LPS Coral Keeping Question

[smalltownuser]

I’ve found zoas in particular to be kind of moody. I’ve had some stay closed for days at a time then be open as if nothing was wrong. One thing besides parameter testing, is what are you supplementing the tank with for trace elements and such?

Based on high reviews, as well as videos showing its success, I am using reefroids, and target feeding them all once per week, so I have fed them twice so far.

 

[smalltownuser]

Not sure what 2nd and 4th are . Zoas, hammer or torch, either clove polyp or pipe organ for 1, 3 , and 5 .Can we get a full tank shot so we can see placement in reference to lights?

Do you have any test kits?

I have alkalinity and calcium test kits. When I bought the corals, I asked both stores what tests I should buy, and they both said as long as Im doing weekly water changes, I dont need to worry about the alk, calcium, magnesium, etc because the salt mix gives what they need, plus the waste from the fish, so I dont have any other tests. Those ones came in the API test kit I bought when I first started the tank, which almost unanimously people have said API tests suck, so I havent touched them since. I got ammonia, nitrite and nitrate tests from better brands for the tank but didnt buy any others for corals.

 

[steveschuerger]

Based on high reviews, as well as videos showing its success, I am using reefroids, and target feeding them all once per week, so I have fed them twice so far.

I was thinking of trace mineral elements and such. Corals use up these things as they grow and need supplementing, esp when you start putting stony corals in. The corals in particular the zoas do better with adding iodide weekly. I use SeaChem iodide myself . And Reef Trace and Reef Plus by the same company.Also look up 2 part dosing it will help keep the calcium and Alk levels stable

 

[Stephen8169301]

So im not sure what those names refer to lol. Like I said, Im a rookie with coral. I dont know whats what. I literally just went to the stores and asked which ones were easy and then picked the ones that looked good. I thought they said they were all soft coral but I guess thats not the case. As far as acclimating, I dont know. I did what I was told by both stores, which was to dip them with a coral dip, and put them in. I dipped for a few minutes (different times for different corals which was recommended) then cut the excess frag plug and glued them in. As far as putting them in the sand, that is a nice idea, but I have a tiger goby and I have heard goby's will terrorize corals, so I am worried he goby would knock them over while I'm at work. As far as these corals go, they are already all glued in to place, so I dont think I should mess with them further by ripping them off and putting into the sand, but on the next batch I will think about it, depending on the goby issue

Understood well from your full tank shot everything looks to be in a good spot

I’d do some research on the corals mentioned in this post

You in fact have all soft corals and only one lps coral.

So with out knowing that salt level of your tank compared to salt level of fish store and also on traveling home with a ph drop doing the way you acclimated you could have overly stressed your corals the best way is to acclimate the way you acclimate fish bag float then once everything is at the right levels then do series of dips after the dios make sure to dip corals in a separate cup of clean tank water to rid the coral dip off of coral so it doesn’t follow into tank its also best to make sure lights are off when adding corals to tank to cause as less stress possible on coral

 

[smalltownuser]

Understood well from your full tank shot everything looks to be in a good spot

I’d do some research on the corals mentioned in this post

You in fact have all soft corals and only one lps coral.

So with out knowing that salt level of your tank compared to salt level of fish store and also on traveling home with a ph drop doing the way you acclimated you could have overly stressed your corals the best way is to acclimate the way you acclimate fish bag float then once everything is at the right levels then do series of dips after the dios make sure to dip corals in a separate cup of clean tank water to rid the coral dip off of coral so it doesn’t follow into tank its also best to make sure lights are off when adding corals to tank to cause as less stress possible on coral

Yes, I forgot to add that in the OP, I did turn lights off when I added them, and also when I feed them. Based on the pictures, do you think they will snap out of it? If so, Im completely fine with that. I dont care if it takes weeks, so long as its on the right track. My concern is that they are dying, because the one that did die, looked like the rest of these do right now. The first coral I bought, when I also bought the largest one, looked terrible like the rest of them do now, and eventually all the polyps on the frag disappeared over the course of 2-ish weeks, so Im worried these other ones are on that same timeline :/

 

[smalltownuser]

I was thinking of trace mineral elements and such. Corals use up these things as they grow and need supplementing, esp when you start putting stony corals in. The corals in particular the zoas do better with adding iodide weekly. I use SeaChem iodide myself . And Reef Trace and Reef Plus by the same company.Also look up 2 part dosing it will help keep the calcium and Alk levels stable

Is that just a weekly add of those 3 things, or do you test the tank, and add those based on what your levels are at?

 

[twelvefive]

I have alkalinity and calcium test kits. When I bought the corals, I asked both stores what tests I should buy, and they both said as long as Im doing weekly water changes, I dont need to worry about the alk, calcium, magnesium, etc because the salt mix gives what they need, plus the waste from the fish, so I dont have any other tests. Those ones came in the API test kit I bought when I first started the tank, which almost unanimously people have said API tests suck, so I havent touched them since. I got ammonia, nitrite and nitrate tests from better brands for the tank but didnt buy any others for corals.

They're not wrong, but when things start to look bad, it's nice to have kits to tell you if something is off.

I agree that everything looks placed well, I don't see much flow happening in that tank though, I'd look into a power head or two.

