Torches and Plates

[Cary Meredith]

So question here, I have numerous hammers and a frogspawn that is doing great. I bought a long tentacle plate and did good for a little while, now not looking good. I have bought 2 torches and both have withered away to nothing in a matter of a couple of days. Picked up a short tentacle plate and it started fading quick. Question is should I be seeing this much difference between plates and torches vs other LPS like Hammers and Frogspawn, parameters are all good except the phosphates are at about .5 or 1 depending on how I am reading it. I have also tried 2 montipora's and both have lost color and bleached out, other leathers, zoas and mushrooms are looking good as well so just trying to figure out what it might be. I did get my phosphate reactor going again to see if the phosphates are the issues, any help would be appreciated. For right now going to stay away from torches and plates.

 

[Zack K]

I would say you damaged the plates because they are very fragile but you are having problems with other corals with a similar skeletons. This tells me Your Alk,Calcium, and Magnesium (the big 3) are off. Out of the corals you are having problems with they all need those 3 to live. The softies do not as they do not have a hard exoskeleton.
Also, what are your other parameters. "Normal", or "Okay" are very vague when it comes to this stuff.
Another problem could be flow. What do you have creating flow. These corals like a bit more flow than the Frogspawn and hammer.

 

[Reefrookie220]

I would say you damaged the plates because they are very fragile but you are having problems with other corals with a similar skeletons. This tells me Your Alk,Calcium, and Magnesium (the big 3) are off. Out of the corals you are having problems with they all need those 3 to live. The softies do not as they do not have a hard exoskeleton.
Also, what are your other parameters. "Normal", or "Okay" are very vague when it comes to this stuff.
Another problem could be flow. What do you have creating flow. These corals like a bit more flow than the Frogspawn and hammer.

This! +1

 

[stevo01]

So question here, I have numerous hammers and a frogspawn that is doing great. I bought a long tentacle plate and did good for a little while, now not looking good. I have bought 2 torches and both have withered away to nothing in a matter of a couple of days. Picked up a short tentacle plate and it started fading quick. Question is should I be seeing this much difference between plates and torches vs other LPS like Hammers and Frogspawn, parameters are all good except the phosphates are at about .5 or 1 depending on how I am reading it. I have also tried 2 montipora's and both have lost color and bleached out, other leathers, zoas and mushrooms are looking good as well so just trying to figure out what it might be. I did get my phosphate reactor going again to see if the phosphates are the issues, any help would be appreciated. For right now going to stay away from torches and plates.

Assuming your parameters are within acceptable range. Consider your lighting and flow. The plate will do well in very low flow. Locate it directly under or to the side of a powerhead. Torches for me have been problematic but i feel that it was because of peppermint shrimp. I dont know why your doing well with FS and hammer but not torch though. Other than that moderate lighting and medium flow works for me.

What do you keep nitrates at?

 

[Cary Meredith]

Alk and calcium are good, 440 for calcium for mag not sure I don't have a test for that one, flow, I have 2 1250 aqueon power heads set on random flow, plus normal flow from return pump. I guess I wouldn't agree on the damaged plate unless the second one was damaged when I picked it up, I know not to press on the fleshy side of plates especially if they are on plugs which the short tentacle one was the long tentacle wasn't it just hasn't been expanding like it should. I just can't figure it out vs the hammer and frogspawn. Like you said could be the magnesium.

 

[stevo01]

I would say you damaged the plates because they are very fragile but you are having problems with other corals with a similar skeletons. This tells me Your Alk,Calcium, and Magnesium (the big 3) are off. Out of the corals you are having problems with they all need those 3 to live. The softies do not as they do not have a hard exoskeleton.
Also, what are your other parameters. "Normal", or "Okay" are very vague when it comes to this stuff.
Another problem could be flow. What do you have creating flow. These corals like a bit more flow than the Frogspawn and hammer.

Yeah damaged specimens could be an issue for sure. Agree on checking Ca, Mg, Kh. Maybe they are low, but why are the FS and hammers doing well? Odd.

