My Goniopora is looking horrible.

[Larry101]

I bought this goniopora 3 weeks ago and it has really settled in nicely, or at least I thought. On Thursday night i did a water change and on Friday the polyps did come out but barely. I tested everything here it is: Nitrates: 2.5, Phosphates: 0, Specific Gravity: 1.025, Temp: 78 degrees, Alkalinity: 7.8, Calcium: 440. The problem I saw was that the phosphate test (salifert) was coming back as 0. I fed all of the corals in hopes that the phosphate would jump up. Now today the goniopora isn't even opening, what should I do?

 

[vetteguy53081]

These do best mid tank under moderate light and water flow.
Nitrate may be affecting is as it is getting high in your tank. . . . Desired is < .025 - .05 and with your readings , there should be presence of phos. They actually need a little phos in their water

Mag 1300
ph 8.1 - 8.3
Phos < .04
Ammonia < .03

Feed at least 2X per week.

 

[Larry101]

These do best mid tank under moderate light and water flow.
Nitrate may be affecting is as it is getting high in your tank. . . . Desired is < .025 - .05 and with your readings , there should be presence of phos. They actually need a little phos in their water

Mag 1300
ph 8.1 - 8.3
Phos < .04
Ammonia < .03

Feed at least 2X per week.

2.5ppm of nitrates is high?

 

[JediCruz]

2.5ppm of nitrates is high?

Close to zero is recommended just not 0. For a reef tank 2.5 ppm is high, yes.

 

[vetteguy53081]

2.5ppm of nitrates is high?

Recommended range .025 - .05
2.5 is max high especially with presence of coral

 

[intricate_reefer]

I agree moderate flow/light. I would bring up the phosphate a bit. I run my nitrate 10ppm and phosphate around 0.05ppm. I have probably a dozen different goniopora and they all thrive

 

[nkyreef]

Nitrate depends a lot on what your corals can use. 2.5 is not high IMO. I run mine 15 - 25 and everything's happy. I'd let the PO4 come up a little 0.04 or so. Zero leaves nothing for the corals.

 

[paul01609]

Depending on test kit as well with a percentage of error either way

 

[Larry101]

Recommended range .025 - .05
2.5 is max high especially with presence of coral

Really? I know plenty of tanks that are thriving that are well above 2.5ppm in nitrates.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Really? I know plenty of tanks that are thriving that are well above 2.5ppm in nitrates.

It differs. Based on volume, type of coral and inhabitants and filtration

 

[stanlalee]

Nitrates are fine. What are you using to test phosphates? Depending on the kit resolution results can be worthless. 0.3 on a Hanna meter still reads 0 on an API kit. The only thing Goni's need compared to other lps is feeding , preferably target feeding (most lps benefit from direct feeding but some Gonis may require it). Goniopower and reef roids were developed specifically for goni feeding back when they didn't do so well in the hobby. The other thing they need is being selected from the right source. Aquacultured best, australian usually ok, anywhere else not so much..

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Mine get ticked off very easily and will close up for a few days at a time with any parameter fluctuation. Anything change drastically with lighting, flow or parameters?

 

[Larry101]

Mine get ticked off very easily and will close up for a few days at a time with any parameter fluctuation. Anything change drastically with lighting, flow or parameters?

I think that might have happened. My salinity may have shifted from the water change a bit. After 2 days of being closed the goniopora is starting to extend its polyps.

 

[Orm Embar]

How much are you feeding? My recollection of goniopora is that they require food moreso than most other corals (https://reefs.com/magazine/the-successful-aquarium-culture-of-goniopora-species/), otherwise they end up dying a slow death of starvation.

 

[wonroc]

Really!. Doesnt look bad. U know they shut down at night or when something comes in contact. Leave em alone and dont be so paranoid

 

[sawdonkey]

Close to zero is recommended just not 0. For a reef tank 2.5 ppm is high, yes.

That’s news to me. I’ve been rocking nitrate at 30-50 for over two years and all of my acros, LPS, and my Goni are always happy. My Goni went from small frag to large baseball and I’ve grown acros from one inch frags to colonies bigger than my hand.

I know plenty of people that have great tanks with NO3 >20. Now, when my PO4 climbs, my acros start looking bad, but I know others that do just fine with high PO4.

So to the OP, in my opinion and or experience....NO3 ain’t your problem. 2.5 is nothing and I’d even say it’s low. How are you people even measuring to the nearest .25 ppm? Is your test kit even that accurate?

 

[sawdonkey]

Oh, and one more thing....I’ve only directly fed my Goni about five times in two years.

 

[JediCruz]

That’s news to me. I’ve been rocking nitrate at 30-50 for over two years and all of my acros, LPS, and my Goni are always happy. My Goni went from small frag to large baseball and I’ve grown acros from one inch frags to colonies bigger than my hand.

I know plenty of people that have great tanks with NO3 >20. Now, when my PO4 climbs, my acros start looking bad, but I know others that do just fine with high PO4.

So to the OP, in my opinion and or experience....NO3 ain’t your problem. 2.5 is nothing and I’d even say it’s low. How are you people even measuring to the nearest .25 ppm? Is your test kit even that accurate?

Yeah, as I mentioned in a different post, I don’t even have that low of Nitrates. Glad to hear that that way if thinking is no longer considered truth. I won’t be chasing that as I start to add more corals to my tank (still starting out).

 

[sawdonkey]

Yeah, as I mentioned in a different post, I don’t even have that low of Nitrates. Glad to hear that that way if thinking is no longer considered truth. I won’t be chasing that as I start to add more corals to my tank (still starting out).

Word. There aren’t too many hard and fast rules in this hobby. I was more surprised the @vetteguy53081 put out 2.5 as the max NO3 like it’s the law since he’s been around the block and then around again. There are plenty of successful tanks with 10-15x that level of NO3. With that said, I’d love to lower my nitrates to <10. I’m just struggling to pull it off with my bio load (mostly due to my huge eel).

 

[Jilly92]

2.5ppm of nitrates is high?

No 2.5 isn't high. I think ideal is 10-15