Bubble coral question

AnnaKAF · Jan 31, 2025

Hi all!
Anybody knows what is that brown thing sticking out of my bubble coral? I’ve had this coral for about three months, and it’s thriving and grew a lot since. But it has always had a reddish brown thing sticking out on one side. And it’s also growing!! Sometimes there is brown slime string coming out of that thing, which I suppose is poop. I just didn’t see it on other bubble corals in the pictures. Who knows what it is, and should I be concerned and take care of it somehow??
The picture below (with the skunk) is older, you can see how both coral and that brown thing grew.

MrGisonni · Jan 31, 2025

AnnaKAF · Feb 25, 2025

Sorry, worried again about my bubble!
Now there is at least a dozen of those brown flat things. And a hole on the right.
Shall I do anything about them?

dakoop · Feb 25, 2025

Vermatid?

MrGisonni · Feb 25, 2025

Those are exposed skeletal structures, septa? that algae appears to be growing on unfortunately. The poor guy doesn't look good.

AnnaKAF · Feb 26, 2025

How can I help it?

Shirak · Feb 26, 2025

AnnaKAF said:
How can I help it?

Need to figure out why it's lost so much flesh. Water parameters? Light level? Any info you can provide with regard to feeding, dosing, etc

AnnaKAF · Feb 27, 2025

Well, it’s a new tank. I set it up last September. The bubble coral was thriving all the time, but I did left the door to the garage ajar once for half a day while it was cool outside, and the tank temp dropped till 72. I did warm it pretty quickly, although was really worried about the livestock… everything looks normal except him.

It’s a 130 gallon tank.
I have a pair of clowns, a pair of cardinals, one wrasse, one gramma, one skunk clown, two green chromises, a crab, a bunch of snails and hermit crabs, but not too many, maybe two dozen altogether.
Zoas, acroporas are thriving. Pulsing Xenia died within a couple of weeks (I think it didn’t like the dip, although me LFS say that Xenia likes dirty old tanks. Also I have had a colony of Daisy polyps, they are dying too…
As for parameters:
Ca-440
Mg-1375
Ammonia-0
Nitrates-close to 0
Phosphates - lower than 0,25, but not sure. See the picture.
I haven’t used the skimmer yet at all.
I have chaeto in my sump. Lights are brand new, AI, for both sump and display.
See pictures…
And you all for trying to help!!! I really appreciate that!

AnnaKAF · Feb 27, 2025

Also, about feeding… twice a day with pellets and frozen brine shrimp. Once in a while throw some phytoplankton. And my lights schedule and the levels are in the attached picture.

Shirak · Feb 27, 2025

Your nitrates are low. Should be shooting for around 15-20ppm. That could explain the coral losing tissue. It's not getting enough nutrition. Toss the frozen brine shrimp and get yourself some frozen mysis. Much better nutritionally. Reduce refugium light on time to help let nitrates rise but be careful with the Chaeto it doesn't die off and foul the tank. Refugiums are nice but it can be a tough balancing act. Keep in mind the chaeto in the refugium is using the same nutrients your corals need to grow.

I would drop the intensity on the UV and V and bump Blue up to similar to Royal blue.

Also worth getting some higher quality test kits. Hanna Alk, high range NO3, ultra low range PO4. You are correct 0 -.25 is a big range and not useful when you want to maintain a level around .05-.09 PO4 The Hanna will give you a much better number.

Do you test for alkalinity? I don't see it listed and it's really important if you want to keep stony coral.

Also.. Salinity.. basic refractometer is fine but follow the DIY calibration solution in the reef chemistry section and check it often!. Commercial hobby solution is questionable.

Then at some point salifert for Ca, possibly Mg, and K if you want but but the last two are not that critical if you do frequent water changes.

So I think the biggest issue is a nutrient deficiency both NO3 and PO4. Feed more with higher quality food like the frozen mysis. Drop the refugium light intensity or time on or harvest a lot of the macro algae to stop it pulling so much from the water. More blue light less uv, violet

The other thing to think about is dosing something for the Chaeto. It will pull not only NO3 and PO4 but minor and trace elements from the water.

AnnaKAF · Feb 27, 2025

Shirak said:
Your nitrates are low. Should be shooting for around 15-20ppm. That could explain the coral losing tissue. It's not getting enough nutrition. Toss the frozen brine shrimp and get yourself some frozen mysis. Much better nutritionally. Reduce refugium light on time to help let nitrates rise but be careful with the Chaeto it doesn't die off and foul the tank. Refugiums are nice but it can be a tough balancing act. Keep in mind the chaeto in the refugium is using the same nutrients your corals need to grow.

I would drop the intensity on the UV and V and bump Blue up to similar to Royal blue.

Also worth getting some higher quality test kits. Hanna Alk, high range NO3, ultra low range PO4. You are correct 0 -.25 is a big range and not useful when you want to maintain a level around .05-.09 PO4 The Hanna will give you a much better number.

Do you test for alkalinity? I don't see it listed and it's really important if you want to keep stony coral.

Also.. Salinity.. basic refractometer is fine but follow the DIY calibration solution in the reef chemistry section and check it often!. Commercial hobby solution is questionable.

Then at some point salifert for Ca, possibly Mg, and K if you want but but the last two are not that critical if you do frequent water changes.

So I think the biggest issue is a nutrient deficiency both NO3 and PO4. Feed more with higher quality food like the frozen mysis. Drop the refugium light intensity or time on or harvest a lot of the macro algae to stop it pulling so much from the water. More blue light less uv, violet

The other thing to think about is dosing something for the Chaeto. It will pull not only NO3 and PO4 but minor and trace elements from the water.

Thank you so much!
Yes, I know that I have low nitrates… I’ll try what you said about reducing the light for chaeto.
The salinity was 0,024 (30%) I raised it to 0,26 (35%), about two weeks ago. I’m using the refractormeter that I calibrate with a 35% solution.
Thank you again!