten better or worse. Are they very sensitive to nitrates? I have had prolonged high levels (working on them now with the addition of a skimmer and vinegar dosing) of 20+ for a long time now - weekly and sometimes semi-weekly 15% water changes were never enough to keep them down.

I don't have my other parameters with me right now (I'm at work), but calcium is usually 410-420, alkalinity almost always a solid 7, and mag always in the range of 1200-1300. Salinity 1.026. pH held around 8.1 until I started lime dosing via 2tbsp pickling lime in my 5g top off reservoir. I think the alkalinity might have been a little low considering my high nutrients, and I'll have an updated number tonight. Goose eggs on ammonia and trites. First ever PO4 test using Hannah Checker was 0.159.

I had the corals on the sandbed and have moved them all to slightly lower lighting. Anyone have specifics on what kind of lighting these guys like.

Random chalice colony: Came slightly bleached. Was near front of tank, now in corner of tank.
Superman chalice: Came in looking great. Has slowly receded while maintaining color. Was on sandbed near center of tank, now moved to be slightly shaded by a frogspawn above it.
Toxic alien chalice or something like that from ASD: Came in mostly bleached. Hasn't gotten better or worse. Same placement as the Superman chalice.

 

[mtraylor]

measured alk? Chalices are usually the first to tell you that your alk is going off. They will get a white line or two in them.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

Pictures

 

[LbulletM]

measured alk? Chalices are usually the first to tell you that your alk is going off. They will get a white line or two in them.

Alk values for my last 5 RedSea tests: (7); (7); (7); (7); (7.7).

I started dosing the lime before that last test. It definitely fits. I think my alk was too low with how high my NO3/PO4 were. Hoping they recover!

 

[LbulletM]

Pictures

Got a new phone Monday, so no recent ones on me at the moment haha. Here's what I could find on my Photobucket.

The colony and Toxic Space Jam (I remembered the name ;Happy) are in the front left of this one. You can see where the Space Jam was pretty bleached when it arrived. The colony colored up more, but then started bleaching to the point where it's mostly pale now. You can see where it already had some exposed skeleton on the back side protrusion.

 

[LbulletM]

Found some close ups!

Colony upon arrival:

Space Jam upon arrival:

Seller photos:

The Superman is 100% my doing. It looked great when it arrived. I don't have a current picture, but here's a picture from WWC (it wasn't WYSIWYG).

It has lost most of the yellow (though I think some is coming back?), maintained the red, and the blue and green have gotten much darker/less vibrant.

 

[Philly.b]

Watch that angel, I've seen them pick at chalices. Some more than others. Don't move them around too much and try feeding them.

 

[Philly.b]

They can handle high lights and flow. Also some go off faster than others. Good luck.

 

[3mm3]

Watch that angel, I've seen them pick at chalices. Some more than others. Don't move them around too much and try feeding them.

+1

I would keep them in low light. Feed them. Keep an eye on the potters angel(great looking fish). I keep my magnesium at 1350. For me I get way better results at that level.
I am probably blind but what is your lighting setup?

 

[JakeLikesReefs]

My chalices do great in nitrates around 10, alk around 9, cal at 420 and mag closer to 1400. The light for my chalices can vary, they grow in low to medium lighting, but some strongly prefer low lighting and have taken off in growth when moved from medium to low. They have moderate flow and are typically "fluffly" looking, almost like flowing lava. The moment I see a "toothy" chalice I check all water levels. I would say that if your nitrates are that high, the adjustment could have been difficult for them. That being said, try some lower light and keep up with the water changes!

Thanks,
Jake

 

[naecO rM]

Hi, what about a light? They usually do not like bright light. Put the chalice to a shadow place.

 

[LbulletM]

Thanks for the help everyone!

Watch that angel, I've seen them pick at chalices. Some more than others. Don't move them around too much and try feeding them.

I've only moved each one once and I use Coral Frenzy and Reef Roids (mostly the roids). I switch between broadcast feeding and target feeding. I'm thinking it's time for the Potter's to go. He's my OG and a beautiful fish, but he's the chief suspect in the death of my unkillable rose corals. They survived dry shipping, but couldn't survive him. He was a model citizen until I won the WWC contest and essentially put out a buffet for him on a frag rack. I have never seen him take a bite while watching since the frags came off of the rack, but I'm honestly thinking he's just on his best behavior while I'm watching (as insane as that sounds).

+1

I would keep them in low light. Feed them. Keep an eye on the potters angel(great looking fish). I keep my magnesium at 1350. For me I get way better results at that level.
I am probably blind but what is your lighting setup?

All of the moves were to lower light, but that was a while ago. I'll have to look into increasing Mg along with my current fight to reduce NO3. Light is just a chinese 165W black box.

My chalices do great in nitrates around 10, alk around 9, cal at 420 and mag closer to 1400. The light for my chalices can vary, they grow in low to medium lighting, but some strongly prefer low lighting and have taken off in growth when moved from medium to low. They have moderate flow and are typically "fluffly" looking, almost like flowing lava. The moment I see a "toothy" chalice I check all water levels. I would say that if your nitrates are that high, the adjustment could have been difficult for them. That being said, try some lower light and keep up with the water changes!

Thanks,
Jake

Working on getting my nitrates down and alk up, I'm going to have to work on my Mg. I recently bought a doser, so once I get my levels dialed in I'll be able to set it up. Suggestions on additives? It's a 4 channel Jebao. One channel will be vinegar, so that leaves me three for Ca, Alk, and Mg.

And 5 gallon water change last night.

 

[Leadfooted]

I thought my potter angel was eating my corals too but he wasn't. Now I have a $70 super nice fish trap that I don't need. Personally I don't think it's the potter. Mine would bump corals with it's mouth but not chew or eat coral flesh.

 

[LbulletM]

I thought my potter angel was eating my corals too but he wasn't. Now I have a $70 super nice fish trap that I don't need. Personally I don't think it's the potter. Mine would bump corals with it's mouth but not chew or eat coral flesh.

That's what I usually see, but I saw him take a chunk out of one of the new corals when I first put them in there. Then a few days later saw him nip at a micromussa. Just don't trust him much after that.

 

[Leadfooted]

I did not catch that part! ...;StopGoodbye potter. For sure and once a picker....

 

[mtraylor]

My potters angel is a model citizen. Has never touched a coral. I have had allot of fish in my reef and if a fish is bothering something you will catch it.

 

[LbulletM]

Mine was for months and months.

 

[mtraylor]

I have had mine for over 8 years