Having trouble keeping aussie torches

yoteru · Nov 23, 2017

So I am having a hard time keeping torches alive.

My tank has been running for about 2 years. All lps and softies.

Frogspawn, hammers, and indo torches do well. Only having problems with aussie torches.

Alk: 8.2
Ca: 420
Salinity: 1.025
Temp 77-78
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: <5ppm (lowest reading on API test)
Phosphate <.25 (lowest reading on salifert test)

Lighting is ai hydra (2) running the AB+ radion settings at about 75%.

Tank is 48x18x24 90 gallon with 20 gallon sump.

I run carbon and phosphate reactors. Dose B-Ionic 2 part.

I mix my own salt (red sea), and have and RODI water system.

Is there anything that I am missing? Anything that I should be dosing? Anything else I should be testing for?

Any help would be appreciated.

NaH20nerd · Nov 23, 2017

Dave Burr suggests the following parameters for Aussie Torch Corals.

https://vividaquariums.com/products/aussie-gold-torch-coral-1

Additionally I would start with where you’re buying (what are their parameters) and how you’re acclimating.

yoteru · Nov 23, 2017

NaH20nerd said:
Dave Burr suggests the following parameters for Aussie Torch Corals.

https://vividaquariums.com/products/aussie-gold-torch-coral-1

Additionally I would start with where you’re buying (what are their parameters) and how you’re acclimating.

I have bought from multiple sources. All with good reputations.

They are drip acclimated as well as temperature acclimated for about 1 hour.

mtraylor · Nov 23, 2017

I have bought a couple over the internet and everyone of them were dying in the bag when I got them and I was unable to revive them. They just died within a couple days and I removed them from the aquarium before they caused problems. If I see one locally I will snatch it up if its out of the skeleton and looks healthing. I"m tagging along because from my experience they don't ship well.

yoteru · Nov 26, 2017

Zack K · Nov 26, 2017

If their is one think I have noticed with keeping Aussie Euphyillia it is that they like nutrition. Anywhere +|- 10ppm nitrates and +|- .3ppm phosphate. l actually keep my tank at 160+ppm nitrate and 3ppm phosphate and l have never had a problem with Aussie torches dying because of lack of nutrients. Also make your you keep your ALK steady. They don’t like change.

NaH20nerd · Nov 26, 2017

Zack Klabunde said:
If their is one think I have noticed with keeping Aussie Euphyillia it is that they like nutrition. Anywhere +|- 10ppm nitrates and +|- .3ppm phosphate. l actually keep my tank at 160+ppm nitrate and 3ppm phosphate and l have never had a problem with Aussie torches dying because of lack of nutrients. Also make your you keep your ALK steady. They don’t like change.

I’m assuming you meant 16ppm Nitrates.

Zack K · Nov 26, 2017

NaH20nerd said:
I’m assuming you meant 16ppm Nitrates.

Nope. 160ppm. Blood red off the charts of the API kit and way beyond close to the top of the chart on the NYOS kit.

mtraylor · Nov 26, 2017

Holy cow. I have sps dominant tank. Those parms will not work for me at all.

Zack K · Nov 26, 2017

mtraylor said:
Holy cow. I have sps dominant tank. Those parms will not work for me at all.

Lol. Yea Euphyillia usually doesn’t mix well with SPS dominated tank IME. L have successfully kept SPS in my tank for over year but l have problems keeping my ALK steady. Alkalinity is a whole nother ball game.

AntarcticIkeelu · Nov 26, 2017

I have an Aussie torch in my tank, I feed it reef roids 1-2 times per month. First pic is when I bought it, second is what it looks like now. Had 1 head when I bought it and between 8-10 now

mtraylor · Nov 26, 2017

Zack Klabunde said:
Lol. Yea Euphyillia usually doesn’t mix well with SPS dominated tank IME. L have successfully kept SPS in my tank for over year but l have problems keeping my ALK steady. Alkalinity is a whole nother ball game.

Yeah I agree. I have LPS in my reef. I have hammers and torches, but my torches are not Australian torches.

yoteru · Nov 26, 2017

Zack Klabunde said:
Nope. 160ppm. Blood red off the charts of the API kit and way beyond close to the top of the chart on the NYOS kit.

Wow. Didn’t know they needed water so dirty.

Does anyone else have success with water conditions like this?

mtraylor · Nov 27, 2017

With my other LPS in my sps dominant reef doing great. I"m sure someone has to have an Aussie torch in there sps dominant reef where nitrates are none existent and phosphates are less than .1

AntarcticIkeelu · Nov 27, 2017

mtraylor said:
With my other LPS in my sps dominant reef doing great. I"m sure someone has to have an Aussie torch in there sps dominant reef where nitrates are none existent and phosphates are less than .1

If you feed the torch (personally I use reef roids) you should be able to keep them in a low nutrient system.