ORA Birds nest issues

Evan West · Jul 18, 2017

So This birds-nest is not doing so hot and idk why, stable levels at 450 Cal, dKh of 7-8, Mg 1200, Ph 7.9-8.1. No3 5-10. One frag is right next to some setosa and spongodes that are doing fine and is in med-hig flow and right under a kessil a360we 11" off the water at 30%. The other frag is right under it as well but further down the tank. Sorry for the bad photos they are phone pics, helps to view them on a phone.

CodyRVA · Jul 18, 2017

I personally wouldn't say that it's doing bad, but might be the pic. Unless the tips or base are turning white I wouldn't worry. Also, anytime you give a range for ALK, that's a tell tale sign of instability. MG can be raised some.

Evan West · Jul 18, 2017

yeah its all pretty pale and has had tissue die off

CodyRVA · Jul 18, 2017

Evan West said:
yeah its all pretty pale and has had tissue die off

Gotcha, how long have you had the frag? Other concerns would be either too much or too little light or flow; and possibly too much direct flow.

Evan West · Jul 18, 2017

CodyRVA said:
Gotcha, how long have you had the frag? Other concerns would be either too much or too little light or flow; and possibly too much direct flow.

4 months, was fine for a while. Trying to figure out where to put it as ive tried the recommended places.

ksfulk · Jul 18, 2017

Evan West said:
4 months, was fine for a while. Trying to figure out where to put it as ive tried the recommended places.

Let me know if the birdsnest bites the dust. I have a dozen or so frags that are 4-6" and as thick as three fingers

I've probably got a few other frags I can throw in as well.

CodyRVA · Jul 18, 2017

Evan West said:
4 months, was fine for a while. Trying to figure out where to put it as ive tried the recommended places.

Just my 2 cents, but typically I've had the best success with med to high light (400ish PAR) with indirect med flow

Evan West · Jul 19, 2017

CodyRVA said:
Just my 2 cents, but typically I've had the best success with med to high light (400ish PAR) with indirect med flow

Hmmm probs not hitting 400 par lol probably like 200 max in my tank, been working up slowly but i have lots of lps and zoa that need to be slowly worked up to it.

CodyRVA · Jul 19, 2017

Evan West said:
Hmmm probs not hitting 400 par lol probably like 200 max in my tank, been working up slowly but i have lots of lps and zoa that need to be slowly worked up to it.

After looking around at online shops, ideal PAR is 300-450 for this piece. So, after 4 months, it might just now finally be showing signs of ailment. This is usually a pretty forgiving and resilient coral so, may want to consider either positioning it higher in your tank or beefing up your lighting. How long have you had your other SPS? Instead of adding rock or re aquascaping, you could buy a small frag rack and move it up just to test and see if lighting/flow resolve the issue.

Evan West · Jul 19, 2017

CodyRVA said:
After looking around at online shops, ideal PAR is 300-450 for this piece. So, after 4 months, it might just now finally be showing signs of ailment. This is usually a pretty forgiving and resilient coral so, may want to consider either positioning it higher in your tank or beefing up your lighting. How long have you had your other SPS? Instead of adding rock or re aquascaping, you could buy a small frag rack and move it up just to test and see if lighting/flow resolve the issue.

Lol alredy have 2 kessil a360we on this 20g tank they are just running rather low, I allredy thought that this might be the issue so I am working on ramping them up. They are on a 14 day aclimation to bump them up 5% more.

Evan West · Jul 19, 2017

Just concerned for my Euphillia and other LPS as the tank is only 12" deep and they can only take so much lol, doing fine right now but still, tho i have no idea how much im actually getting as i dont have access to a par meter -_-

CodyRVA · Jul 19, 2017

Evan West said:
Just concerned for my Euphillia and other LPS as the tank is only 12" deep and they can only take so much lol, doing fine right now but still, tho i have no idea how much im actually getting as i dont have access to a par meter -_-

Yea its hard to say without measuring. I have my LPS/Softies at 250-350 PAR and they're doing good; mushrooms I have slightly shaded. I also have a shallow tank; low light/high flow chalices are completely off limits in my system, not enough shade...

Evan West · Jul 19, 2017

CodyRVA said:
Yea its hard to say without measuring. I have my LPS/Softies at 250-350 PAR and they're doing good; mushrooms I have slightly shaded. I also have a shallow tank; low light/high flow chalices are completely off limits in my system, not enough shade...

Need to see if I cant get my hands on one

Husker · Jul 19, 2017

I will disagree a bit, and my ORA green birds nest always did much better in lower light (by SPS standards). It can pale pretty easily in high light, but it also seems reasonably able to adapt if you just give it some time. Moving it frequently is probably stressing the coral. Mine also would pale out if the alk got too high with too low of nitrate/phosphate. Your parameters seem fine.

CodyRVA · Jul 19, 2017

Husker said:
I will disagree a bit, and my ORA green birds nest always did much better in lower light (by SPS standards). It can pale pretty easily in high light, but it also seems reasonably able to adapt if you just give it some time. Moving it frequently is probably stressing the coral. Mine also would pale out if the alk got too high with too low of nitrate/phosphate. Your parameters seem fine.

I'm just basing the PAR range off of what most sellers are providing and my own experience. Agreed, this piece can usually be acclimated to a wide PAR range. It's clearly not getting to much light or it would have died a long time ago assuming in the 4 months it's been in this display it hasn't been moved vertically. Flow and chemistry have also been identified.

SDReefer · Jul 19, 2017

Birdsnests are very sensitive to Alk swings. How stable are your paramets?

Evan West · Jul 19, 2017

SDReefer said:
Birdsnests are very sensitive to Alk swings. How stable are your paramets?

Good question lol, previously not very like +/- 1 alk but im dosing kalk now so they are less but im still tuning that in so errr its not like 100% stedy right now. Did not know nests were so sensitive tho so that might be the issue here

CodyRVA · Jul 19, 2017

SDReefer said:
Birdsnests are very sensitive to Alk swings. How stable are your paramets?

Coral... are very sensitive to ALK swings.

Evan West · Jul 19, 2017

CodyRVA said:
Coral... are very sensitive to ALK swings.

I mean i have triving LPS and Zoa so if this is the issue then they have to be less so then the nest.

CodyRVA · Jul 19, 2017

Evan West said:
I mean i have triving LPS and Zoa so if this is the issue then they have to be less so then the nest.

That's true and they are. Generally speaking SPS are most sensitive, LPS less (this varies), softies the least, but make no mistake all coral are sensitive to ALK swings. Zoas, Torches, Cyphastrea can suffer from an ALK swing just like any SPS can.