Christmas Tree Rock help

[Bryce M.]

So about three and a half months ago or so I was taking stuff from my friends tank since he was taking stuff done. Got a Christmas tree rock, he was going to toss it so I guessed it had better luck with me but I knew it was over my head. Then it made it, all this time, even through an emergency tank shift about a month ago no stress.

Then last week I went on vacation and everything was fine. Came home and noticed color difference on it, figured alage growing on skeleton after the coral dies. Shoot. Then tonight it's looking like this, one of the worms is hiding and with white around its hole. I figured it was dead but I see it in there.

Parameters
Cal: 450 ppm
Alk: 8.0 DKH
Phos: .10 ppm
Sal: 1.0244
Nitrate: 4 ppm
Temp: 77.5
Mag: 1500

Two things I noticed were the alk and Mag. Alk went from 8.7 before I left to 8. Then magnesium went up from 1370. I did add a little Mag before I left but clearly I did too much. Think these things are the culprit?
Is my rock dead or is there hope?

Also noticed the aptasia, would that be irritating the coral?
My bets on the alk

 

[Bryce M.]

Update!
The middle one came out, I used a feeding pipet to clean off the alage and it looks okay? Maybe a few nare spots? Was it just growing over the coral? I think false alarm I hope

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Also noticed the aptasia, would that be irritating the coral?

I’ll leave the coral troubleshooting to others, but Aiptasia (and other “pest” anemones) can definitely irritate corals if the coral is within stinging range.

Are you feeding the worms anything specific?

 

[Thales]

That is a difficult coral to keep. Flow and light seem important.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

looks like the porite is dying off. It likes stronger light and flow, and very good water conditions. Basically, they like acropora conditions. Any quick/unusual change in alk will bother it.

However, they can bounce back pretty easy, I've had parts of mine die off, but then 2 weeks later the dead spot is covered by new growth, as if it never died.

 

[Bryce M.]

I’ll leave the coral troubleshooting to others, but Aiptasia (and other “pest” anemones) can definitely irritate corals if the coral is within stinging range.

Are you feeding the worms anything specific?

I feed a community blend of plankton and larva, reef jerky from avast marine.

 

[Bryce M.]

looks like the porite is dying off. It likes stronger light and flow, and very good water conditions. Basically, they like acropora conditions. Any quick/unusual change in alk will bother it.

However, they can bounce back pretty easy, I've had parts of mine die off, but then 2 weeks later the dead spot is covered by new growth, as if it never died.

That is what I was worried. I do have it under intense light more towards the top and do have high flow around its area. I think it is the water condition.

That's good to hear, I'll keep the tank going steady and stable and keep an eye on it

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I feed a community blend of plankton and larva, reef jerky from avast marine.

I’d suggest offering the worms some phytoplankton too, particularly Isochrysis galbana and Chaetoceros muelleri or a blend containing at least one of the two.

 

[Bryce M.]

Alright! I'll look around and see what I can get. Thank you!