Torch coral

sawdonkey · Feb 20, 2020

Mike Robinson said:
Just borrowed my buddy’s test kit. Everything I tested so far is spot on. He has refractometer and Hanna test kit. Only thing. My hydrometer said 1.024. Was really almost 4.0

Is that a typo? What is 4.0 salinity? 1.04?

ScottR · Feb 20, 2020

sawdonkey said:
Is that a typo? What is 4.0 salinity? 1.04?

1.040 was what I was assuming...

Roachbeef19 · Feb 20, 2020

Mike Robinson said:
Moved him to the corner. Way less flow. After a couple minutes he started to open up a little bit

Hows it going?

Mike Robinson · Feb 20, 2020

ScottR said:
Good old salinity problems. At least that’s easy to fix. I’m glad you caught it. Keep us updated.

Got salinity where it should be. 1.023. It’s starting to look worse. All other parameters are where they were earlier. Now my alk is at 12.6. After almost a 50% water change over the course of 24 hours my alk only went down a hair

Mike Robinson · Feb 20, 2020

ScottR said:
1.040 was what I was assuming...

No not 1.04. It was reading HI. Which the tester stopped at 3.0

ScottR · Feb 20, 2020

Mike Robinson said:
Got salinity where it should be. 1.023. It’s starting to look worse. All other parameters are where they were earlier. Now my alk is at 12.6. After almost a 50% water change over the course of 24 hours my alk only went down a hair

I’d bring salinity up a tad to at least 1.025

Mike Robinson · Feb 20, 2020

ScottR said:
I’d bring salinity up a tad to at least 1.025

Will that help lower alk?

Mike Robinson · Feb 20, 2020

Roachbeef19 said:
Hows it going?

Changed some parameters but still having a problem

Mike Robinson · Feb 20, 2020

Update on what it looks like

ScottR · Feb 20, 2020

Mike Robinson said:
Will that help lower alk?

No. It will most likely raise alk slightly but salinity is more important than alk.

Mike Robinson · Feb 20, 2020

ScottR said:
No. It will most likely raise alk slightly but salinity is more important than alk.

Got it. Started raising it. Gonna do it kind of slow though

sawdonkey · Feb 20, 2020

Mike Robinson said:
No not 1.04. It was reading HI. Which the tester stopped at 3.0

I’m not sure what scale your using, but I’ve never heard of 3.0 salinity? Do you mean 1.030? Now you over corrected to 1.023 and youre trying to try to get it back to 1.027 or so?

I’m just a little confused about where you’re at?

Given that the white flesh over the skeleton is gone, I think your torch is likely a goner. Just work on getting your alk to 8.0-9.0 or so and get your salinity to 1.27 or so and try again another time. Are your other corals looking ok?

Mike Robinson · Feb 20, 2020

sawdonkey said:
I’m not sure what scale your using, but I’ve never heard of 3.0 salinity? Do you mean 1.030? Now you over corrected to 1.023 and youre trying to try to get it back to 1.027 or so?

I’m just a little confused about where you’re at?

Given that the white flesh over the skeleton is gone, I think your torch is likely a goner. Just work on getting your alk to 8.0-9.0 or so and get your salinity to 1.27 or so and try again another time. Are your other corals looking ok?

Trying to get it back to 1.025

Mike Robinson · Feb 20, 2020

sawdonkey said:
I’m not sure what scale your using, but I’ve never heard of 3.0 salinity? Do you mean 1.030? Now you over corrected to 1.023 and youre trying to try to get it back to 1.027 or so?

I’m just a little confused about where you’re at?

Given that the white flesh over the skeleton is gone, I think your torch is likely a goner. Just work on getting your alk to 8.0-9.0 or so and get your salinity to 1.27 or so and try again another time. Are your other corals looking ok?

Mike Robinson said:
Trying to get it back to 1.025

Ya it’s a goner. The little guy started losing its tips

Pazil · Feb 21, 2020

Try raising your phosphate level... My torches are happiest around 0.08

Mike Robinson · Feb 21, 2020

Pazil said:
Try raising your phosphate level... My torches are happiest around 0.08

Too late. All the tips fell off

Mike Robinson · Feb 21, 2020

So just for future reference. I don’t want this problem again. This is the only coral I can not keep. What are ideal parameters for it?

ScottR · Feb 21, 2020

Mike Robinson said:
So just for future reference. I don’t want this problem again. This is the only coral I can not keep. What are ideal parameters for it?

Just focus on salinity first. Don’t chase po4 and no3 too much. I’ve kept them in various lighting, nutrient levels, etc. but salinity must always stay stable. The two biggest parameters are temperature and salinity. Corals aren’t as forgiving when these aren’t kept in line. Alk, Ca, Mg, po4, no3 can be all over the place (kept stable of course) and they can survive (within reason) but you can’t play with temp and salinity.

Mike Robinson · Feb 21, 2020

ScottR said:
Just focus on salinity first. Don’t chase po4 and no3 too much. I’ve kept them in various lighting, nutrient levels, etc. but salinity must always stay stable. The two biggest parameters are temperature and salinity. Corals aren’t as forgiving when these aren’t kept in line. Alk, Ca, Mg, po4, no3 can be all over the place (kept stable of course) and they can survive (within reason) but you can’t play with temp and salinity.

That’s what I thought. Can’t believe everything else survived with no signs of stress