Please help my goniopora

[PTXReef]

Hello! I’ve been noticing some tiny goniopora heads on my sand. It looks like it’s getting choked out by some brown band, I’m guessing algae growing on it? It’s in high light ~300 PAR (~8” from surface using Red Sea LED 50s). Anyone know how to get rid of that or help it?

I’ve seen similar algae doing the same to my xenias a year ago when my tank was less mature.

Parameters:
Salinity: 1.026, 34.0 ppt (Ice Cap Salinity Pen)
Temperature: 78.2 F (Ice Cap Salinity Pen)
Alkalinity: 7.9 dKH (Hanna)
Calcium: 432 ppm (Hanna)
ULR Phosphorus: 2 ppb (Hanna)
Magnesium: 1520 ppm (Red Sea Kit)
Ammonia/Nitrite: 0 ppm (API)
Nitrate: 5-10 ppm (API)
pH: 8.2 (API)

No issues with other corals. I have been seeing small specks of cyano popping up on my sand which I siphon off whatever I see daily (been happening for a week). Lighting schedule is at 100% blues 30% whites for 10 hours.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Backreefing]

Phosphate at 2 ppb is very low . I would be concerned about it. Maybe feed more . Or dose . Cyano is usually from low and unbalanced nutrients. It happens, I got it to .

 

[Backreefing]

I noticed your useing API test kits . I would trash them. I got bad numbers from them myself. Very random results. If you shake the bottle wrong it will test differently. I know they are affordable and widely sold , but trash .

 

[PTXReef]

I noticed your useing API test kits . I would trash them. I got bad numbers from them myself. Very random results. If you shake the bottle wrong it will test differently. I know they are affordable and widely sold , but trash .

I have also noticed that, will definitely get some different kits. But for now, it's better than nothing.

 

[PTXReef]

Phosphate at 2 ppb is very low . I would be concerned about it. Maybe feed more . Or dose . Cyano is usually from low and unbalanced nutrients. It happens, I got it to .

What's an optimal range? I keep seeing too many different values.

 

[Backreefing]

If your getting red cyano. This tells me you have very low nitrates. In a aquarium with no nitrates and little phosphate it seams to take off . It’s random to . We are still learning about it .

 

[Backreefing]

What's an optimal range? I keep seeing too many different values.

Depending on what corals you have . SPS 20-30 ppb phosphate is perfect. Lps may like more . And .19 would be The absolute highest I would allow.
But keeping it stable is paramount. I crashed my tank changing it . It would go up with doseing then be zero again repeat repeat.

 

[PTXReef]

If your getting red cyano. This tells me you have very low nitrates. In a aquarium with no nitrates and little phosphate it seams to take off . It’s random to . We are still learning about it .

Because of the kit, I did do 5g water changes daily for a week to get it lower. It read as ~ 20 ppm before.

I also thought I have been overfeeding to help my yellow and hippo tang recover from HLLE. The tank gets fed twice a day with nori, seaweed delight, spirulina brine, mysis, NLS pellets all soaked in selcon and reef plus. They release a good amount of waste daily so I thought I was overfeeding.

I have not changed much else because all the corals are extended and look healthy other than some shriveled goni heads on my sand bed.

I did check once after dosing some reef phytoplankton that my phosphorus was 63 ppb and wasn't sure if that was too high/low. Just started checking phosphates.

Would running my Reef Octopus HOB 2000 skimmer 24/7 affect anything?

 

[Backreefing]

BTW goniopora have a near 100% death rate long term. So do alovipora . Usually they last 1-2 years then one day it not fully expanded. It turns into a slow death like starvation. All this is in a closed loop system.

 

[PTXReef]

BTW goniopora have a near 100% death rate long term. So do alovipora . Usually they last 1-2 years then one day it not fully expanded. It turns into a slow death like starvation. All this is in a closed loop system.

Show me the data lol

 

[Backreefing]

The Reef Aquarium by J Spung . He was correct about it . I bought them ( goniopora ) it didn’t last 2 years . This sucks as they are beautiful.

 

[Backreefing]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/nftt/index.php

It’s a good read , if you like goniopora.

 

[Backreefing]

These days since Indonesia shut down. LPS guys have suffered more then us stickheads SPS . Man some lps are crazy expensive. And sps are easyer to grow out . Because of how fast they grow and how easy they cut . Lps are ridicules to cut . Like wall hammers, bubble coral , scollys ect . Honestly we may lose many lps in the future.
good luck with your goniopora.

 

[jcolliii]

I've only had one Alveopora for a few months, but it is growing like a weed. Reefbuilders seems to indicate quite a bit of long term success as well. How old is that Sprung book? What else did he say back then that we don't do anymore? If reefers listened to everyone saying that a coral group couldn't be kept, we'd all still have tanks full of ugly yellow-brown leathers.

 

[sas226]

I've only had one Alveopora for a few months, but it is growing like a weed. Reefbuilders seems to indicate quite a bit of long term success as well. How old is that Sprung book? What else did he say back then that we don't do anymore? If reefers listened to everyone saying that a coral group couldn't be kept, we'd all still have tanks full of ugly yellow-brown leathers.

I also watched that video and he indicated that the goni's enjoyed "Medium light" 300 par seems.. excessive if that's true.. like really excessive. I haven't had any experience with them so I'm just going off that.

 

[PTXReef]

How can I help the goni? Lower lighting schedule? Move the goni? Dose phosphates/nitrates?

 

[PTXReef]

I have had this goni for 8 months now and it's been doing well otherwise. This is the first time I've seen it lose polyps. @Backreefing How did you lose your goni?

 

[jcolliii]

I don't know what's going on there. I can't really see any filaments. I almost wonder if that is some sort of asexual reproduction strategy? Kind of like a limited polyp bail where half the polyp remains behind and regrows? Have any of them actually completely detached?

 

[NitrateKillah]

Either your water is too clean or just too dirty. Goni's like a little dirt, I had my NO3 up to 10 with no problem. Mine does wonderfully at 5.

Get a better test kit, Cyano is considered a bad sign.

 

[PTXReef]

I don't know what's going on there. I can't really see any filaments. I almost wonder if that is some sort of asexual reproduction strategy? Kind of like a limited polyp bail where half the polyp remains behind and regrows? Have any of them actually completely detached?

There are just small specs of green on my substrate which are shriveled up goniopora polyps. Can try to siphon it out and see if they attach to anything.

My other goni is doing fine on the other side of the tank.