Torch coral tips.

[Reef.]

Getting ready to pick up a Torch, I understand that I need to have stable parameters but I’m at a loss when it comes to what I need to check for in picking a healthy specimen, and what to look for to see if it is staying heathy.
I hear talk of “flesh” and “coming away” which I don’t totally understand, anyone point me to a good beginners Torch learning source or give me a quick idiots guide.

 

[Primarytuba18]

I personally don’t know much but I would make sure before you buy it that the flesh isn’t showing any signs of stress or weird marks, make sure it doesn’t have brown jelly. And that’s all I know what to look for good luck. I tend to think they are pretty hardy my torch is doing fine but I think my monti cap is dying. ‍

 

[Jekyl]

I had bad luck with torches and hammers starting out. How old is your tank? The idea of bringing up parameters is that you've been up and running long enough to keep your tank in balance. Nitrate, phosphate, alk, calcium, magnesium and ph are the ones to watch.

 

[redeyejedi]

Just make sure it has plenty of white flesh under the polyp.

 

[Reef.]

I had bad luck with torches and hammers starting out. How old is your tank? The idea of bringing up parameters is that you've been up and running long enough to keep your tank in balance. Nitrate, phosphate, alk, calcium, magnesium and ph are the ones to watch.

Just over a year, I did try a couple of Zoas a few months back, they died within 24-48 hours!

 

[Reef.]

Just make sure it has plenty of white flesh under the polyp.

is there a darker bit before the flesh or is all the stub the flesh?

looked at a lot of pics, hard to tell what each part is as the pics are not normally great., especially trying to photograph under the polyps.

 

[Jekyl]

If zoas dies that quick I wouldn't try LPS. What are you current parameters?

 

[redeyejedi]

is there a darker bit before the flesh or is all the stub the flesh?

looked at a lot of pics, hard to tell what each part is as the pics are not normally great., especially trying to photograph under the polyps.

You can see the white flesh on mine. Its about a cm in length on mine where it meets the skeleton.

 

[Philly Reefer]

wait.... if you cant keep zoa, I would suggest you hold off on the torch then.
Zoa is usually the easier one to keep. Do you have other corals in your tank?

How is your water parameters? Are they stable week to week?

 

[Reef.]

You can see the white flesh on mine. Its about a cm in length on mine where it meets the skeleton.

that is the clearest pic I’ve seen, thanks.

Funny too as I had my eye on getting a pink tip torch.

 

[Reef.]

wait.... if you cant keep zoa, I would suggest you hold off on the torch then.
Zoa is usually the easier one to keep. Do you have other corals in your tank?

How is your water parameters? Are they stable week to week

If zoas dies that quick I wouldn't try LPS. What are you current parameters?

To be fair it was 4 months ago, the Zoas where shipped and freshly cut the day before it seems by the whiteness of the plugs, I didn’t know that was the case until they arrived, my parameters at the time was good, they never opened, I didn’t have them long enough for a swing in parameters to be the cause, they literally turned black within 24 hours and were totally melted the next day.

 

[Philly Reefer]

To be fair it was 4 months ago, the Zoas where shipped and freshly cut the day before it seems by the whiteness of the plugs, I didn’t know that was the case until they arrives my parameters at the time was good, they never opened, I didn’t have them long enough for a swing in parameters to be the cause, they literally turned black within 24 hours and were totally melted the next day.

Well. Thats bad. Should not cut and send directly. Hopefully you get your money back for that.

What is your current water parameters? Alk? NO3? PO4? Calcium? mag?
Do you any other corals in at this time?
I would suggest start with softies if you don't have any corals in.

 

[Reef.]

Well. Thats bad. Should not cut and send directly. Hopefully you get your money back for that.

What is your current water parameters? Alk? NO3? PO4? Calcium? mag?
Do you any other corals in at this time?
I would suggest start with softies if you don't have any corals in.

I didn’t complain as they were my first corals I can’t say for sure I didn’t play a part in them dying.

My current parameters are

cal 450
Mag 1380
KH 6.7
Ph 8.15
Nitrates 15
Po4 0.092
I’m using Tropic pro salt, it’s meant to be 7-8 but mine never goes over 7kh, I’m planning on running the tank at 7-7.5kh and have All-for-reef to bring the KH up slightly

Looking to get the coral in about a month as we are still in lockdown here, might look to see if any mushrooms catch my eye first as I’m back to being nervous again now

 

[Philly Reefer]

I didn’t complain as they were my first corals I can’t say for sure I didn’t play a part in them dying.

My current parameters are

cal 450
Mag 1380
KH 6.7
Ph 8.15
Nitrates 15
Po4 0.092
I’m using Tropic pro salt, it’s meant to be 7-8 but mine never goes over 7kh, I’m planning on running the tank at 7-7.5kh and have All-for-reef to bring the KH up slightly

Looking to get the coral in about a month as we are still in lockdown here, might look to see if any mushrooms catch my eye first as I’m back to being nervous again now

If you start with softies, mushrooms, you don't need all for reef to start. Just a weekly water change will do

 

[redeyejedi]

that is the clearest pic I’ve seen, thanks.

Funny too as I had my eye on getting a pink tip torch.

Thanks if you want to keep torch coral then you will need to raise your alk. I keep mine between 8.3-8.6