Coral Problems

[Joe Tony]

Hello. I have a bit of a bad track record with keeping corals. Despite having virtually no nitrates or phosphates, keeping up to date with water changes, dosing to maintain calcium and alkalinity, and having an established tank with coraline algae now, and maintaing control over the pest algae. I have one fish in a 30 gallon tank, and a cleanup crew. I've never seen any of my crabs (emerald and hermits) go after any of my coral polyps and I keep a sharp eye on them.

And yet, despite all of that, three of the four coral polyps I got recently aren't thriving at all. The monti cap is bleached (which may be because I put it too high too soon), and it doesn't seem to be showing signs of recovering despite feeding it and now keeping it in a shady place.
And since my first water change since getting them, my duncan coral and blue mushroom closed up. I've tried moving the duncan to a few places, keeping it shady, and leaving it per spot for a few days, and it still

The candy cane coral seems fine enough, but there was a bit of what looked like disintegrated flesh on the side of its stalk, which has me a bit worried, but it might not be much.

I feed a mixture of oyster feast, plankton, and marine snow a few times per week. And I have filter feeders and scavengers which help clean up the leftovers.

I've had duncans do this in the past where they stay closed. I've had toadstool leathers disintegrate on me. I've had photosynthetic gorgonians decay. And this is all in a tank where my paremeters have been more or less consistently fine for the past 6-8 months, with only the occasional salinity shift, phosphate spike, or alkalinity drop (all of which I would address in short time, AND my coralline algae has been thriving and spreading.

Am I missing something? These are all supposedly easy to care for beginner corals, and yet I constantly feel like I can't even take care of them in a way that they'll thrive. Will my monti recover? Why is my duncan still closed after a week? What's going to happen with my mushroom? Should I be feeding them something else? Am I feeding too much? Should I start dosing amino acids? Is anyone else having these issues? And if not, what are they doing for their corals that I'm not?

The tank is a 30 gallon btw with a thick sand bed and a decent amount of live rock

 

[ZoWhat]

Are you.missing smthg?

Telling us your lighting source....who's the Mfgr? What intensities of what blues and whites are you using? And for how long of a photo-period?

Need an in-depth disclosure of your lights


.

 

[anthonygf]

Hello. I have a bit of a bad track record with keeping corals. Despite having virtually no nitrates or phosphates, keeping up to date with water changes, dosing to maintain calcium and alkalinity, and having an established tank with coraline algae now, and maintaing control over the pest algae. I have one fish in a 30 gallon tank, and a cleanup crew. I've never seen any of my crabs (emerald and hermits) go after any of my coral polyps and I keep a sharp eye on them.

And yet, despite all of that, three of the four coral polyps I got recently aren't thriving at all. The monti cap is bleached (which may be because I put it too high too soon), and it doesn't seem to be showing signs of recovering despite feeding it and now keeping it in a shady place.
And since my first water change since getting them, my duncan coral and blue mushroom closed up. I've tried moving the duncan to a few places, keeping it shady, and leaving it per spot for a few days, and it still

The candy cane coral seems fine enough, but there was a bit of what looked like disintegrated flesh on the side of its stalk, which has me a bit worried, but it might not be much.

I feed a mixture of oyster feast, plankton, and marine snow a few times per week. And I have filter feeders and scavengers which help clean up the leftovers.

I've had duncans do this in the past where they stay closed. I've had toadstool leathers disintegrate on me. I've had photosynthetic gorgonians decay. And this is all in a tank where my paremeters have been more or less consistently fine for the past 6-8 months, with only the occasional salinity shift, phosphate spike, or alkalinity drop (all of which I would address in short time, AND my coralline algae has been thriving and spreading.

Am I missing something? These are all supposedly easy to care for beginner corals, and yet I constantly feel like I can't even take care of them in a way that they'll thrive. Will my monti recover? Why is my duncan still closed after a week? What's going to happen with my mushroom? Should I be feeding them something else? Am I feeding too much? Should I start dosing amino acids? Is anyone else having these issues? And if not, what are they doing for their corals that I'm not?

