Candy Cane help

[hillbillyjedi]

So I have been for the longest time trying to figure out my candy cane situation here. left photo is when i bought the coral and right is current state of it.

I have been dealing with some inconsistencies with my reef salt when doing water changes (low alk,low mag) I have since rectified those numbers
Salt ive been using is AF reef salt

from a fresh mixed batch of AF salt when I had everything tested
alk was about 7.8
calc 434
Mag 1111


Alk now is sitting around 8dkh
Mag is ~1250-1300 right now
Nitrates 33
phos 0.1
PH ~8.1

Havent done any heavy water changes since dosing Mag to bring up my numbers.

surprisingly this is the only coral whose been in a bad mood the entire time. my Zoas/toadstool and hammer all seem to be fine but this one coral just nope doesnt want to play nice.

I am not sure what I am missing here.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Can you tell us about your light?

 

[hillbillyjedi]

Hi yes, so its a popbloom RL90 about 4 inches above the glass. the tank is actually a 29gal aqueon with an aquaclear 70 HOB on it

here is the lighting schedule now. where the candy cane is sitting its in about 80-100 par in the front right corner, i placed it there when it started receding in hopes it would not be so stressed.

Ch 1 - whites
Ch 2- UV
Ch 3 - blue
Ch4 - royal blue? its like a teal color.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would turn the lights up. I have the same light as you on a 32 gallon at full power, I just don't feel it can be effective at 35%. Can you show a picture of your zoa's or leather? Lets see if they give any indication.

 

[Uncle99]

So I have been for the longest time trying to figure out my candy cane situation here. left photo is when i bought the coral and right is current state of it.

I have been dealing with some inconsistencies with my reef salt when doing water changes (low alk,low mag) I have since rectified those numbers
Salt ive been using is AF reef salt

from a fresh mixed batch of AF salt when I had everything tested
alk was about 7.8
calc 434
Mag 1111


Alk now is sitting around 8dkh
Mag is ~1250-1300 right now
Nitrates 33
phos 0.1
PH ~8.1

Havent done any heavy water changes since dosing Mag to bring up my numbers.

surprisingly this is the only coral whose been in a bad mood the entire time. my Zoas/toadstool and hammer all seem to be fine but this one coral just nope doesnt want to play nice.

I am not sure what I am missing here.

How long did it take to go from beautiful to that?
Looks a bit tasted to me.

 

[hillbillyjedi]

I would turn the lights up. I have the same light as you on a 32 gallon at full power, I just don't feel it can be effective at 35%. Can you show a picture of your zoa's or leather? Lets see if they give any indication.

so these are the measurements of the lights measured with apogee par meter, i know the schedule above was changed, but that was due to trying to let the candy cane try and come back as well.

I can push it a bit higher too, i definitely have the power to do so.

 

[hillbillyjedi]

Also I will grab some photos of the other corals later this afternoon when I am back home

 

[hillbillyjedi]

How long did it take to go from beautiful to that?
Looks a bit tasted to me.

the first photo was shot in May of this year, and the second photo is of it this morning.

 

[hillbillyjedi]

I would turn the lights up. I have the same light as you on a 32 gallon at full power, I just don't feel it can be effective at 35%. Can you show a picture of your zoa's or leather? Lets see if they give any indication.

Here are the other corals in the tank,
grafted digi which is only like a month and half old in the tank
hammer seems to be doing really well surprisingly and both zoas are fully opened too.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

They all look good to me, your parameters are fine IMO, I have no idea's sorry. Hopefully others will have better suggestions for you good luck

 

[Uncle99]

the first photo was shot in May of this year, and the second photo is of it this morning.

I see what appears to be vermetid snails on the branches. I count 4.
They cast out stuff that bothers coral polyps.
Snip them at the base. A drop of crazy glue works great.
They are bad guys.
Remove all.

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

Is the aquaclear the only thing providing water movement? My candy cane got knocked over and fell face down on the sand one day. It receded like yours. I put it back and secured it. I have two octopulse 2's providing flow in the tank and it is getting about 120 par. It recovered and had doubled in size now. They're pretty resilient.

 

[hillbillyjedi]

Is the aquaclear the only thing providing water movement? My candy cane got knocked over and fell face down on the sand one day. It receded like yours. I put it back and secured it. I have two octopulse 2's providing flow in the tank and it is getting about 120 par. It recovered and had doubled in size now. They're pretty resilient.

nope, I have a AI Nero 3 and also a smaller hydor (amazon) thats on the back end just for slow movement behind the rocks.

 

[hillbillyjedi]

I see what appears to be vermetid snails on the branches. I count 4.
They cast out stuff that bothers coral polyps.
Snip them at the base. A drop of crazy glue works great.
They are bad guys.
Remove all.

ill have to try removing them again. that is the only coral that those vermitid snails are on too. Im almost curious to just cut them short and refrag them, but not sure if thats really worth it..ill have to definitely get rid of the ones on it again.