Help! Birdsnest Dying

[5280Reef]

Hi Everyone,

Hoping someone can shed some light on what could potentially be going on. I'm new to reefing, but have had this tank set-up since April and my birds nest has lost all of it's color. It's been gone for a few months now, I tried to move a piece that I had growing lower in the tank and it hasn't helped. Two questions - First, is it possible to bring this back to life? Second - What could potentially be causing it? I provided a couple close up pictures and a picture of the entire tank. All other corals have been doing well. Please note, the algae growth on it is new - I was out of town for a week and set-up an auto feeder with an APEX while I was out just to come home to a major algae outbreak about a week ago. Most of it is cleared up - I only fed frozen food once every other day before, so assuming it was just a phosphate spike. All parameters are below were taken yesterday, but have a history if needed;

ALK: 6.3 (6.8 Avg.)
CALC: 450 (460 Avg.)
Mag: 1400 (1417.5 Avg.)
Nitrate: 2 (Mostly 0, but spike with the recent food)
Nitrite: (0)
Phosphate: .17 (Mostly 0, but spike with the recent food)

 

[Johniejumbo]

It doesn’t look outright dead but it sure isn’t happy. What’s flow like for it?

 

[PicassoClown04]

Hi! Yes you can save it!!! First, it looks very bleached so move it down, as low in the tank as you can and give it low-medium flow (polyps should not be blowing around, but swaying gently) feed reefroids (or similar) several times a week because a bleached coral cannot make its own food. After coral regains color (color means the coral has zooxanthellae which is coral sunscreen and allows for photosynthesis) move it up the rocks SLOWLY. 1 inch or less every 1-2 weeks. This one definitely looks saveable but it will be a lot of effort and time.

 

[5280Reef]

I have one Tunzee 6025 on the top left of the tank (its a Red Sea Reefer 250) and a Varios 2. Is that enough flow?

I moved the little guy about half way down into the tank, but it didn't do anything although that was a piece the broke off when I first got it. It's kept growing, but the color loss happened at the same time as the big guy.

I'll move the big and little one down - Assuming I could just put it on the floor? and start feeding. Assuming I'll just follow the directions on the reefroids? Note that I haven't dosed the tank with anything since I got it.

 

[5280Reef]

Main concern here is that I want to start filling the tank, but am concerned of spending the money on more coral if I can't even keep the Birdnest alive!

 

[reefiniteasy]

I have been told that a birdsnest is a canary coral. It is an indication of overall water quality. Maybe an ICP test to make sure all is well.

 

[vetteguy53081]

They are hardy and ive seen many come back. They do best on upper part of tank with moderate water flow and your ALK is a bit low for them (8-9 is best) which may indicate your Ph also low.
Temperature range 77-798 and salinity 1.024-1.026.
Verify your salinity as high and low makes them unhappy.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Main concern here is that I want to start filling the tank, but am concerned of spending the money on more coral if I can't even keep the Birdnest alive!

Birdsnest has actually proven to be quite hard to keep. Many people with SPS dominant systems try to throw a Birdsnest in and it dies. I’ve got a feeling it has something to do with nutrient levels in the tank. I took a large frag of my Birdsnest and put it into my SPS tank and it bleached, eventually dying. Same water and dosing solutions so I know it’s not that. The only difference I can tell is the nutrient levels. I keep my mixed reef very high while I kept the sps one low

 

[5280Reef]

Interesting - I was told that the birds nest is the "starter" SPS, so I went with that first. I can get an ICP test, but I thought that was just for running the Triton method?

My PH is low - It's steady at 7.5, but I've also been told that is normal for Colorado due to our water? Temp is 77-79, but normally steady at 78. I also keep salinity at 35ppm, but sometimes drops to 33/34 if I change out too much water and don't replace enough. That's not coming though.

I've never tested other nutrients other than the ones I listed above. Should I start tracking that as well?