Candy cane not doing great

[drakebuffie]

My candy cane was the success story of my tank. About 2 weeks ago I noticed he started to not look great. Doing a water changes today. Tested trates and phosphates last night trates were 12.5 phosphates were .65 which is going the wrong direction. Was .3 last time I checked 2 weeks ago.

I did pull a few of those tiny hard pest snails off the hard part of the candy cane. The hard part is turning white and the flesh is receding.

Anyone know what's up here?

 

[TheDuude]

.65 po4 is high

 

[Dburr1014]

Pics?

 

[drakebuffie]

.65 po4 is high

No ****

 

[drakebuffie]

Pic

 

[drakebuffie]

Pics?

Added

 

[Dburr1014]

Added

Very blue, hard to see.

 

[Dburr1014]

I think you need to post all your parameters.
Nutrients not helping tho.

 

[drakebuffie]

I think you need to post all your parameters.
Nutrients not helping tho.

Did a wc last night. Going to test the parameters and post them. This is a better pic. You can see where the hard portion of the coral is turning white.

 

[drakebuffie]

I think you need to post all your parameters.
Nutrients not helping tho.

So my alkalinity is super low which is a new thing. Always ran in good range in the past last check was about 2 weeks ago. Got to find out how to bring that up

 

[fish farmer]

Yes, I'd look into getting the alk and the CA up, the pH may get a boost depending on what product you use.

Have you ever observed your candy cane with it's feeding tentacles out? Usually happens at lights out for me, that would indicate it is at least still doing ok.

Truthfully some skeleton showing down the stalk can also be a sign of growth, but complete retraction to the top is when I worry.

 

[drakebuffie]

Yes, I'd look into getting the alk and the CA up, the pH may get a boost depending on what product you use.

Have you ever observed your candy cane with it's feeding tentacles out? Usually happens at lights out for me, that would indicate it is at least still doing ok.

Truthfully some skeleton showing down the stalk can also be a sign of growth, but complete retraction to the top is when I worry.

I am wondering how my alk dropped so far so quickly especially right after a 10 gal wc. I am going to use the baked baking soda recipe here to get it up

 

[Dburr1014]

I am wondering how my alk dropped so far so quickly especially right after a 10 gal wc. I am going to use the baked baking soda recipe here to get it up

Double check that it's not test error

 

[Dburr1014]

So my alkalinity is super low which is a new thing. Always ran in good range in the past last check was about 2 weeks ago. Got to find out how to bring that up

Work on PO4, calcium,

 

[drakebuffie]

Double check that it's not test error

Tested 3 times

 

[drakebuffie]

Work on PO4, calcium,

I am running GFO in socks to get the po4 down

I tested the alk 3 times so unless. My brand new hanna tester is broken something is up.

 

[Uncle99]

Alk needs to remain stable, and unchanging at all times, regardless where you are in the band.
Phosphate is an issue, mop that up with GFO slowly, down to maybe .1ppm, and stabilize that as well.
CA is too low.
Don’t see MG level but should be 1350-1440ppm.

 

[Dburr1014]

Alk needs to remain stable, and unchanging at all times, regardless where you are in the band.
Phosphate is an issue, mop that up with GFO slowly, down to maybe .1ppm, and stabilize that as well.
CA is too low.
Don’t see MG level but should be 1350-1440ppm.

Mag brings up a question. If it's low could be why alk and cal are low.
Have you tested Mag?

 

[drakebuffie]

Mag brings up a question. If it's low could be why alk and cal are low.
Have you tested Mag?

I was testing wrong. I was putting in .1 mil of reggent instead of 1. Old eyes ain't what they used to be. I am sure it's where it should be. About to test again. Cal is a bit low but think it should be ok another week until I do another wc. If it's still low I will look into dosing.

Might get a Hanna mag checker. Have no tested mag.

 

[Fishy888]

I was testing wrong. I was putting in .1 mil of reggent instead of 1. Old eyes ain't what they used to be. I am sure it's where it should be. About to test again. Cal is a bit low but think it should be ok another week until I do another wc. If it's still low I will look into dosing.

Might get a Hanna mag checker. Have no tested mag.

I’m glad you were able to figure that out. Things like that happen to the best of us. Do you have updated test results?

An ALK of 2.2 dKH is almost impossible to achieve in seawater. I’m glad you didn’t add all that ALK because that would have been disastrous.