Burnt tips - clip or keep clean?

[Addicted2Reef’n]

Have a hydnophora ( horn coral ) that has gotten exposed skeleton on the tips which then get algae on them.
I have read direct flow on them can cause tissue damage. I had a gyre somewhat close to it and blowing its direction so I changed the direction a few weeks ago. Now the other side of the coral is getting burnt tips as well where there is no direct water flow. So I can’t correlate the water flow with the damage. My Alk has stayed stable and my nitrates are always between 5-10 ppm.
What can I do to care for this coral. I have been blowing the tips with a turkey baster to spray off the algae but starting to think that it is pushing the tissue farther back off skeleton doing that.
Should I clip the ends with exposed skeleton .
Should I do nothing ?
Suggestions welcome …

 

[eggie]

It should recover and fill the burn parts. I wouldn't touch it. Whats your ALk Value ?

 

[Science/G]

This happened to my Bottlebrush Acropora on one tip. I clipped it.

 

[Science/G]

It's healing up nicely

 

[Dburr1014]

Have a hydnophora ( horn coral ) that has gotten exposed skeleton on the tips which then get algae on them.
I have read direct flow on them can cause tissue damage. I had a gyre somewhat close to it and blowing its direction so I changed the direction a few weeks ago. Now the other side of the coral is getting burnt tips as well where there is no direct water flow. So I can’t correlate the water flow with the damage. My Alk has stayed stable and my nitrates are always between 5-10 ppm.
What can I do to care for this coral. I have been blowing the tips with a turkey baster to spray off the algae but starting to think that it is pushing the tissue farther back off skeleton doing that.
Should I clip the ends with exposed skeleton .
Should I do nothing ?
Suggestions welcome …

If it's really burnt tips and not growth, sometimes it is helpful to cut them off. Flesh can't grow with algae on it.

Powerheads should not be direct but bouncing around, maybe off a glass panel.

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

It should recover and fill the burn parts. I wouldn't touch it. Whats your ALk Value ?

Average is around 8.5

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

It's healing up nicely

That is a really cool looking acro !

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

So started to clip but stopped. This is not one or two tips and I can’t get the cutters into many of the spots to cut it. I think I may order some lugols and clip what I can and then dip. I’m afraid this old friend may be at end of his life. Hope I’m wrong.

 

[eggie]

So started to clip but stopped. This is not one or two tips and I can’t get the cutters into many of the spots to cut it. I think I may order some lugols and clip what I can and then dip. I’m afraid this old friend may be at end of his life. Hope I’m wrong.

Same reason I suggested not to clip it, it only makes it worst. Plus this is a Hydnopora they recover fast then other SPS. Hope it makes a come back for you

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

So started to clip but stopped. This is not one or two tips and I can’t get the cutters into many of the spots to cut it. I think I may order some lugols and clip what I can and then dip. I’m afraid this old friend may be at end of his life. Hope I’m wrong.

Same reason I suggested not to clip it, it only makes it worst. Plus this is a Hydnopora they recover fast then other SPS. Hope it makes a come back for you

Yea I’m gonna leave it. This has always been my toughest coral. I got a hacksaw and cut it down to a fat nub last year and now it’s back to 9” wide and 6-7” tall and 6 “ deep.
Only reason I thought I shld do something is bc these burnt tips are spreading. It was just a couple and now it’s on every branch.

 

[eggie]

Yea I’m gonna leave it. This has always been my toughest coral. I got a hacksaw and cut it down to a fat nub last year and now it’s back to 9” wide and 6-7” tall and 6 “ deep.
Only reason I thought I shld do something is bc these burnt tips are spreading. It was just a couple and now it’s on every branch.

Is it in front of a power head, that my be blasting to much the coral ?

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

Yea I’m gonna leave it. This has always been my toughest coral. I got a hacksaw and cut it down to a fat nub last year and now it’s back to 9” wide and 6-7” tall and 6 “ deep.
Only reason I thought I shld do something is bc these burnt tips are spreading. It was just a couple and now it’s on every branch.

Is it in front of a power head, that my be blasting to much the coral ?

Yea well the power head was pointed at it about 1 1/2 ft away and not super strong . So I pointed the power head towards the surface above the spot the coral is a few weeks ago but the receding continues.

 

[eggie]

Yea well the power head was pointed at it about 1 1/2 ft away and not super strong . So I pointed the power head towards the surface above the spot the coral is a few weeks ago but the receding continues.

Try placing it in the sand with less flow

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

Yea . I have it mounted on a rock and hate to break it off but at this point I’m ready to try anything. I also have another issue I’m dealing with, my calibration for my salinity was 7 points off and I have been low for at least 6-7 months now. I’m raising the value up to 35 from 26 now. Started last week. My mag and Cal are getting high now and hope this doesn’t stress this coral more

 

[eggie]

what are you using to read Salinity ?

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

what are you using to read Salinity ?

Was using a cheap Amazon refractometer until I did ICP TEST and realized my mistake. Months earlier I used conductivity solution to calibrate my refractometer. I believe my refractometer was set 8 points too high so I adjusted downward hence the reason the ICP test showed my salinity at 26.5 ppt. So I just got a Hannah salinity checker and bought calibration packets for it. It read the same as the ICP. So a routinely calibrated salinity checker is my new go to w ICP every 4 months or so