Torch coral not extending! Everything else looks great

[altheman73]

Hi everyone,

I’m back in the reef game after about 15 years and new to R2R! Things have changed a lot with how much information is out there to help figure out problems so I thought and ask yall…

I got my tank setup (26 Red Sea peninsula) in December and it’s been running great, I have mostly LPS and 1 or 2 SPS. Everything looks to be thriving, plump and well extended except for my torch. Since I’ve gotten the torch it never really fully extended. I had it high up in the tank with high flow and higher lighting but it looked like it was too much. I moved it lower with medium flow and medium light and it seems to be doing the same thing. Do you guys think it’s a light issue or a flow issue? I have the Red Sea led50 at about 42% blue at the peak of the cycle (15% whites). I was told these lights were strong and should not be put above 50% which seems odd to me. Water parameters are:

Ph:8.2
Temp: 77
Salinity: 34.6
Nitrates: 6.5
Alkalinity: 9.4-9.6
Calcium: 462
Magnesium: 1460
Phosphates: 0.01

On a side note I have a rock full of Zoas low on the sand and some of them seem to be extended as if they are reaching for light, so I’m thinking maybe I need to increase the intensity. Sorry for the long paragraph but any help would be greatly appreciated!

Some pictures are attached showing the torch and the zoa rock

 

[tzabor10]

Looks good. Personally I don’t like to attach Euphyllia to the rocks. I give it a little separate rock a move that around until it looks good.
Good luck. Your tank looks great

 

[Pistondog]

Looks good, shoot for higher po4, 0.1. Reef roids 2 or 3 times a week will help.
Welcome to r2r!

 

[altheman73]

Looks good. Personally I don’t like to attach Euphyllia to the rocks. I give it a little separate rock a move that around until it looks good.
Good luck. Your tank looks great

Thanks! I guess I’ll just keep it going how it is, I may move it up a little higher in the tank and keep an eye on it.

 

[altheman73]

Looks good, shoot for higher po4, 0.1. Reef roids 2 or 3 times a week will help.
Welcome to r2r!

I’ll try this, I’ve been feeding reef roids about once a week but minimally as I was scared of a phosphate spike but I may have been taking it too careful….thanks for the advice!

 

[kevgib67]

Welcome, glad you are here! Moderate flow and light. I shoot for nitrates 10-15 and phosphates .05-.1. You have to be very careful with .01 phosphates, your setting out a welcome mat for dinos.

 

[altheman73]

Welcome, glad you are here! Moderate flow and light. I shoot for nitrates 10-15 and phosphates .05-.1. You have to be very careful with .01 phosphates, your setting out a welcome mat for dinos.

Good to know I’m going to try and bring these up, I want my torch looking like yours!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi everyone,

I’m back in the reef game after about 15 years and new to R2R! Things have changed a lot with how much information is out there to help figure out problems so I thought and ask yall…

I got my tank setup (26 Red Sea peninsula) in December and it’s been running great, I have mostly LPS and 1 or 2 SPS. Everything looks to be thriving, plump and well extended except for my torch. Since I’ve gotten the torch it never really fully extended. I had it high up in the tank with high flow and higher lighting but it looked like it was too much. I moved it lower with medium flow and medium light and it seems to be doing the same thing. Do you guys think it’s a light issue or a flow issue? I have the Red Sea led50 at about 42% blue at the peak of the cycle (15% whites). I was told these lights were strong and should not be put above 50% which seems odd to me. Water parameters are:

Ph:8.2
Temp: 77
Salinity: 34.6
Nitrates: 6.5
Alkalinity: 9.4-9.6
Calcium: 462
Magnesium: 1460
Phosphates: 0.01

On a side note I have a rock full of Zoas low on the sand and some of them seem to be extended as if they are reaching for light, so I’m thinking maybe I need to increase the intensity. Sorry for the long paragraph but any help would be greatly appreciated!

Some pictures are attached showing the torch and the zoa rock

This coral should be higher up with medium light and water flow and does not look terrible