Acan Looks Brown

[TeeSquared1214]

I’ve had this coral for a few months now, and probably over the last month it’s been looking like this. What is this and how do I fix it?

Parameters:
PH - 8
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 2.9ppm
Alkalinity - 6.4 dKH
Phosphate - 0.03ppm
Calcium - 440ppm
Magnesium - 1130 ppm
Salinity - 1.023

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

might just be me, but it looks like a recordia mushroom , but acans do best in my opinion at low flow and 75-100 PAR, you need 8-12 dKH, 8-8.5 PH is good also

 

[Shirak]

Pic in white light would help. The brown you are seeing looks to me like exposed skeleton that is no longer white. Very low nutrients... my guess is the coral has shrunk and exposed the skeleton.

Alk is low. 8dkh is a good target. Salinity is also low 1.026sg is where I keep my tanks. Make sure your salinity measuring device is properly calibrated.

 

[TeeSquared1214]

Pic in white light would help. The brown you are seeing looks to me like exposed skeleton that is no longer white. Very low nutrients... my guess is the coral has shrunk and exposed the skeleton.

Alk is low. 8dkh is a good target. Salinity is also low 1.026sg is where I keep my tanks. Make sure your salinity measuring device is properly calibrated.

Should I trim the exposed skeleton or leave it?

 

[TX_REEF]

I’ve had this coral for a few months now, and probably over the last month it’s been looking like this. What is this and how do I fix it?

Parameters:
PH - 8
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 2.9ppm
Alkalinity - 6.4 dKH
Phosphate - 0.03ppm
Calcium - 440ppm
Magnesium - 1130 ppm
Salinity - 1.023

I'd say alk and salinity too low. as mr gizzard said, also make sure it isn't being blasted with too much light, or flow.

 

[TeeSquared1214]

I'd say alk and salinity too low. as mr gizzard said, also make sure it isn't being blasted with too much light, or flow.

Yeah it was in a good amount of light. Likely the 125par range. I’ve raised my salinity and am working on my alk, trying everything I can since it seems to be getting worse and this is/was the most expensive coral in my tank.

I put it on a frag rack that is next to a devils hand that seems to be thriving. That par area is about 60.

Would you recommend trimming the exposed skeleton or leaving it?

 

[TX_REEF]

Yeah it was in a good amount of light. Likely the 125par range. I’ve raised my salinity and am working on my alk, trying everything I can since it seems to be getting worse and this is/was the most expensive coral in my tank.

I put it on a frag rack that is next to a devils hand that seems to be thriving. That par area is about 60.

Would you recommend trimming the exposed skeleton or leaving it?

I'd leave it, if it recovers the polyp(s) will puff back up.

 

[Shirak]

Yeah it was in a good amount of light. Likely the 125par range. I’ve raised my salinity and am working on my alk, trying everything I can since it seems to be getting worse and this is/was the most expensive coral in my tank.

I put it on a frag rack that is next to a devils hand that seems to be thriving. That par area is about 60.

Would you recommend trimming the exposed skeleton or leaving it?

What are your current tank parameters? Nutrients IMO are the biggest concern. Bumping alk and salinity should be a quick fix and have been adjusted within a few days of your first post.

 

[TeeSquared1214]

What are your current tank parameters? Nutrients IMO are the biggest concern. Bumping alk and salinity should be a quick fix and have been adjusted within a few days of your first post.

My salinity is at 1.025 or slightly below it. My alk, I’m unsure but haven’t changed anything with that yet until now. Not trying to change everything at once, unless that’s recommended. Salinity was the first thing, I’m going to retake an alk measurement and dose from there. I will also try to slightly raise my ph to about 8.3

 

[Shirak]

Increasing your salinity will also increase your alk. So yes get a current measurement.

Have you been feeding more to address the low nutrients? Why are you trying to adjust pH and how are you planning to raise it? Do not use pH buffers..

 

[TeeSquared1214]

Increasing your salinity will also increase your alk. So yes get a current measurement.

Have you been feeding more to address the low nutrients? Why are you trying to adjust pH and how are you planning to raise it? Do not use pH buffers..

I planned to address ph since it was around 8. I bought seachem marine buffer but haven’t used it yet. I have been feeding more. When my nutrients were initially low (nitrate 0 and phos 0). I also had to turn off my skimmer. Now it’s at the level of what you see in this post. I’m planning to do a full retest of the parameters tomorrow morning (US CENTRAL). I did today just feed some more spirulina shrimp (frozen) and a sheet of seaweed for the tomini.

