Help! Why are these coral unhappy?

[muso1810]

Can someone tell me how best to attempt to recover these.. a green colt on the left and a moon coral on the right. I’ve moved them both to the bottom of the tank to reduce light in hopes these will do better. My salinity is 1.025, calcium is 460 and kh is 9 to name a few parameters.

How can I do my best to recover them?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Can someone tell me how best to attempt to recover these.. a green colt on the left and a moon coral on the right. I’ve moved them both to the bottom of the tank to reduce light in hopes these will do better. My salinity is 1.025, calcium is 460 and kh is 9 to name a few parameters.

How can I do my best to recover them?

Phosphates and nitrates ?

 

[muso1810]

I think phos is 0.25 and nitrates are slightly higher around 60 ( I think). My other coral are very happy and my other leather is also happy and expanded all the time.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I would think both are to high. Phosphates .07 and nitrates 5-10 is best is what I have read here a lot

 

[muso1810]

I will retest and look at levels of those... in the meantime, how can I help my buddies recover?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I’m guessing most here will say by starting to slowly lower those numbers

 

[((FORDTECH))]

More aggressive skimming, water change algae scrubber . Gfo, are a few ways

 

[muso1810]

yeah I do water changes weekly, what is GFO?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Feed less makes sure what you do feed is being eaten and not settling in rocks and on sand

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Gfo is granular ferric oxide or something like that. Either way is a media most time used in a reactor used to lower phosphates

 

[((FORDTECH))]

BRS Bulk GFO Granular Ferric Oxide

Why does BRS recommend this? Phosphates are going to be one of the biggest battles we have with a reef aquarium. The BRS GFO works great in filter socks and reactors. For the price Standard Granular GFO is going to be one of the best values when it comes to GFO for phosphate removal...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

If using gfo just make sure to start with half the recommended amount cause it works well and fast and will strip to 0 phos which is also not good

 

[muso1810]

I have bio-zorbs in my sump, which sound like they do the same thing? I hope they recover, I am paying great attention to the parameters and how often I feed the tank.. it is just strange how these are the only coral im worried about, everyone else seems to be doing well..

 

[vetteguy53081]

yeah I do water changes weekly, what is GFO?

Granular Ferris oxide and is potent but reduces Phos. Use a teaspoon per 40 gals.
What test kit(s) are you using and are you using RO water or Tap water from the faucet?

Here are some causes and a reference chart on the bottom:

Too much water flow
Lights too bright ( moderate light ad water flow is sufficient
Alk spike or too high
High nitrates
Salinity too high ( assure youre Notr getting a false reading
High calcium

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I have bio-zorbs in my sump, which sound like they do the same thing? I hope they recover, I am paying great attention to the parameters and how often I feed the tank.. it is just strange how these are the only coral im worried about, everyone else seems to be doing well..

Sounding like and actually doing the same are 2 different things. Gfo works amazing

 

[muso1810]

Thank you for that, I use Hannah and red sea kits, my lighting is an A80 kessil and an A160 Kessil, combined with T5's for 5 hours a day.. total light schedule is 11 hours a day.. I use pure dew water, a brand from the supermarket that is filtered

Granular Ferris oxide and is potent but reduces Phos. Use a teaspoon per 40 gals.
What test kit(s) are you using and are you using RO water or Tap water from the faucet?

Here are some causes and a reference chart on the bottom:

Too much water flow
Lights too bright ( moderate light ad water flow is sufficient
Alk spike or too high
High nitrates
Salinity too high ( assure youre Notr getting a false reading
High calcium

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you for that, I use Hannah and red sea kits, my lighting is an A80 kessil and an A160 Kessil, combined with T5's for 5 hours a day.. total light schedule is 11 hours a day.. I use pure dew water, a brand from the supermarket that is filtered

See if you can have that supermarket water tested for nitrates, TDS and phos to see if any is contained in the source.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Is the “dew” water distilled or from a machine?

 

[muso1810]

distilled

Is the “dew” water distilled or from a machine?

 

[Flippers4pups]

distilled

Distilled still has minerals and can still have some toxins in it. The distilling process doesn’t remove everything.

I get using what you can get and afford, so no bashing here, but using RO/DI water is much better. You probably already know this.

With that said and on a other note, higher N03 and P04 isn’t always bad. I would suspect possible water contamination though and or too high of light intensity. So moving them lower may help.

 

[muso1810]

let's hope....