No idea what this is?

[bkweibley]

I bought this Rock from someone selling coral locally but the person didnt seem to sure of what it actually was. I noticed that when these close up they actually go down into the rock. Pretty wild. What do you guys believe this is?

 

[Reeferey]

Looks like Goniopora !

 

[Tab28]

Yes goniopora. Looks like a short tentacle encrusting type. The rock you mentioned is actually its skeleton. The short tentacle encrusting types are more hardy than some others in this family, but care would be the same. It is a nice color.

 

[bkweibley]

My next question would be, Ive had this guy for probably 6 months. I had a bad algae breakout and he closed up on me. My water params all seem to be fine but he hasnt opened back up since and you can tell that probably 75% of him has died off. Is there anything I can do to save him?

 

[Tab28]

I am guessing the algae issue is cleared? How did you clear it up. Algae is generally a phosphate issue. They can come back but if it still does not came out. I would recheck you perimeters something seems off. I have had some of mine for years and even loss portions from a chiller break down. They opened as soon as the temperature was corrected. And within a few months completely bounced back. Some of mine.

 

[bkweibley]

Ive seen stuff before called Goni powder? I believe it was called. Would that help at all? Also im curious, im a little behind replacing my halide/T5 lights. Im assuming this could affect it, but affect things this much? I moved the goni from my DT to my frag tank with an LED on it a few days ago. I havent seen improvement yet though.

 

[Russellaqua]

As long as all your parameters are back in check, algae gone, etc., you should be fine. Only time and good husbandry will allow the Goni to grow out again and replace the polyps that died off.

You mentioned you moved it from your DT to your frag tank. Are these plumbed together (one system) or are they separate? If they are separate systems, moving it may also have upset the coral a bit to and caused it to take a little longer to extend its polyps. As far as bulb replacement on your DT is concerned, your output and your spectrum may have changed some, but that would simply lessen the amount of energy the coral gets from light. The polyps would still extend in an attempt to feed/collect light.

 

[Tab28]

A little behind on switching bulbs probably not. Mine are always out. Not sure what s little behind is to me a few months is a little. If you moved to led i hope it is on low. The food will not help. The polyps would need to be out to grab the food. What are your water perimeters.

 

[bkweibley]

I am at work right now, I will get parameters tonight. I pulled most of the algae out by hand, still some algae left in the tank, ive been doing water changes hoping the high phosphates work their way out. I just bought a phosban over the weekend I also need to get on to my system ASAP. Adventually the frag and display tanks will be plummed together, but as of right now its actually just water pulled out of the DT that is in the frag, and I am also doing water changes on it to try to get phosphates out of that water too. I was worried maybe the lighting was the issue, which is why I moved it. Is there anything else besides the phosban I should be running?

 

[Tab28]

Depending on how high your phosphates are you can not drop them too fast. But GFO is probably the safest ( used as directed) and fastest other than water changes. I would get your system stable before plumbing changes. It is not the lighting more than likely your water.