 

[TeeSquared1214]

I planned to address ph since it was around 8. I bought seachem marine buffer but haven’t used it yet. I have been feeding more. When my nutrients were initially low (nitrate 0 and phos 0). I also had to turn off my skimmer. Now it’s at the level of what you see in this post. I’m planning to do a full retest of the parameters tomorrow morning (US CENTRAL). I did today just feed some more spirulina shrimp (frozen) and a sheet of seaweed for the tomini.

More like quarter sheet, that it hasnt touched yet.

 

[DaJMasta]

As said, get the salinity up slowly and then check alk, it will probably be acceptable, but maybe could be higher. Then consider raising nutrients levels somewhat, LPS usually appreciate it, and check and make sure you have nothing bothering it. If all that seems good, put it in a little lower light, too high can make the colors worse and the extension less.

 

[Coral Memere]

Pic in white light would help. The brown you are seeing looks to me like exposed skeleton that is no longer white. Very low nutrients... my guess is the coral has shrunk and exposed the skeleton.

Alk is low. 8dkh is a good target. Salinity is also low 1.026sg is where I keep my tanks. Make sure your salinity measuring device is properly calibrated.

Should I trim the exposed skeleton or leave it?

Never"trim" anything. Agreed, it looks like its receding into its skeleton.

Its an acan echinata, right? Thats not the skeleton of an acan micromussa.

What light do you have it in? Echinata like higher light (over 125) while micromussa do best on the bottom of the tank because they dont need a lot of light. (Like 50-80) Is something picking at it? Irritating it?

I agree your nitrates and phos are low. Frankly, I think the salinity and pH are ok. I keep mine around there. but your magnesium should be around 1250-1300 for LPS.

 

[Coral Memere]

I’ve had this coral for a few months now, and probably over the last month it’s been looking like this. What is this and how do I fix it?

Parameters:
PH - 8
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 2.9ppm
Alkalinity - 6.4 dKH
Phosphate - 0.03ppm
Calcium - 440ppm
Magnesium - 1130 ppm
Salinity - 1.023

Something else hust occurred to me. Are you feeding it, directly? Echinata secrete a mucous coat to suck in the food. But it cam also burn their own skin if the mucous coat stays on its own skin for too long. I "burned" one or 2 acan echinata in my time before i was told to make sure the food and mucous coat is gently blown off after about half an hour.

I love echinata but they'll eat your face (and their own) off.

 

[VintageReefer]

There is nothing wrong with ph of 8. I maintain 7.8-7.9 and my lps arguably are among the top 10% in the forum

Your issues are
Alkalinity
Par
Salinity
Magnesium
Possibly flow / current not appropriate
Possible nipping from invert or fish or pest

Do not trim skeleton back. This is rarely ever needed.

 

[TeeSquared1214]

Something else hust occurred to me. Are you feeding it, directly? Echinata secrete a mucous coat to suck in the food. But it cam also burn their own skin if the mucous coat stays on its own skin for too long. I "burned" one or 2 acan echinata in my time before i was told to make sure the food and mucous coat is gently blown off after about half an hour.

I love echinata but they'll eat your face (and their own) off.

So for this reply and the other one. It is an enchinata. It was in higher par like you mentioned about 125 but I’ve moved it to lower out of caution to about 60. I’ve never fed it directly as I’ve never found how to get meaty foods like mysis to stick enough to know it’s fed. I have broadcast fed reef roids too.

Alkalinity is better today at 7.6 dKH after dosing 50ml yesterday. I believe magnesium should be done before alk, so I’ll dose both tonight after testing magnesium.

 

[TeeSquared1214]

Never"trim" anything. Agreed, it looks like its receding into its skeleton.

Its an acan echinata, right? Thats not the skeleton of an acan micromussa.

What light do you have it in? Echinata like higher light (over 125) while micromussa do best on the bottom of the tank because they dont need a lot of light. (Like 50-80) Is something picking at it? Irritating it?

I agree your nitrates and phos are low. Frankly, I think the salinity and pH are ok. I keep mine around there. but your magnesium should be around 1250-1300 for LPS.

I don’t have any fish or inverts that would pick at it. I probably have some gorilla crabs in my live rock but I remove them as I see them. I had some red mithrax crabs that were model citizens until I saw one of them bite out a chunk of my chalice.