Think I am losing my Birsdnest

[Northern Flicker]

First off, tank parameters:

Salinity: 1.025
Temp: 78F

PO4: 0.05
NO3: 13

Alk: 9
Cal: 410
Mag: 1250


The Birdsnest pictured below arrived 11 days ago. They both seem to have either brown algae or they are ejecting their zooxanthelle. Both are in strong flow and strong light. Acros beside them are fine. Lighting was on an acclimation schedule that ended 3 days ago - perhaps the lighting was too strong?

I’ve had some issues with bleaching since I’ve added a 2nd Prime to my tank. It’s a lagoon, only 13” tall, so I’m thinking I need to dial back the intensity.

 

[kevgib67]

Sorry looks rough and your mag is low. Good luck it sounds like you’re going to make some positive changes. I’m sure others will chime in.

 

[soreefed]

Put it down on the sand bed to see if it improves at all. What intensity are you running? I’ve got 2 primes on a im fusion 20 about 10 inches above the water line. They peak at 99% intensity in the blue spectrum.

 

[Northern Flicker]

Put it down on the sand bed to see if it improves at all. What intensity are you running? I’ve got 2 primes on a im fusion 20 about 10 inches above the water line. They peak at 99% intensity in the blue spectrum.

Similar height off the water but only 75% blue, whites and others all below 10% at their max.

Dialled it back today to 63% max blues.

 

[saltcats]

I have my birdsnests in the bottom half of my tank (13" deep) with 1 prime which maxes out at about 45% on blues.

 

[Lavey29]

I have the same pink bird sitting in 350 par at the top of the tank. Perhaps a light iodine dip in case there is an infection from acclimation stress? Lugols dip?

 

[Stephen8169301]

my birds nest is at top about 300 par

 

[Doctorgori]

Hopefully you will get better input than this; but honestly I’ve had more than one rapidly grow into a colony only to flake up with burnt tips and tissue necrosis… I’ve had other experience hobbyist report the same,,,,
There are threads on the topic so hopefully someone with bird nest tricks will chime in, but for a supposedly “easy beginners coral” I won’t buy one anymore.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Similar height off the water but only 75% blue, whites and others all below 10% at their max.

Dialled it back today to 63% max blues.

Mine are in upper part of tank near medium water flow. Calcium of 425-450 important and alk in the high 8's to low 9 range

 

[Northern Flicker]

Mine are in upper part of tank near medium water flow. Calcium of 425-450 important and alk in the high 8's to low 9 range

I have that one and luckily, it's looking quite good.

It's the "pointy" ones that seem to be having trouble, for some reason.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have that one and luckily, it's looking quite good.

It's the "pointy" ones that seem to be having trouble, for some reason.

those are supposed to be the easier one but also dont require as much flow

 

[Roatan Reef]

those are supposed to be the easier one but also dont require as much flow

So, the more Stick looking ones, or the pointy tip ones...like your basic red birdsnest have done well in my 40B for a few months, then almost overnight, Burnt, RTN etc then become covered in algae and are done.

I'm riding with a Birds of Paradise birdsnest right now, placed in upper left corner withe moderate flow, and it is thriving right now...the Birds of Paradise seem more hardy and their polyps seem to love the flow. Previous stick ones were center top of tank that fizzled out in 4-6 months.

Fingers crossed!

Hopefully you will get better input than this; but honestly I’ve had more than one rapidly grow into a colony only to flake up with burnt tips and tissue necrosis… I’ve had other experience hobbyist report the same,,,,
There are threads on the topic so hopefully someone with bird nest tricks will chime in, but for a supposedly “easy beginners coral” I won’t buy one anymore.

Mine are in upper part of tank near medium water flow. Calcium of 425-450 important and alk in the high 8's to low 9 range

 

[Dburr1014]

They are so finicky.

Make sure no direct flow, birds nest hate direct flow.

 

[Northern Flicker]

They are so finicky.

Make sure no direct flow, birds nest hate direct flow.

oh...oh dear...

 

[Dburr1014]

oh...oh dear...

Um, is that a problem?

Mine is right below a mp40 and it will not grow into the flow. It's kinda funny in the growth pattern.
I'll see if I have a pic.
You can see part of it here, but it's flat all the way across. Like a flat top hair cut.

 

[Northern Flicker]

Um, is that a problem?

The two that died were definitely being blasted directly both from returns and also from the pulsing wavemaker.

EDIT: I guess neither are dead, just not doing well. I've adjusted their position and the flow a little bit.

 

[Northern Flicker]

Learned a lot about birdsnest from this video and some articles I've found.

Very surprised that they can vary so much in terms of lighting requirements. I think I melted my mine, had them too high up. The small frags I left on the substrate are doing much better.

 

[fodsod]

I have the same pink bird sitting in 350 par at the top of the tank. Perhaps a light iodine dip in case there is an infection from acclimation stress? Lugols dip?

This was going to be my suggetsion also. I have a similar Birdsnest the it started to struggle and bleach some so I did a Iodine dip and it's great now (it did take about a month to recover). Sits top half of the tank and gets 220-240 PAR and decently strong flow.

 

[Grassy_Nole]

Learned a lot about birdsnest from this video and some articles I've found.

Very surprised that they can vary so much in terms of lighting requirements. I think I melted my mine, had them too high up. The small frags I left on the substrate are doing much better.

Yeah, typically I've had better low closer to sand bed. I noticed colors start to fade with high PAR