Birdsnest burnt tip help

[125mph]

Got this frag last week and it seem to do fine but suddenly notice what appears to be burnt tips. Is this lights or chemistry?

Alk is a lil high at 10.1 but I am trying to let this die down. Could this high alk be the issue?

Calcium is at 380ppm.

Only other corals in tank are a favia frag, torch, and a duncan… all doing well.

 

[125mph]

Ran out of nitrate and phos tests but getting those refilled in a few days. Last checked, they were not low.. Just standard ranges.

Any ideas before I get the test kits?

Can I frag the tips off to help the coral survive?

 

[Cheezle]

that happened to mine when the flow was insufficient, any chance its not getting enough?

 

[UMALUM]

Ran out of nitrate and phos tests but getting those refilled in a few days. Last checked, they were not low.. Just standard ranges.

Any ideas before I get the test kits?

Can I frag the tips off to help the coral survive?

What do you consider standard?

 

[125mph]

What do you consider standard?

Last time checked it was around 4PPM on nitrate... I feed so heavily I doubt it could be lower than 5PPM right now. For phasphate, I always show undetectable. I just ordered hannah UL phosphate checker, comes on Sunday and will check with that.

 

[125mph]

that happened to mine when the flow was insufficient, any chance its not getting enough?

I have a 180G with dimensions 64"L x 29"W x 22"H.. Running two MP40s set at 55% Reef Crest mode.. he return pump is around 800GPM..

Would you think that's too low? Seems like its a lot of water movement. The torch corals are waving around all over the place.

 

[UMALUM]

Last time checked it was around 4PPM on nitrate... I feed so heavily I doubt it could be lower than 5PPM right now. For phasphate, I always show undetectable. I just ordered hannah UL phosphate checker, comes on Sunday and will check with that.

So yeah low to no nutrients and higher alk could be the issue but in all honesty they don't look that bad to me. I wouldn't clip them unless you start to notice a clear daily recession. Maybe better to encourage as little growth as possible until you can get your nutrients and alk a little more aligned.

 

[125mph]

So yeah low to no nutrients and higher alk could be the issue but in all honesty they don't look that bad to me. I wouldn't clip them unless you start to notice a clear daily recession. Maybe better to encourage as little growth as possible until you can get your nutrients and alk a little more aligned.

How do you encourage little growth?

 

[UMALUM]

How do you encourage little growth?

Lower light environment

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

On my Birds Nest, new growth looks like Bare Coral Skeleton. Then you’ll notice polyps, and more bare looking Coral being pushed out. AS long as you don’t have Algae or Brown fuzzy diatoms growing on the tips, you are fine.

 

[Dburr1014]

I have a 180G with dimensions 64"L x 29"W x 22"H.. Running two MP40s set at 55% Reef Crest mode.. he return pump is around 800GPM..

Would you think that's too low? Seems like its a lot of water movement. The torch corals are waving around all over the place.

Only 2 powerheads?
They may seem like enough flow around the powerheads but the tank in general is probably low.

 

[125mph]

Only 2 powerheads?
They may seem like enough flow around the powerheads but the tank in general is probably low.

I never considered it could be flow but I will try out another pump .. Gonna figure that out today. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[125mph]

Okay the tips are definitely getting worse. Definitely not growth.. Polyps are dying.

I just added another MP40 so now have 3 MP40s.. Looks like a ton of flow. Hopefully that will help.

Nitrate just tested with Salfert at around 5PPM but its so hard to see the color change in that test. I have a Hanna test kit coming tomorrow.

Calcium at 380, and Alk at 10.1.

Any other ideas?

 

[UMALUM]

Okay the tips are definitely getting worse. Definitely not growth.. Polyps are dying.

I just added another MP40 so now have 3 MP40s.. Looks like a ton of flow. Hopefully that will help.

Nitrate just tested with Salfert at around 5PPM but its so hard to see the color change in that test. I have a Hanna test kit coming tomorrow.

Calcium at 380, and Alk at 10.1.

Any other ideas?

Do you have any aminos or any kind of coral food? You need to get some food in the colum for it. And by the way it is growth problem being it can keep up with no source of nutrition.

 

[125mph]

So my nitrates are too low? I feed so heavy, 4x a day. I also feed Rods Food, I think it says it has coral food in there?

I can go pick up something like Red Sea Reef Energy? Or coral snow? Will that help?

 

[UMALUM]

So my nitrates are too low? I feed so heavy, 4x a day. I also feed Rods Food, I think it says it has coral food in there?

I can go pick up something like Red Sea Reef Energy? Or coral snow? Will that help?

You need detectable phosphate, I can't comment on RSRE but coral snow won't accomplish anything. I think your nitrate falls well with in test error and really could be non existent. If your running a skimmer turn it off unless it's fulfilling another mandatory requirement. Find something that contains phosphate but don't overdue it.

 

[Dburr1014]

Birdsnest are so finicky. Hardly a 1st option for someone getting into sps.

I do agree high alk low nutrients can be a problem.
You feed heavy so your coral is getting ammonium and your are getting a reading on your nitrate kit.
Any chance you have reef roids laying around. They are high in phosphate. Need to work on po4.

 

[125mph]

Birdsnest are so finicky. Hardly a 1st option for someone getting into sps.

I do agree high alk low nutrients can be a problem.
You feed heavy so your coral is getting ammonium and your are getting a reading on your nitrate kit.
Any chance you have reef roids laying around. They are high in phosphate. Need to work on po4.

Okay thanks.

I just got Red Sea Reef Energy, Reef Roids, and V20 coral foods. Will try to use those tonight.

Also feeding fish rod's original which suppose to have some coral foods in it too.

Will check levels after a week to see if phosphates move up.

 

[UMALUM]

Okay thanks.

I just got Red Sea Reef Energy, Reef Roids, and V20 coral foods. Will try to use those tonight.

Also feeding fish rod's original which suppose to have some coral foods in it too.

Will check levels after a week to see if phosphates move up.

Don't overdue it especially with roids it shouldn't take much. Dim the lights a little until you get your hanna.

 

[125mph]

Also, interesting.. I got my ALK regeant refill for my hanna.. Shows Alk at 8.5.. Tested 2nd time and shows 8.6.... The Red Sea Alk test still shows 10.1.