Euphillia corals

[Harris4g63]

My hammer and frogspawn coral seem to be eating fine and fully extending, however they don't seem to be as vivid purple and green as when I purchased them about 3 months ago. I'm just wondering if these are signs of bleaching the tank has been running for 8 months
55 gallon tank
Ammonia 0/nitrate 0 phosphate undetectable salifert
Salinity 1.026 red sea pro salt
PH 8.35
Dkh 10

Ca 380
Mg 1290
Generic black box led lights 10 inches above waters whites 40%blues 60%

 

[Oscar47f]

Corals can change color depending on light if they look healthy in every way but the color fades then its most likely the change in lights...

 

[Harris4g63]

OK so my lfs seems to keep all of their corals under actinics most of the time so should I reduce my white light from 40%to 30or lower?

 

[RamsReef]

Dose both nitrate and phosphates.
I use seachem flourish phosphorous and flourish nitrogen.

You want 4 ppm nitrate and 0.03 phosphate

for 55 gal you want to use
http://www.seachem.com/flourish-phosporus.php
1.4 ml phosphorous

http://www.seachem.com/flourish-nitrogen.php
55 ml nitrogen

I suggest you just use more food for nitrogen though

 

[Harris4g63]

Dose both nitrate and phosphates.
I use seachem flourish phosphorous and flourish nitrogen.

You want 4 ppm nitrate and 0.03 phosphate

for 55 gal you want to use
http://www.seachem.com/flourish-phosporus.php
1.4 ml phosphorous

http://www.seachem.com/flourish-nitrogen.php
55 ml nitrogen

I suggest you just use more food for nitrogen though

So would I have to remove my bio pellet reactor and chaetomorpha so the nitrate and phosphate can build up

 

[Oscar47f]

no don't remove it, you can simply just feed more

 

[Oscar47f]

figure out what works for you.. removing the reactor could just cause a spike in the nutrients

 

[Harris4g63]

OK will do I'll try to feed more but my 6 fish are all under 2"

 

[Oscar47f]

you can feed some coral food too

 

[Oscar47f]

but monitor the parameters closely

 

[RamsReef]

You might want to slowly reduce your pellets as well until you have some detectable readings, this is what I would do. Then as your fish grow and you feed more you can add some back.

 

[Harris4g63]

OK that sounds good thanks

 

[mcarroll]

Mostly just to pile-on....

nitrate 0 phosphate undetectable

That's your issue.

However, I wouldn't jump into anything more than feeding your fish more AND using higher-quality foods just yet.

Save dosing direct nitrates and phosphates in the back of your mind though.

For now, feed some (or more) live foods. (blackworms are popular)

More fresh seafood. (see your grocer; clams are popular)

More whole-froze seafood. (grocer or LFS)

Feed more.

• Be as consistent with feeding as possible.
• Just make small feeding changes – not large ones.
• Make changes at least a few weeks apart – you'll need at least that long to fully assess the impact of changes in your coral.
• Test numbers will usually show up first, so don't get impatient with your corals.
• And keep testing to make sure you haven't overshot your goals.

my bio pellet reactor and chaetomorpha

Eight months is probably way too soon to have all that going on, so I'd say yes, optionally remove them.

In general, wait until you have a nutrient problem before you start treating it.

I'd probably give strong consideration to removing the pellet reactor. But it's hard to argue against the chaeto...it just won't grow if conditions aren't right for it. Bacteria aren't so relaxed in their PO4 harvesting when if comes down to near-zero levels.

 

[Harris4g63]

Very insightful information I'm going to start with just feeding more often I'm currently using lrs frenzy and spectrum pellets for the fish and coral frenzy powder target feeding for the coral and some mysis

 

[mcarroll]

I would totally focus all feeding efforts on your fish. The more they poop and pee, the more your corals feed. It's not likely that a lot of the coral food is being eaten.

LRS is processed, but with probiotics – good. Mysis is good. Pellets are less desirable, but you can soak them in a little fish oil (same stuff you'd take in a pill...don't skimp on cheap stuff) to make them a bit better.

Try to get some live foods though, like I said!

@Paul B has a lot of good methods and ideas for fish feeding....look him up on here or even go get his book (or ebook) called "The Avante Gard Aquarist" Tons of fish-oriented DIY projects, mostly around feeding. Excellent!

 

[Harris4g63]

Oh perfect I'm definitely going to look for the ebook thanks a lot Oh and my lfs has live black worms so I'll try that as well

 

[Harris4g63]

Mostly just to pile-on....



That's your issue.

However, I wouldn't jump into anything more than feeding your fish more AND using higher-quality foods just yet.

Save dosing direct nitrates and phosphates in the back of your mind though.

For now, feed some (or more) live foods. (blackworms are popular)

More fresh seafood. (see your grocer; clams are popular)

More whole-froze seafood. (grocer or LFS)

Feed more.

• Be as consistent with feeding as possible.
• Just make small feeding changes – not large ones.
• Make changes at least a few weeks apart – you'll need at least that long to fully assess the impact of changes in your coral.
• Test numbers will usually show up first, so don't get impatient with your corals.
• And keep testing to make sure you haven't overshot your goals.

Eight months is probably way too soon to have all that going on, so I'd say yes, optionally remove them.

In general, wait until you have a nutrient problem before you start treating it.

I'd probably give strong consideration to removing the pellet reactor. But it's hard to argue against the chaeto...it just won't grow if conditions aren't right for it. Bacteria aren't so relaxed in their PO4 harvesting when if comes down to near-zero levels.

As far as removing my bio pellet reactor can I just unplug and leave it in the sump or do I have to completely take out the reactor it only has about a 1/4 cup of pellets in it. I'm thinking once my nitrates get to detectable levels the colors should become more vivid

 

[mcarroll]

I doubt cutting off flow and leaving it would be the best option...I'd clean it and put it away for a little while myself.

 

[Harris4g63]

OK sounds good thanks

 

[Zack K]

@larky