I need some help...

[Reefkeepers Archive]

For some context, my 120 gallon tank is about 6-7 months old, for about a month I've had four colonies in there but picking up alot more this week, my problem arises with my leptastrea, for the first few weeks he wasn't doing so good, closed up and stripped around the edge, here's what he looked like

Then I went on a 2 week vacation, I just got back and this is what he looks like now

I had my LFS watch my tank, and as expected he has lost a few more polyps (I'm pretty sure the white in between the polyps on the left is mucus) though I noticed he is more open/extended!?! Before I left the entire left side of the colony seemed to be retracted and irritated, but after he lost a few polyps he is more open?!? What is happening, were those polyps infected? Is this STN? What is going on. And what should I do?

(Again the white that isn't on the rim of the colony is probably mcucs, the white is only skeleton if it's on the rim)

 

[blaxsun]

I was going to say that the second image looks like it's more extended (although it could just be blurry in the first image). It looks like you've lost a bit of coral on the leftmost edge (and some of the smaller whiter spots are larger).

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

I was going to say that the second image looks like it's more extended (although it could just be blurry in the first image). It looks like you've lost a bit of coral on the leftmost edge (and some of the smaller whiter spots are larger).

Thats what I was thinking! I have no idea why it's more extended now, that's why I was thinking the dead polyps could have been infected, here's a better photo(s)

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

I was going to say that the second image looks like it's more extended (although it could just be blurry in the first image). It looks like you've lost a bit of coral on the leftmost edge (and some of the smaller whiter spots are larger).

I did also order some galaxypods and had them add it to the tank, but do you think the recession will stop or will it heal now that it's more comfortable/established, and do you think this is STN?

 

[resortez]

To get the best advice on how to approach your problem & solving it, is to share parameters & setup. Along with husbandry practices, schedule & tank mates. The problem could come from the lack of a certain parameter, nutrient, lighting or excess of the same. It’s difficult to know without having a background on your system.

 

[Colton Yuchnewicz]

could be a plethora of things. my first thought is to move it lower to the bottom. Mabe its getting cooked? and try dipping it for pests. id check the parameters Aswell !

 

[vetteguy53081]

For some context, my 120 gallon tank is about 6-7 months old, for about a month I've had four colonies in there but picking up alot more this week, my problem arises with my leptastrea, for the first few weeks he wasn't doing so good, closed up and stripped around the edge, here's what he looked like

Then I went on a 2 week vacation, I just got back and this is what he looks like now

I had my LFS watch my tank, and as expected he has lost a few more polyps (I'm pretty sure the white in between the polyps on the left is mucus) though I noticed he is more open/extended!?! Before I left the entire left side of the colony seemed to be retracted and irritated, but after he lost a few polyps he is more open?!? What is happening, were those polyps infected? Is this STN? What is going on. And what should I do?

(Again the white that isn't on the rim of the colony is probably mcucs, the white is only skeleton if it's on the rim)

Assure its getting decent water flow and light as mine at first was similar and close to bottom. I moved it to upper part of tank where there is better PAR and flow and it is a fast growing colony for me. Assure also that po4 and ph has not climbed to unacceptable levels and calcium is not low:

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

To get the best advice on how to approach your problem & solving it, is to share parameters & setup. Along with husbandry practices, schedule & tank mates. The problem could come from the lack of a certain parameter, nutrient, lighting or excess of the same. It’s difficult to know without having a background on your system.

could be a plethora of things. my first thought is to move it lower to the bottom. Mabe its getting cooked? and try dipping it for pests. id check the parameters Aswell !

I test 3 main parameters trice weekly, nitrates are around 4 ppm, alk was 7 dkh but I dosed as I normally keep it around 9, and calcium is normally around 490, phosphates are 0.01 and I use media to keep that down, lights are mounted about 14 in above the surface and only around 60%, I use ReefLED 90's no fish in the tank currently, I dose phyto regularly, for awhile my nitrates were close to zero but I was able to get that up, phosphates used to be high for the first 2 weeks.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Assure its getting decent water flow and light as mine at first was similar and close to bottom. I moved it to upper part of tank where there is better PAR and flow and it is a fast growing colony for me. Assure also that po4 and ph has not climbed to unacceptable levels and calcium is not low:

What par is yours sitting at? Haven't checked the PH in quite some time but my phosphates are 0.01, they used to be quite high but before I left I added removal media and that seemed to do the trick, calcium was 430 but I normally keep it around 490

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Assure its getting decent water flow and light as mine at first was similar and close to bottom. I moved it to upper part of tank where there is better PAR and flow and it is a fast growing colony for me. Assure also that po4 and ph has not climbed to unacceptable levels and calcium is not low:

In a lower flow area

 

[vetteguy53081]

I test 3 main parameters trice weekly, nitrates are around 4 ppm, alk was 7 dkh but I dosed as I normally keep it around 9, and calcium is normally around 490, phosphates are 0.01 and I use media to keep that down, lights are mounted about 14 in above the surface and only around 60%, I use ReefLED 90's no fish in the tank currently, I dose phyto regularly, for awhile my nitrates were close to zero but I was able to get that up, phosphates used to be high for the first 2 weeks.

Slight nutrient deficiency may be one factor but the Reef 90 lights are not the greatest and tend to run hot. Do you know what your PAR is at that coral? Mine is 266. po4 ay .001 is extremely low and you want a range of .08-.1. Mine are at .112 but dont use my numbers as every tank is different.

 

[vetteguy53081]

In a lower flow area

You want enough flow to at minimum keep sediment off of them

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Slight nutrient deficiency may be one factor but the Reef 90 lights are not the greatest and tend to run hot. Do you know what your PAR is at that coral? Mine is 266. po4 ay .001 is extremely low and you want a range of .08-.1. Mine are at .112 but dont use my numbers as every tank is different.

Don't know the PAR as I don't have a par meter but I did turn down the light as leptastrea (tend) to be lower light and I did this because higher light can cause polyp bailout quicker than the effects of not enough light, will try and adjust the WaveMaker to give it more flow, I'm trying to keep the po4 low as before they were causing a hair algae and cyanno outbreak, trying to raise the nitrate as that was one of the factors I had into account, seems to be doing better after I started to dose phyto, pods and keep the nitrate up, though I might reposition the WaveMaker to give it some more flow, my only concern is I don't want to blow the polyps off the skeleton

 

[vetteguy53081]

Don't know the PAR as I don't have a par meter but I did turn down the light as leptastrea (tend) to be lower light and I did this because higher light can cause polyp bailout quicker than the effects of not enough light, will try and adjust the WaveMaker to give it more flow, I'm trying to keep the po4 low as before they were causing a hair algae and cyanno outbreak, trying to raise the nitrate as that was one of the factors I had into account, seems to be doing better after I started to dose phyto, pods and keep the nitrate up, though I might reposition the WaveMaker to give it some more flow, my only concern is I don't want to blow the polyps off the skeleton

I agree with flow. Moderate often sufficient. I can see Very slight polyp movement on them from my water movement

 

[World Citizen]

thanks for all this info about this species.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

You want enough flow to at minimum keep sediment off of them

Wait, you might be on to something, I don't think it's getting any flow. I know cyanno is able to grow around it so maybe that's one of the problems

 

[vetteguy53081]

Wait, you might be on to something, I don't think it's getting any flow. I know cyanno is able to grow around it so maybe that's one of the problems

May very well be. Cyano loves no flow

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Though I'm concerned that changing the flow could blow the polyps off, I've contacted my LFS to see what they think as they have been watching my tank for the last 2 weeks, but I think you might have found the issue, well.. that and the low nitrates we found earlier, thank you