Candy Cane Coral mad?

PTXReef · Jul 10, 2020

Hello, this is the most temperamental I have ever seen my green candy canes.

Any clue as to why they look like this even with the lights on? Did a 20% WC on July 4th (5 days ago).

Only change in the tank: Started to add some Seachem reef phytoplankton at night (underdosing, ~3 mL in a ~90 gallon tank)

Normally:

Parameters Tested Today (Saltwater test kit and Red Sea Kh/Ca/Mg Test Kit):
pH: 8
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0-5 ppm
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm
Alkalinity: 7.0 dKH
Calcium: 480 ppm
Magnesium: 1560 ppm

Do the calcium and magnesium levels look too high? I have never dosed any, those values come from biweekly water changes with Instant Ocean sea salt...

Thanks for looking!

Henryb9 · Jul 10, 2020

Could be your lights? How long you had it for(coral),?.. your calcium and mag or fine..mines are higher than yours..

Henryb9 · Jul 10, 2020

Your alk seems to be low though, try to get it around 7.8to 8.3

ReeferWarrant · Jul 10, 2020

Mine is doing the same thing, make sure nothing is irritating the polyps. I had algae and I think still do and they just wont extend like they used to.... This is my current headache in my tank as well.

PTXReef · Jul 10, 2020

Henryb9 said:
Could be your lights? How long you had it for(coral),?.. your calcium and mag or fine..mines are higher than yours..

I've had the coral since 11/29/2019 and it has grown from 1 head to 4 heads. I just don't understand why it sulks like that sometimes and this is the worse I've seen it.

Henryb9 · Jul 10, 2020

I think it has something to do with nutrients, how many gallons are you working with?

PTXReef · Jul 10, 2020

Henryb9 said:
I think it has something to do with nutrients, how many gallons are you working with?

At least 90 gallons. I have been soaking the tang's nori in selcon daily (about 0.75 mL) and dosing some phyto at night.

PTXReef · Jul 10, 2020

Update: Candy Cane looks all puffed up and happy again... makes no sense

ThePurple12 · Jul 10, 2020

It's probably fine. Did it shrivel up just once?

PTXReef · Jul 10, 2020

ThePurple12 said:
It's probably fine. Did it shrivel up just once?

It does it from time to time. It was just that this time it looked the worse.

ThePurple12 · Jul 10, 2020

PTXReef said:
It does it from time to time. It was just that this time it looked the worse.

That is weird. Maybe something like a peppermint shrimp is bothering it?

ReeferWarrant · Aug 4, 2020

Any luck with this?

PTXReef · Aug 4, 2020

ReeferWarrant said:
Any luck with this?

Yeah it looks great, feeding tentacles all extended. Only thing I changed was raising my alkalinity (sitting at 7.6 dKH now). Also doing more frequent small water changes (5g) as I have switched from Instant Ocean to Red Sea Coral Pro (going to maintain the alkalinity at ~8). I haven't directly fed this coral with mysis since it split from 1 head to 4 otherwise I think it would grow even quicker :eek:.