Torch and frogspawn aren't opening fully

James Barton · Jan 8, 2018

Temp 78
Salinity 1.025
Ph 7.8
Ammonia/nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
Phosphate 0
Calcium 370
Magnesium 1300
Alkalinity 8

Going on day 2 with them not fully opening. The only thing that has changed since is what I believe is a diatom bloom. They've both been in my tank about a month and used to open up beautifully. And I believe these diatom are taking over my toadstools?

Crabs McJones · Jan 8, 2018

James Barton said:
Temp 78
Salinity 1.025
Ph 7.8
Ammonia/nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
Phosphate 0
Calcium 370
Magnesium 1300
Alkalinity 8

Going on day 2 with them not fully opening. The only thing that has changed since is what I believe is a diatom bloom. They've both been in my tank about a month and used to open up beautifully. And I believe these diatom are taking over my toadstools?

How long have you had them in the tank? As far as diatoms taking over our toadstools, you can try putting more flow over them and seeing if that will help keep it off.
Just watch to see if it upsets them, if so go back to the flow they liked.

nautical_nathaniel · Jan 8, 2018

It takes a few days for euphyllia corals to adjust to a new home, to put things in perspective my Gold Torch I got at MACNA took 3 weeks to fully adjust haha had me worried sick so I know how you feel

Edit: I guess I read day 2 as "day 2 in the tank", my bad.

Tahoe61 · Jan 8, 2018

I do not not think diatoms.

What are you dosing the tank with? Using any amino acids?

Is there any formation of air bubbles?

Are you doing routine water changes?

James Barton · Jan 8, 2018

crabs_mcjones said:
How long have you had them in the tank? As far as diatoms taking over our toadstools, you can try putting more flow over them and seeing if that will help keep it off.
Just watch to see if it upsets them, if so go back to the flow they liked.

They have been in the tank for about a month and ever since introducing them they have opened up fully. Just weird that now they aren't opening anymore.

James Barton · Jan 8, 2018

nautical_nathaniel said:
It takes a few days for euphyllia corals to adjust to a new home, to put things in perspective my Gold Torch I got at MACNA took 3 weeks to fully adjust haha had me worried sick so I know how you feel

Edit: I guess I read day 2 as "day 2 in the tank", my bad.

It's all good! However, I'm still worried sick lol.

James Barton · Jan 8, 2018

Tahoe61 said:
I do not not think diatoms.

What are you dosing the tank with? Using any amino acids?

Is there any formation of air bubbles?

Are you doing routine water changes?

Not dosing anything. Water changes every Sunday. And not really any bubbles. The only ones I could find are these

Tahoe61 · Jan 8, 2018

Have you added any new equipment to the tank? Diatoms are not just to pop up like that without a source.

I would watch it closely. Blow off the growth from corals and rock and see how fast it grows back.

James Barton · Jan 8, 2018

Tahoe61 said:
Have you added any new equipment to the tank? Diatoms are not just to pop up like that without a source.

I would watch it closely. Blow off the growth from corals and rock and see how fast it grows back.

No new equipment. I stopped running filter socks for a couple days but that's about all that's changed. I stirred the gravel up and it was back the next day.

Tahoe61 · Jan 8, 2018

Hopefully I am wrong, but the image of the Toadstool and the images with the bubbles looks similar to Dinoflagellates. That fact that it returns so quickly is not a great sign either.

James Barton · Jan 8, 2018

Tahoe61 said:
Hopefully I am wrong, but the image of the Toadstool and the images with the bubbles looks similar to Dinoflagellates. That fact that it returns so quickly is not a great sign either.

And that is what I was hoping it wasn't. The bubles are only in those 2 spots I have pictured, the cord coming from 1 powerhead and the other on my floating feeder. Don't see any bubbles anywhere else. And my foxface picks at it eating what little he can.

Midrats · Jan 8, 2018

Any shrimp in the tank?

James Barton · Jan 8, 2018

squareriggersailor said:
Any shrimp in the tank?

2 skunk cleaners and 3 small pistols.

Zack K · Jan 8, 2018

James Barton said:
Nitrate 20
Phosphate0

These are the first 2 parameters I look at. Your nitrates are perfect. Phosphate, not so much 0.1-0.3 I find to make these blossom. As well as this, do you see your cleaners pick food away from them? That could also be an irritant.

-Zack, who likes those colors!

James Barton · Jan 8, 2018

Zack Klabunde said:
These are the first 2 parameters I look at. Your nitrates are perfect. Phosphate, not so much 0.1-0.3 I find to make these blossom. As well as this, do you see your cleaners pick food away from them? That could also be an irritant.

-Zack, who likes those colors!

Nope, shrimp don't venture out of their cave.

Tahoe61 · Jan 9, 2018

This worked for me:

Up pH to at least 8.2/I used kalk in the top off to achieve this. But you got to watch for Alk and Ca swings.
Stop water changes.
Blow off the growth from all rocks and corals, let it get picked up by the mechanical filtration ie: foam, socks.... Clean the mechanical filtration daily.
Complete black out to tank and sump for 3 days.
After the black out I reduced the photo-period to 3 hours a day. As soon as I saw the development of strands I turned off the lighting.

It took me about 2 weeks to win the battle. Took me 3 months to figure out what it was. Dino was the one thing that almost made me quite the hobby for awhile.

James Barton · Jan 9, 2018

Tahoe61 said:
This worked for me:

Up pH to at least 8.2/I used kalk in the top off to achieve this. But you got to watch for Alk and Ca swings.
Stop water changes.
Blow off the growth from all rocks and corals, let it get picked up by the mechanical filtration ie: foam, socks.... Clean the mechanical filtration daily.
Complete black out to tank and sump for 3 days.
After the black out I reduced the photo-period to 3 hours a day. As soon as I saw the development of strands I turned off the lighting.

It took me about 2 weeks to win the battle. Took me 3 months to figure out what it was. Dino was the one thing that almost made me quite the hobby for awhile.

I'll try this out. Thanks for the input.