Birdsnest dying

5ft24 · Feb 6, 2011

Have had a frag of birdsnest for almost 6 months... not much growth, as my Ca was only about 350... Switched to ESV's B-ionic 3 months ago and Ca has been between 400 and 450. 2 days ago, the polyps on my birdsnest were well extended, bright green, and happy. The next day, they were brown sticks with no polyp extention, and all else in the tank looked great. Decided since I had to move the tank about 6-8 inches I would do a large water change and that would help. Tested the water before I started.
Ammo 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 20, phosphate .20, alk 11, Ca 400, PH 8.15, SG 1.023
I don't dose anything.The week before when I did my normal 15G water change, Phos was undetectable, and alk was 8.5.
Immediately started my WC, anc changed out 50 gallons (75G Mixed reef, 20G sump).
nitrates down to 10, phos down to 0 (per my API kit) Ca back to 450, alk 8.5 and PH 8.3
as happy as the tank looked before, everyone looked better after the change. That was yesterday. Today, RTN on the birdsnest... I can watch pieces of the tissue come off and turn white...
The RO water I use has a TDS of 4
My Acro is happier than it has ever been with lots of polyp extension...
Any ideas why/what caused this? I always thought Birdsnest was one of the hardiest SPS...

MimicOcto8 · Feb 6, 2011

I am always told the same thing about birdnest being hardy yet i have the hardest time with them. It sounds like you know what you're doing and you did everything right. My only guess is that birdsnest doesnt handle stress very well. I'm very sorry to hear about it. what kind is it? got any pix?

5ft24 · Feb 6, 2011

I've got some before pics somewhere... I'll post those and a new pic in the AM. it was a dark pink skeleton with neon green polyps...

MimicOcto8 · Feb 6, 2011

sounds beautiful, cant wait to see it!

5ft24 · Feb 6, 2011

Here is the after pic...

5ft24 · Feb 6, 2011

Here's the Before shot

Jcr's Reef · Feb 6, 2011

You most likely raised the levels up to quickly for it..If it continues to STN I would frag it and hope the frags make it...

m and m · Feb 6, 2011

How quick did you raise you alkalinty and how fast did you raise it?

btkrausen · Feb 6, 2011

I've been seeing a lot of threads on here lately about problems keeping birdsnest. Keep in mind that you did change over 50% of your water on that one water change.

aalvarado87 · Feb 6, 2011

yup i think you adjusted your levels a little to fast. I would suggest fragging it and maybe you can save a small piece. Just because things are hardy doesn't mean they are impossible to kill. It always sucks when things die. Is that the only thing in your tank you are having issues with?

raymond · Feb 6, 2011

i had this problem one time with a birdsnest and come to find out i had a bad batch of salt, never know could be your problem. a good prodject is to make a batch of salt water and test it

5ft24 · Feb 6, 2011

Yep, I always test after I mix. This one was dead on the money.
1.025 sg
8.2 Ph
8.5 alk
1350 Mg
450 Ca

5ft24 · Feb 6, 2011

Before I did the WC it was already happening. Gonna give it a dip in lugols today and see if that helps.

MimicOcto8 · Feb 6, 2011

I would frag it asap dude. it looks like its too far gone as is. fragging it will give it another change to live and potentially stop the die off from spreading

Lazys Coral House · Feb 6, 2011

5ft24 said:
Before I did the WC it was already happening. Gonna give it a dip in lugols today and see if that helps.

All that would do is furtherer stress the coral. Iodine is bad for corals as it is pests at the concentration you would dip. Any kind of dip is bad for corals. I see it so many times that corals are stressed and people recommend a dip in iodine or coral rx. That is simply not healthy for the coral. What it needs right now is stability. Frag it, put it back where it is now is your best bet to keeping it alive.

Michael7979 · Feb 6, 2011

If I understand your first post right.
You stated that your Alk went from 8.5 to 11 after a WC.

That is a huge swing and I would think that is your problem.

schminksbro · Feb 7, 2011

I agree. It looks to me like textbook alk swing symptoms and dipping it will only stress it further.

lazylivin said:
All that would do is furtherer stress the coral. Iodine is bad for corals as it is pests at the concentration you would dip. Any kind of dip is bad for corals. I see it so many times that corals are stressed and people recommend a dip in iodine or coral rx. That is simply not healthy for the coral. What it needs right now is stability. Frag it, put it back where it is now is your best bet to keeping it alive.

5ft24 · Feb 7, 2011

When I got home tonight it was gone... totally white. It morphed into the MKA SPS... (Mary Kate and Ashley)
params checked tonight,
SG 1.025
PH 8.25
Alk 9.5
Ca 480
N03 15
P04 undetectable with API kit

5ft24 · Feb 7, 2011

No, my alk had risen to 11 before the WC... the water I mixed to use for the WC had alk at 8.5.
My alk has been running 10-11 for a month or so...
so when it started dying, the alk hadn't changed.