The tank is a 30 gallon btw with a thick sand bed and a decent amount of live rock

I have a 30 head Duncan for close to 5 years now, got him when he had only 2 heads. Just recently he was closed up for several months. could never figure it out. I was using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals for 5 years, after trying everything I decided to switch salts to Fritz and he started coming out and is still alive. He is now fully extended and looks good.

I also lost many corals my first year (some easy) and have many that are thriving. All parameters were in good range. I believe my Duncan got stressed when I changed lighting from black box to Kessil's.

Like skimjim says, give us some specifics on your parameters and lighting. Maybe you just need to let your system mature further.

Also Joe, you do need some nitrates and phosphates, not zero. my nitrates are 20 and phos .12

 

[Joe Tony]

Are you.missing smthg?

Telling us your lighting source....who's the Mfgr? What intensities of what blues and whites are you using? And for how long of a photo-period?

Need an in-depth disclosure of your lights


.

It's the Vipraspectra LED 150w. I had it at maximum intensity before with these corals on the bottom (except for the monti cap which I realized was a mistake), but I've since brought it down to 30% for blues and whites. The light is hanging I would say about 4-5 inches above the lidded tank.

 

[Joe Tony]

I have a 30 head Duncan for close to 5 years now, got him when he had only 2 heads. Just recently he was closed up for several months. could never figure it out. I was using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals for 5 years, after trying everything I decided to switch salts to Fritz and he started coming out and is still alive. He is now fully extended and looks good.

I also lost many corals my first year (some easy) and have many that are thriving. All parameters were in good range. I believe my Duncan got stressed when I changed lighting from black box to Kessil's.

Like skimjim says, give us some specifics on your parameters and lighting. Maybe you just need to let your system mature further.

Also Joe, you do need some nitrates and phosphates, not zero. my nitrates are 20 and phos .12

Interesting. Ocean crystals are what I've been using this whole time too. Maybe I'll make the switch to Fritz soon as well, if you think that will help

I'll test my parameters tonight and have a report for you

 

[anthonygf]

It's the Vipraspectra LED 150w. I had it at maximum intensity before with these corals on the bottom (except for the monti cap which I realized was a mistake), but I've since brought it down to 30% for blues and whites. The light is hanging I would say about 4-5 inches above the lidded tank.

The Viparspectra is a good light. I had the 300watt on a 46 gallon bowfront for a few years and most corals grew well. Then I upgraded to 2 kessil 360's because I had plans to get a 75 gallon which I had transferred everything over to it. the Duncan was closed up before I transfered to 75. I also had my vipar about 6-8 inches above water line. Make sure to acclimate the corals to the light by starting them in low light and gradually move them higher. I think my corals grew better with the Vipar.

 

[anthonygf]

Interesting. Ocean crystals are what I've been using this whole time too. Maybe I'll make the switch to Fritz soon as well, if you think that will help

I'll test my parameters tonight and have a report for you

I am just about out of Fritz 200 gallon box of salt. I will be going back to IO/RC because 1, I did have good success with it for several years and 2, can't beat the price, $37 for a 160 gallon bucket on Amazon "subscribe and save". Almost half the price of Fritz.

 

[iamacat]

Get a par meter. That will give you your lighting answers. Those lights can grow but there is a lot of room for error in the user set up.

also, tons of story but no information we can really use. We need numbers to help. Otherwise it’s just a story

 

[Joe Tony]

The Viparspectra is a good light. I had the 300watt on a 46 gallon bowfront for a few years and most corals grew well. Then I upgraded to 2 kessil 360's because I had plans to get a 75 gallon which I had transferred everything over to it. the Duncan was closed up before I transfered to 75. I also had my vipar about 6-8 inches above water line. Make sure to acclimate the corals to the light by starting them in low light and gradually move them higher. I think my corals grew better with the Vipar.

Yeah but here's what's weird though. The duncan stayed open as I had it under the light at 100% at the bottom of the tank. Same with the mushroom. It was only until I did a water change that everything went wrong with them, and they haven't opened since.

 

[Joe Tony]

Get a par meter. That will give you your lighting answers. Those lights can grow but there is a lot of room for error in the user set up.

also, tons of story but no information we can really use. We need numbers to help. Otherwise it’s just a story

I don't have a limitless amount of money lol, and I never saw the point in getting a par meter. Any par meters that cost less than $100?

