Torch and Hammer not doing well

[bluecheese]

I’ve had this hammer for a while, but for the last few weeks it’s been retracted. Same with this torch. I have a frogspawn which seems to be doing ok. But for some reason I’ve never had much luck with euphyllia.

Torch

Hammer

Frogspawn (and yes that’s a dead head you see behind the polyps)

Should I pull them out and dip them? If so, what dip should I use? I haven’t seen anything like flatworms on them.

Parameters:
Salinity 1.025
pH 8.1
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 2.2
Phosphate 0.03
Mg 1280
Calcium 490
Alk 9.4

Edited to add: corals are fed twice a week with a mix of Reef Roids and baby bring shrimp. Tank is dosed daily with RedSea AB+.

 

[Dom]

What lights are you using and what is the footprint of the tank?

 

[bluecheese]

What lights are you using and what is the footprint of the tank?

LED/T5 hybrid. A rinkydink Current USA Marine Orbit fixture, and two T5HO fixtures. Bulbs are 2 Blue, one True Actinic, and one Coral+.

Tank is 6'x18"x22".

 

[Lavey29]

It's because you have no nutrients. They are slowly starving to death. LPS need 10 to 15 nitrates and .05 to .1 phosphate. Check your par also.

 

[bluecheese]

It's because you have no nutrients. They are slowly starving to death. LPS need 10 to 15 nitrates and .05 to .1 phosphate. Check your par also.

Ok. They're fed twice a week.

 

[Lavey29]

Ok. They're fed twice a week.

LPS especially euphyllia like dirty nutrients rich water. I went through similar to you early on when my tank was young. My nitrates now are 15 and phosphate. 19 and tank thrives with growth.

 

[bluecheese]

LPS especially euphyllia like dirty nutrients rich water. I went through similar to you early on when my tank was young. My nitrates now are 15 and phosphate. 19 and tank thrives with growth.

Ok. I also dose RedSea AB+ daily.

But if I up the nitrates, what impact would I expect from the other corals?

 

[Lavey29]

Ok. I also dose RedSea AB+ daily.

But if I up the nitrates, what impact would I expect from the other corals?

Each tank is unique, I run an SPS dominant mixed reef heavy with euphyllia and soft corals also. As long as I maintain nutrients at the aforementioned levels everything in my tank thrives with growth and color.

You have a good light system. Assuming you have proper flow then your limiting factor is your water chemistry and what stands out there are very low nutrients levels. I tried dising AB plus to early on. Did nothing to save my corals that were starving.

Corals decline from the inside out. Can take weeks or months before you see the effects of nutrients starvation such as heads beginning to die off.

 

[Uncle99]

Ok. I also dose RedSea AB+ daily.

But if I up the nitrates, what impact would I expect from the other corals?

The phosphate is too low at 0.03ppm.
This is within the margin of error for most kits.
Your 0.03ppm result could also be 0.00ppm.
Bump to .1ppm so we know, it’s available to the corals.
Some experience pest algaes like Dinos at 0 phosphate.
Corals take up nitrates directly and phosphate indirectly and both must be available or living things starve.

 

[bluecheese]

The phosphate is too low at 0.03ppm.
This is within the margin of error for most kits.
Your 0.03ppm result could also be 0.00ppm.
Bump to .1ppm so we know, it’s available to the corals.
Some experience pest algaes like Dinos at 0 phosphate.
Corals take up nitrates directly and phosphate indirectly and both must be available or living things starve.

Should I dose phosphate to bring the levels up? How would I bring the nitrate levels up?

 

[Troylee]

Should I dose phosphate to bring the levels up? How would I bring the nitrate levels up?

Switch the ab+ for reef roids and it will bring up p04 and n03 or continue the ab+ with reef roids and it will dirty the water up for your corals.

 

[Lavey29]

Should I dose phosphate to bring the levels up? How would I bring the nitrate levels up?

Feed more is the first step trying to raise nutrients. I feed heavy 3x per day frozen stuff. Dry skim so not exporting as much out. I had to double dose neophos and neonitro for multiple months before I got measurable numbers.

 

[bluecheese]

Switch the ab+ for reef roids and it will bring up p04 and n03 or continue the ab+ with reef roids and it will dirty the water up for your corals.

That's a good idea. Just broadcast feed I assume.

 

[bluecheese]

Feed more is the first step trying to raise nutrients. I feed heavy 3x per day frozen stuff. Dry skim so not exporting as much out. I had to double dose neophos and neonitro for multiple months before I got measurable numbers.

I feed three times a day. Twice a day with flakes, once a day with mysis shrimp.

 

[Troylee]

That's a good idea. Just broadcast feed I assume.

Correct… I like to turn the return and skimmer off for a hour and broadcast feed the display with just the circulation on and then kick the return on and skimmer.

 

[bluecheese]

Correct… I like to turn the return and skimmer off for a hour and broadcast feed the display with just the circulation on and then kick the return on and skimmer.

I already have the skimmer turn off for two hours a day during the time when I dose the tank.

 

[bluecheese]

So are we all certain that my issue is nutrients, and not anything else? I don't need to worry about dipping these corals?

 

[Troylee]

So are we all certain that my issue is nutrients, and not anything else? I don't need to worry about dipping these corals?

The rest of your numbers look great.. the only other thing it could be is light or flow… med flow is good just want a swaying motion.. lights they can take a lot of acclimated properly…

Edit, your lights are fine… I’d guess flow is also so it’s down to chemistry.

 

[bluecheese]

Flow seems to be good. Nice swaying from them. Other LPS in the tank are doing great.

 

[bluecheese]

I friend just suggested doing a round of chemiclean to clear up any possible bacterial infections. Thoughts on that?