 

[Stephen8169301]

Yes, I forgot to add that in the OP, I did turn lights off when I added them, and also when I feed them. Based on the pictures, do you think they will snap out of it? If so, Im completely fine with that. I dont care if it takes weeks, so long as its on the right track. My concern is that they are dying, because the one that did die, looked like the rest of these do right now. The first coral I bought, when I also bought the largest one, looked terrible like the rest of them do now, and eventually all the polyps on the frag disappeared over the course of 2-ish weeks, so Im worried these other ones are on that same timeline :/

Based of the pics yeah they look like they may nothing looks bleached so that’s a good sign as well just maintain stable water how many fish do you have

 

[smalltownuser]

They're not wrong, but when things start to look bad, it's nice to have kits to tell you if something is off.

I agree that everything looks placed well, I don't see much flow happening in that tank though, I'd look into a power head or two.

I have 2 powerheads in it, both aimed at the surface for water tension for oxygen. Obviously you cant tell in the picture because its a still shot, but the 3 corals that can move, do move pretty well. The little polyps ones dont really move, but the top middle, top left, and bottom right ones do sway around nicely when they are actually out, but thats the concern of this post, most of them arent stretching out much. They are enclosed most of the day

 

[twelvefive]

I have 2 powerheads in it, both aimed at the surface for water tension for oxygen. Obviously you cant tell in the picture because its a still shot, but the 3 corals that can move, do move pretty well. The little polyps ones dont really move, but the top middle, top left, and bottom right ones do sway around nicely when they are actually out, but thats the concern of this post, most of them arent stretching out much. They are enclosed most of the day

Ah ok, didn't see PH's in the pic

 

[steveschuerger]

Is that just a weekly add of those 3 things, or do you test the tank, and add those based on what your levels are at?

Iodide is weekly , the others every two to three days as needed. I generally just play it by ear with those except 2 part which is Alk and Calcium in 2 separate containers. The last is more important as you add lps/sps.

 

[smalltownuser]

Based of the pics yeah they look like they may nothing looks bleached so that’s a good sign as well just maintain stable water how many fish do you have

2 clowns, tang, goby, and blenny, along with 2 shrimp and 2 emerald crabs.
I was getting ready to head back to the LFS to get some new fish but the coral are worrying me so I want to get that under control before adding anything else

 

[smalltownuser]

Iodide is weekly , the others every two to three days as needed. I generally just play it by ear with those except 2 part which is Alk and Calcium in 2 separate containers. The last is more important as you add lps/sps.

So are the other two calcium and alk? If so, I already have those. I have magnesium, alk, and calcium mixes. I bought them but both stores told me not to add anything if Im doing water changes.
Also, what is he actual purpose of the iodide? Will it mess with the parameters of the tank?

 

[smalltownuser]

So basics like
Alk, Calcium, Magnesium, Nitrates, Phosphates, Salinity, pH, Temp
whats the flow like?
15% seems pretty low for lights . I run at 48 right now peak for blues, albeit different lights.
‘Most of those are softies(first 2 are probably zoas), but #3 looks to be a torch . They need moderate flow and medium lighting . Magnesium should be above 1300 for them to be happy . I’m running about 1450 ish

Regarding lighting, I've been told white is the only one that matters, and the rest are for preference on looks. Would you agree with that? If so are you saying 48% intensity on whites or 48 on blues? I like more blue to give more color pop but I don't want to hurt the coral. Also, they're low now because they're on acclimation mode so they get progressively more intense for a month, and eventually will be 50%

 

[Stephen8169301]

@smalltownuser white lighting is for viewing pleasure blue lighting Uv greens ect are for coral growth and health

I run 0% on whites

 

[smalltownuser]

@smalltownuser white lighting is for viewing pleasure blue lighting Uv greens ect are for coral growth and health

Son of a B***. Ok that could also be why my coral look worse. I was told blue does nothing except aesthetics, so I was cranking that baby up...

 

[Stephen8169301]

Son of a B***. Ok that could also be why my coral look worse. I was told blue does nothing except aesthetics, so I was cranking that baby up...

Ooof yeah slowly bring those lights up and bring the whites down over a couple days

 

[smalltownuser]

Ooof yeah slowly bring those lights up and bring the whites down over a couple days

Ok will do, and as far as trace elements, I was thinking about it last night, and I also have Reef Energy + Coral Nutrition. Its a greenish liquid that Im supposed to pour throughout the tank, but I havent used it yet, because I have seen posts about those things messing with water parameters so I was worried about it. Is that the trace elements you were referring to?

 

[Stephen8169301]

Ok will do, and as far as trace elements, I was thinking about it last night, and I also have Reef Energy + Coral Nutrition. Its a greenish liquid that Im supposed to pour throughout the tank, but I havent used it yet, because I have seen posts about those things messing with water parameters so I was worried about it. Is that the trace elements you were referring to?

The only thing I dose in my tank is ab+ once a week I was doing reef roids but I think that was contributing to my gha outbreak

 

[smalltownuser]

The only thing I dose in my tank is ab+ once a week I was doing reef roids but I think that was contributing to my gha outbreak

I think thats the same one i have. Its a greenish liquid that you just pour directly into the tank, right?