Chalice issues.

[bearscharger]

I have 2 chalices in QT right now and I am having 2 different issues I think. The avatar is starting to peel at the edge. The raja seems to be bleaching? I have moved

them to the side of the tank and shaded them for now. Running a Kessil 360we at 5% color and 5% intensity for 12 hours a day. Water parameters as of 1/31:

NO3	15.3
DKH	8.4
PH	7.3
PO4	0.02
Calcium	550
Magnesium	1375
Salinity	1.025
Temp	81.0

I plan to test the water again this evening when I get home. I have 14 days left in QT for these corals and really would hate to lose them this close to the end, doing a 45 day QT so that's why the temp is elevated. These are what they look like this morning with the sun coming in the window at them. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Your light is on at only 5%, and its dying, so you put it in the shade to improve? That doesn't seem logical to me, I mean, is there any reason to not turn the lights up?

 

[TARHEEL78]

I'm completely thrown for a loop on the 7.3 pH, 550 cal and 81 temp not to mention the lights.

 

[bearscharger]

Your light is on at only 5%, and its dying, so you put it in the shade to improve? That doesn't seem logical to me, I mean, is there any reason to not turn the lights up?

I assumed it was getting bleached out from the light from reading other posts about chalices turning white and that was the first suggestion. But if you think it's from a lack of light I will bring it up by 5% each day

 

[bearscharger]

I'm completely thrown for a loop on the 7.3 pH, 550 cal and 81 temp not to mention the lights.

I feel the 550 cal might be a testing error since I have not dosed it once since starting QT just water changes. I'm not 100% sold on the ph meter I got it tested the waters I got the corals from at about 7.2 that's even after calibrating it. And the temp is elevated so I can run the 45 day QT instead of 76.

 

[mrpontiac80]

I’m curious about your qt. Is it to qt coral from coral pests or fish disease? If it is fish disease you are trying to prevent, that is just a time thing. Without a fish in the system ich or whatever will die out. So personally I’d bring the temp down if it were me.

As for the light, I’d definitely add light. My chalices do fine in 100-200 par areas.

 

[bearscharger]

It is for both. Which paid off because when I was shuffling things around if found a bristle worm that must have come in as an egg since. When I dipped them I only found some micro brittle stars. Elevated temp is based on humblefish's recommendation to shorten the QT time frame.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I assumed it was getting bleached out from the light from reading other posts about chalices turning white and that was the first suggestion. But if you think it's from a lack of light I will bring it up by 5% each day

when most corals die they turn white, and people generally use the word bleaching, but a dead coral is a not a bleached coral, they are different things.

A coral will die a long slow death in low light. In high light it will die overnight, so high light is definitely not the problem here, its low light.

 

[mrpontiac80]

I’m curious about your qt. Is it to qt coral from coral pests or fish disease? If it is fish disease you are trying to prevent, that is just a time thing. Without a fish in the system ich or whatever will die out. So personally I’d bring the temp down if it were me.

As for the light, I’d definitely add light. My chalices do fine in 100-200 par areas.

That’s cool. I was just curious. I follow humblefish for qt stuff also. I just don’t qt my corals although I know they are capable of bringing stuff in.
I’d increase that light. Maybe up to half of where you want it to be and then add 3-5% every few days to a week. At least that’s how I’d approach it if they have been in low light for some time.

As for calcium I’d re test and if high, do a large water change. I keep mine around 410 ppm. If your ph is that low, you might could add an air stone or surface agitation but air stones can get messy and if the room is low ph, I’m not sure how much it would help. I know that I run an air stone in my sump and it did show improvement.

 

[bearscharger]

So as of tonight here's the water parameters:

NO3	7.7
DKH	8.1
PH	N/A
PO4	0.04
Calcium	459
Magnesium	1390
Salinity	1.025
Temp	81.1

Oddly enough my ph probe would not power on, looks like I'll have to get it warrantied out.

 

[bearscharger]

when most corals die they turn white, and people generally use the word bleaching, but a dead coral is a not a bleached coral, they are different things.

A coral will die a long slow death in low light. In high light it will die overnight, so high light is definitely not the problem here, its low light.

So do you think they are just showing different ways of dying? One turning white and the others flesh peeling back?