 

[Joe Tony]

The Viparspectra is a good light. I had the 300watt on a 46 gallon bowfront for a few years and most corals grew well. Then I upgraded to 2 kessil 360's because I had plans to get a 75 gallon which I had transferred everything over to it. the Duncan was closed up before I transfered to 75. I also had my vipar about 6-8 inches above water line. Make sure to acclimate the corals to the light by starting them in low light and gradually move them higher. I think my corals grew better with the Vipar.

Yeah, I thought the lighting thing was an issue. I was using a really old LED that wasn't even meant for a 30 gallon, that only seemed to be growing algae, so I made an investment for the better light. But it seems like something else is going on in my tank that I'm just missing. The snails, crabs, fish, and shrimp seem to be doing perfectly fine as well. I just don't understand why I keep messing up keeping these corals!

 

[iamacat]

I don't have a limitless amount of money lol, and I never saw the point in getting a par meter. Any par meters that cost less than $100?

Do you have results from water tests

 

[anthonygf]

I don't have a limitless amount of money lol, and I never saw the point in getting a par meter. Any par meters that cost less than $100?

I have never used a par meter in 5 years, I just go by the look of the coral. They will tell you if they are happy or not. But a par meter will definitely tell you when the LED's are getting weak after years of use. You can rent one at BRS I think $60.

 

[Joe Tony]

Do you have results from water tests

As I said in an earlier comment, I'll have my water tests up tonight. Right now I'm celebrating Christmas with my family.

 

[Duffer]

Can you tell us your parameters...when you say limited nitrates and phosphates that may pose a issue, you want some in your tank

 

[anthonygf]

As I said in an earlier comment, I'll have my water tests up tonight. Right now I'm celebrating Christmas with my family.

Merry Christmas Joe and Family!

 

[Joe Tony]

Merry Christmas Joe and Family!

Thank you, and a Merry Christmas to you, if you celebrate it

 

[Joe Tony]

Alright friends, here's the parameters for you:
Salinity: 1.025
PH: 8.1
Alkalinity: 8-12 kh
Calcium: 420 ppm
Nitrates: 0 ppm
Phosphates: 0 ppm


I've also been dosing iron for my grape caulerpa, but I don't have a test kit for that. That being said, I do feel like I may have put too much in until recently, and now I'm being much more careful with how much I put in.

I also haven't kept test kits for ammonia or nitrites, but--except for situations where I did something disastrously stupid, in which case I knew the tank was out of whack and needed to be fixed ASAP--my tank has been consistently crystal clear and hasn't smelled at all, and my fish has been fine, as have my inverts. So based on all of that, and on the fact that it's just these handfuls of corals that are exhibiting signs, and not any of the tank's critters, and my nitrates consistently being 0 every time I tested it, I'm like 99.99% sure ammonia and nitrites have nothing to do with this.

This has also been a problem with me for a long time where I'll more or less do everything right in the tank, and corals just won't thrive with virtually no explanation on my part.

So there's the numbers for you. What are your thoughts?

 

[Joe Tony]

Can you tell us your parameters...when you say limited nitrates and phosphates that may pose a issue, you want some in your tank

I'm confused. I understand that the zooxanthelae algae on corals needs nitrates and phosphates, like any algae would, but everything I've heard from experienced reefers is you want to keep the nutrient levels as low as you can, because they feed the growth of the pest algae, and the phosphates also lock with the molecules that enable the growth of stony corals. Should I get a couple more fish then to raise the nitrates? I currently have a yellowtail damsel and was debating about adding a clownfish pair, but since the damsel was there first, I'm afraid it might harass the pair to death. Or should I do water changes monthly instead of weekly?

 

[Joe Tony]

I have never used a par meter in 5 years, I just go by the look of the coral. They will tell you if they are happy or not. But a par meter will definitely tell you when the LED's are getting weak after years of use. You can rent one at BRS I think $60.

I bought this LED relatively recently. I've considered a par meter in regards to getting a maxima clam, but I don't really see the point for beginner corals.