 

[Zack K]

Alk and calcium are good, 440 for calcium for mag not sure I don't have a test for that one, flow, I have 2 1250 aqueon power heads set on random flow, plus normal flow from return pump. I guess I wouldn't agree on the damaged plate unless the second one was damaged when I picked it up, I know not to press on the fleshy side of plates especially if they are on plugs which the short tentacle one was the long tentacle wasn't it just hasn't been expanding like it should. I just can't figure it out vs the hammer and frogspawn. Like you said could be the magnesium.

On a PLUG? That poses a problem. It was damaged when moved to be out in the plug. All it takes is an air bubble underneath the plate for it to erode away a little bit then it dies. Another question, where did you locate these corals in your tank? The plates should be on the sandbed and the torches should be mid range with moderate flow. Also what are your parameters..... "Good" means a lot of things to a lot of people. The Ideal parameters would be

SG-1.025
PH- 8.0
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 5ppm
Phosphate: .15ppm
Alk: 8.0
Mag- 1300
Calcium- 420-450

 

[stevo01]

Im thinking flow/placement issue, diseased specimens, or maybe a coral predator. Just guesses :/

 

[Zack K]

Yeah damaged specimens could be an issue for sure. Agree on checking Ca, Mg, Kh. Maybe they are low, but why are the FS and hammers doing well? Odd.

Hammers and Frogspawn are perfect beginning Euphyillia for this exact reason. They are very tolerant to swings in the water chemistry and can handle a range of flow and lighting. Torches are a bit more tricky and requires a bit more stability and LTP are very picky and FRAGILE.

 

[Zack K]

Im thinking flow/placement issue, diseased specimens, or maybe a coral predator. Just guesses :/

Your brought up a good point. Do you have peppermint shrimp. They love torches and plates more than any other LPS. They rarely eat hammer and Frogspawn. They will snack on Acans as well.

 

[stevo01]

Hammers and Frogspawn are perfect beginning Euphyillia for this exact reason. They are very tolerant to swings in the water chemistry and can handle a range of flow and lighting. Torches are a bit more tricky and requires a bit more stability and LTP are very picky and FRAGILE.

My track record is better with torches than hammer hahaha go figure.

 

[Cary Meredith]

Your brought up a good point. Do you have peppermint shrimp. They love torches and plates more than any other LPS. They rarely eat hammer and Frogspawn. They will snack on Acans as well.

Already got rid of them, I was thinking that was my torch issue, had a bicolor eating acans, never saw him touch the torches but caught him today and got rid of my peppermint shrimp a couple weeks ago, long tentacle plate was still looking ok when I caught the peppermint.

 

[Cary Meredith]

My track record is better with torches than hammer hahaha go figure.

I have do.ne torches in the past with the best of luck and that's why I can't figure out why now I am losing them.

 

[cmcoker]

If your plates die, leave them in the tank. They can spawn babies of what looks like a dead skeleton.
I'd recommend daily testing of big three, are you dosing or rely on water changes to replenish?

 

[Cary Meredith]

Calcium I haven't had to dose always stays about 440, Alk also no dosing, I just ordered a magnesium test kit and some media to replenish if that is low. I do have liquid calcium if maybe my test kit is off but I just don't thinks its a calcium issue, coralline wouldn't grow if there isn't calcium correct? I am assuming since I have good coralline growth there is plenty of calcium and my test kit is ok.

 

[Zack K]

Calcium I haven't had to dose always stays about 440, Alk also no dosing, I just ordered a magnesium test kit and some media to replenish if that is low. I do have liquid calcium if maybe my test kit is off but I just don't thinks its a calcium issue, coralline wouldn't grow if there isn't calcium correct? I am assuming since I have good coralline growth there is plenty of calcium and my test kit is ok.

What is your Alkalinity reading.

 

[Cary Meredith]

My alk is at 9 if I am reading my test kit instruction correctly

 

[Zack K]

My alk is at 9 if I am reading my test kit instruction correctly

It's working on okay range, what lights are you running and at what intensity.

 

[Cary Meredith]

250 watt metal halides, 3 lights (2 maybe 9 months old, 3rd only about 2 months) supplemented by led's for the blues.

 

[1987]

We should be asking about lighting. Plates like low flow and low-medium light. Same with torches. I had a torch that wouldn't grow any heads in medium flow for almost a year. Moved it to a low flow area and in a six weeks it grew three heads.