Half my torch is dead or dying, now what?

[New&no clue]

I have a purple torch that hasn’t looked great for some time, but now I’m pretty convinced half of it is dead. What do I do? Can I leave it in the tank as is so I can keep the other half or is it going to slowly kill the other half? Is it going to cause issue in the rest of my tank?


TANK PARAMETERS
Nitrates: 20
Alkaline: 7.3
Calcium: 430
Magnesium:12
Phosphates: .35
Salinity: 1.025
Temperature:79

TANK SPECS
Red Sea Reefer 350
(2)Current USA IC Pro lights
(4) T5 lights- 2 Blue+, 2 Coral+
(2) 1050 power heads- Current USA(with covers)
1050 return pump-Current USA

 

[Sosuke]

Your nitrates are pretty high for a reef tank, your magnesium is really low, and your phosphates are really high. I think the torch is upset because of these reasons

 

[ScottR]

I have a purple torch that hasn’t looked great for some time, but now I’m pretty convinced half of it is dead. What do I do? Can I leave it in the tank as is so I can keep the other half or is it going to slowly kill the other half? Is it going to cause issue in the rest of my tank?


TANK PARAMETERS
Nitrates: 20
Alkaline: 7.3
Calcium: 430
Magnesium:12
Phosphates: .35
Salinity: 1.025
Temperature:79

TANK SPECS
Red Sea Reefer 350
(2)Current USA IC Pro lights
(4) T5 lights- 2 Blue+, 2 Coral+
(2) 1050 power heads- Current USA(with covers)
1050 return pump-Current USA

I tend to say that if all corals are ok, there is probably a bacterial infection. Euphyllia are prone to brown jelly and other bacterial infections. I’m a huge fan of iodine dips. 2-3 dips per week. I will post my purple for reference.

 

[New&no clue]

Your nitrates are pretty high for a reef tank, your magnesium is really low, and your phosphates are really high. I think the torch is upset because of these reasons

yes I agree, although they are much better than they were. I’ve been slowly working to get nitrates and phosphates down. Opposition with mag, trying it get it up. However, I wasn’t sure if it was already to far gone and or would rebound as those levels stabilized.

 

[Sosuke]

yes I agree, although they are much better than they were. I’ve been slowly working to get nitrates and phosphates down. Opposition with mag, trying it get it up. However, I wasn’t sure if it was already to far gone and or would rebound as those levels stabilized.

Water changes can help the nitrates down, do you have a Fuge where you can put macro algae? Do you dose?

 

[New&no clue]

tend to say that if all corals are ok, there is probably a bacterial infection. Euphyllia are prone to brown jelly and other bacterial infections. I’m a huge fan of iodine dips. 2-3 dips per week. I will post my purple for reference.

I have been watching for Brown Jelly and this was my fear of leaving it in the tank because I know that can spread to others. What is the process for an iodine dip?

 

[New&no clue]

Water changes can help the nitrates down, do you have a Fuge where you can put macro algae? Do you dose?

yes, I’ve done several large water changes. I also started to use phosguard. I just started to dose, as it’s a newer tank water changes were enough to replenish and keep levels stable. But I had huge growth in coralline algae was well as the rest of the corals which dropped levels. In the last month I’ve started dosing with Red Sea formula. I’ve also debated changing salts, but didn’t want to do to many changes on top of each other.

 

[Sosuke]

yes, I’ve done several large water changes. I also started to use phosguard. I just started to dose, as it’s a newer tank water changes were enough to replenish and keep levels stable. But I had huge growth in coralline algae was well as the rest of the corals which dropped levels. In the last month I’ve started dosing with Red Sea formula. I’ve also debated changing salts, but didn’t want to do to many changes on top of each other.

Im not much of a salt person so wait for someone else to chime in on that, it's good that you started dosing do you have any macro algae?

 

[45ZoaGarden]

yes, I’ve done several large water changes. I also started to use phosguard. I just started to dose, as it’s a newer tank water changes were enough to replenish and keep levels stable. But I had huge growth in coralline algae was well as the rest of the corals which dropped levels. In the last month I’ve started dosing with Red Sea formula. I’ve also debated changing salts, but didn’t want to do to many changes on top of each other.

Your nitrates are fine. I run my tank at 20ppm. Wwc keeps their tanks above 30ppm. Your alk is a bit low imho. I’d try to get it up to 8 because you’re near the bottom of 7. That’s just a minor issue though. The phosphates are waaaayyyy too high though. For lps you want to stay around .15

 

[150 Gallon Reef]

What brand of salt do you use?

 

[45ZoaGarden]

I wouldn’t jump to the brown jelly conclusion yet.

 

[motortrendz]

It doesnt look terrible. Just annoyed. I'd look at the skeleton around the base of that head and look for any spiroids or any other parasites like aptasia. If not do like Scott said and give it a few dips to see if anything comes out of it. I dont think your parameters have anything to do with this bc otherwise the whole coral would look bad not just 1 head. Keep doing what your doing, tour headed in the right direction with your parameters, dont change too much and wait on changing salt for now.

 

[New&no clue]

Im not much of a salt person so wait for someone else to chime in on that, it's good that you started dosing do you have any macro algae?

No macro algae or Fuge

 

[Sosuke]

Consider getting macro algae somehow though it could drastically lower phosphates, if you cant look into a chemical to lower them

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Consider getting macro algae somehow though it could drastically lower phosphates, if you cant look into a chemical to lower them

Macros don’t do much to phosphates ime. There more for nitrates.

 

[New&no clue]

For lps you want to stay around .15

agreed it’s been around .13 and I had happy there but then in jumped up to .5+. I did a couple water changes and started using phosguard on Wednesday and so far it’s dropped down to .35, so I’m hoping it keeps going.

 

[New&no clue]

What brand of salt do you use?

instant ocean reef

 

[Sosuke]

Macros don’t do much to phosphates ime. There more for nitrates.

Oh when I added Chaetomorpha to my tank my phos went down, I guess it depends

 

[45ZoaGarden]

agreed it’s been around .13 and I had happy there but then in jumped up to .5+. I did a couple water changes and started using phosguard on Wednesday and so far it’s dropped down to .35, so I’m hoping it keeps going.

It should keep dropping. As long as your below .2 you should be fine.

 

[New&no clue]

I wouldn’t jump to the brown jelly conclusion yet.

I don’t necessarily think it’s brown jelly, but I’m worried it will turn into that.