Soft Coral Help

[torret]

Hi all,

I'm fairly new to reef keeping, my tank is roughly 4 months old at this point. I got a couple of ricordea mushrooms (R. yuma) about 2 weeks ago and I noticed last night that several of the tentacles appear to be falling off. I added a damsel and an emerald crab last weekend but haven't seen either picking at the corals. One of my clowns happily eats the tentacles that fall off but otherwise I haven't seen it nipping either. They seem to just slough off randomly. Last night I say about 8 or so lying on the substrate. A xenia I added at the same time the tips of which are also began curling outward over the past few days. I've added Kent essential elements earlier this week. I have an iodine supplement coming tomorrow which I'll also add.

Parameters last night were pH: 8.2, Sal: 1.023, Amm.: 0 ppm, Nitrite: 0 ppm, Nitrate: 0 ppm, PO4: 0 ppm, Temp: 79F. The flow is fairly low, they're on the other side of some rocks from the power head on the bottom.

I'm at a loss for what to change/do, any help is appreciated.

 

[reefer024]

Can you post pictures? Be careful dosing you can do more bad than good, if parameters fluctuate rapidly. Your salinity is a little low, also what lighting are you running? Tank size?

 

[ReQuackulous]

You have a pic? Also 0 nitrates and phosphates is not good. If your doing water changes you don't have to be dosing right now especially as your corals aren't very demanding. What test kits are you using?

 

[torret]

My tank is a 32 gal Biocube using the stock LED lighting. Test kits are the API Reef Master Test Kit (pH, Amm, NO2-, NO3-) and the Fluval Phosphate Test Kit. I typically have been doing a 10-15% water change every 2-3 weeks.

I'll post pictures when I get home tonight.

 

[Leslie Tabor]

All of the above but also yumas are notoriously difficult to keep for some people. Lots of stories about them just melting away.

 

[torret]

This one is the worst off. The other one lost one or two last night but I have seen many bright green spots floating around at night.

 

[Pistondog]

they like some nutrients, 5 to 10 ppm nitrates, 0.05 to 0.15 phosphates.

 

[torret]

Well I did a 10% water change last night with tap water to hopefully introduce some nitrate and phosphate as well as bump the salinity up slightly. Also removed the carbon filter so it's just running through the bio media and filter floss going to the return pump.

Everything looked slightly better this morning, a lot fewer tentacles on the substrate. I guess I'll just keep an eye on it and see what happens.

 

[reefer024]

Well I did a 10% water change last night with tap water to hopefully introduce some nitrate and phosphate as well as bump the salinity up slightly. Also removed the carbon filter so it's just running through the bio media and filter floss going to the return pump.

Everything looked slightly better this morning, a lot fewer tentacles on the substrate. I guess I'll just keep an eye on it and see what happens.

You took out water and did a straight tap water change?

 

[torret]

You took out water and did a straight tap water change?

No, I added salt to 1.025 to the tap water so salinity is up a little overall. Should have been clearer there.

 

[reefer024]

No, I added salt to 1.025 to the tap water so salinity is up a little overall. Should have been clearer there.

Did you add water conditioner?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Well I did a 10% water change last night with tap water to hopefully introduce some nitrate and phosphate as well as bump the salinity up slightly. Also removed the carbon filter so it's just running through the bio media and filter floss going to the return pump.

Everything looked slightly better this morning, a lot fewer tentacles on the substrate. I guess I'll just keep an eye on it and see what happens.

Not only did you add phosphates and nitrates but you also added everything else you don’t want like iron copper silicates and other elements that you don’t want by doing tap water creates a whole Nother set of issues

 

[Arthacker87]

Lol try to keep water salinity at 1.025 and temp at 78 (give or take) and if you only have a couple fish don't stress on a water change for a bit. Let's those nitrates come up naturally with fish poop. Softies love the poop or dissolved food. I would think the salinity was your problem. Dont use tap water like everyone said. It adds too much stuff you don't want in a reef. Yuma shrooms I have like lower light low flow. Its bottom corner of my 29bio I also run no top with a light 12" off water running at 55%. Id say give it a couple days with correct salinity and temp and no water changes and see what happens

 

[reefer024]

Lol try to keep water salinity at 1.025 and temp at 78 (give or take) and if you only have a couple fish don't stress on a water change for a bit. Let's those nitrates come up naturally with fish poop. Softies love the poop or dissolved food. I would think the salinity was your problem. Dont use tap water like everyone said. It adds too much stuff you don't want in a reef. Yuma shrooms I have like lower light low flow. Its bottom corner of my 29bio I also run no top with a light 12" off water running at 55%. Id say give it a couple days with correct salinity and temp and no water changes and see what happens

I think you misunderstood, no one told him to do a water change with tap water.

 

[Arthacker87]

No I'm saying like everyone said don't use tap water, or don't use tap water, like everyone said. Everyone was saying he shouldn't have I was agreeing

 

[reefer024]

No I'm saying like everyone said don't use tap water, or don't use tap water, like everyone said. Everyone was saying he shouldn't have I was agreeing

Oh gotcha, sorry about that.

 

[reefer024]

How's the tank doing?

 

[40g Nano]

it depends on what is in your tap, some people have great success with their tap w/ conditioner

 

[((FORDTECH))]

it depends on what is in your tap, some people have great success with their tap w/ conditioner

Hmmmmmm

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I’ve never heard of tapwater with 0TDS