Duncan/GSP Frags Near Death. HELP!

[DeLegge90]

Fairly new to the hobby. Two weeks ago my duncan frag sprouted a couple more heads (to make a total of 7 heads). Just this past week tho, four of the heads look to be dead and others are near death. I see strands of algea also growing from my gsp frag. When the four heads died on my duncan, there was a thick/brown film covering them, and when I went to brush it off, there was only skeletons underneath. Is this due to algea/overfeeding/too much light/too many nutrients in the water? Or is there another issue with water parameters? Or is it my peppermint shrimp being a dick when I'm not around? (Will be testing parameters later today, doing a water change, and then testing parameters again.) Please advise.

 

[Justin Cook]

Google "brown jelly disease" and dip the Duncan in a cleaning product. That's the only thing I know to do for it and that's what it sounds like you might have.

Edit: Of course post parameters when you get them.

 

[BrandonS]

I am curious on parameters too. With Zoas closed up in the picture and algae I a wondering if there isn't a parameter out of wack.

 

[dhuynh]

How old is the tank?

 

[DeLegge90]

How old is the tank?

I'm going on month number three with this tank.

 

[DeLegge90]

Did a 20% water change and tested parameters. Also tried a hydrogen peroxide dip on the duncan. If that fails I have another plan, if I'm not already too lateby then.

 

[DeLegge90]

I am curious on parameters too. With Zoas closed up in the picture and algae I a wondering if there isn't a parameter out of wack.

Zoas have not been opening fully for about a week as well. They only partially open at the most. At first I assumed the zoas were having some water flow and/or lighting issues that needed to be addressed. Still currently having issues with them, however.

 

[BrandonS]

Your phosphates look a bit high and I have had that cause zoa issues personally. That might be why your duncan is unhappy too but it shouldn't cause it to melt. Maybe if it was that way for an extended period of time or if it has been higher?

 

[dhuynh]

I had the same problem with my zoas initially.. also a couple of months in. High phosphate and high nitrate.

Had brown string algae everywhere. I used red sea algae management system and it help get passed that stage..

 

[DeLegge90]

What is a effective/cost efficient way to cut down rapidly on phosphates (but doesn't shock the system or completely deplete phosphates)? I've heard GFO in a media reactor works well...

 

[GabeM]

What is a effective/cost efficient way to cut down rapidly on phosphates (but doesn't shock the system or completely deplete phosphates)? I've heard GFO in a media reactor works well...

Dosing nopox (with skimmer), phosban/phosguard or GFO really.

 

[DeLegge90]

I had the same problem with my zoas initially.. also a couple of months in. High phosphate and high nitrate.

Had brown string algae everywhere. I used red sea algae management system and it help get passed that stage..

Do you need a sump/skimmer to use red sea algae management?

 

[dwest]

Do you need a sump/skimmer to use red sea algae management?

I am not a coral disease expert and I don’t want to go against the grain here but...

Coral diseases have been a problem since we started keeping them. I think your tank and parameters are looking good. I would not do anything else other than weekly water changes. Keep your tank stable. I believe if you start using gfo or nopox you could be heading down a bad path.

 

[dhuynh]

GFO works great.. just be careful how much you use. I put more than I should in my system because I wanted my phosphate to go down quickly and it killed two acro colonies and made other begin to rtn.

Lesson is.. most things will work... you just have to do it slowly. I now do things at 1/3 of what is recommend, observe my stuff, do another 1/3, observe my stuff, do the last 1/3.

 

[dhuynh]

Do you need a sump/skimmer to use red sea algae management?

I don't know if you can run it without a skimmer.. personally, I would only run skimmerless on a system with a huge fuge. You have to export nutrient some how.

Do you not run a skimmer now?

 

[DeLegge90]

Came back home from work today to find that another head of my Duncan has been defeated by BJD (All other corals are doing okay, with the exception of the Zoas, which I moved into a shady spot where the live rock meets the sand to see if that would make any difference, and it already seems to be doing a tad bit better. Not fully opening yet, but from what I've read it can take a week+ to see results from changes made). So now my Duncan only has only two heads left, and one of them is in really poor shape (Probably too far gone tbh). Today I tried a treatment using Povidone Iodine 10%, API Melafix, and ReVive Coral (though I really wish I had Chloramphenicol to treat my Duncan instead, but it will be dead within 24-48 hours if I don't act fast and do something. It was kinda do or die with this experimental method) Placed it back in the main tank cause I don't have a QT/hospital tank yet, embarrassingly, but the plan is to invest in one soon. I am currently waiting to see the end results with my Duncan. Gonna be a while though, it's still very *****d off at having to endure the rude handling and chemical warfare. Fingers crossed.

 

[DeLegge90]

I don't know if you can run it without a skimmer.. personally, I would only run skimmerless on a system with a huge fuge. You have to export nutrient some how.

Do you not run a skimmer now?

I have a 46gal bowfront with a Fluval 306 Canister Filter. No sump/skimmer. Definitely planning to upgrade to a bigger tank with a sump/skimmer setup in the near future.

 

[dhuynh]

You can get an intank skimmer or hob skimmer, or hob fuge. Those will help alot.

Or sale your setup and go with a tank with a sump system. You're be much happier.

 

[Tamberav]

I have a 46gal bowfront with a Fluval 306 Canister Filter. No sump/skimmer. Definitely planning to upgrade to a bigger tank with a sump/skimmer setup in the near future.

How often do you clean the cansister filter? What is in it? I have seen how much crud my media basket catches. I can only imagine how fast a canister gets nasty.

Also what light do you use?

 

[Cell]

I am not a coral disease expert and I don’t want to go against the grain here but...

Coral diseases have been a problem since we started keeping them. I think your tank and parameters are looking good. I would not do anything else other than weekly water changes. Keep your tank stable. I believe if you start using gfo or nopox you could be heading down a bad path.

Agree. It's best to remedy the source of the issue whenever possible rather than adding chemicals to mask the problem, imo. More frequent water changes would also lower phosphates without altering your water chemistry in a way that could adversely affect the rest of your tanks inhabitants that are not having issues right now.