Coral Shrinking and Splitting: Brain / Candy cane / Torch

[EugeneKwok]

URGENT: Coral Shrinking and Splitting: Brain / Candy cane / Torch

Parameter:
kh:8
pH: 8.0
NH3: 0ppm
NO3: 0.35ppm
NO2: 0ppm
PO4: 0.4ppm
Temperature: around 80 F
Tank volume: 13.5 gallon
Creatures density: 1 jawfish, 1 small clownfish, 2 pompom crabs, 4 snails, 2 anemones.


Hi everyone, I have some issues with my LPS in the tank, I change 10% of the water every week and feed the fish and coral with shrimps and coral food every 2 days, and I turn on my protein skimmer every day. My candy cane, brain, and torch start shrinking and splitting from its bones recently, this situation has been happening for a week. I am very confused and wondering what kind of actions I should take to resolve this to make my corals recover. The whole situation of all my corals became worsen since I put some snails into the tank in order to deal with the algae issues about 2 months ago, the Nassarius snails are moving under the sandbed all the time. I assume they break the balance and bring some harmful substance out from the sand. I really appreciate it if anyone can help me with this situation, thank you in advance.

 

[Doctorgori]

just a glance but some of those params are riding sorta too close to the edge for my comfort…
..anyway, that’s what jumps out at me…anyone?
p.s. I lived in phx AZ now Cle OH, IME 80f is fine but only 4F from the safe upper limit whereas it’s 12F from the lower limit, …same line of thinking with ALK riding near 8…, Nitrate near zero, et
just a thought

 

[EugeneKwok]

just a glance but some of those params are riding sorta too close to the edge for my comfort…
..anyway, that’s what jumps out at me…anyone?
p.s. I lived in phx AZ now Cle OH, IME 80f is fine but only 4F from the safe upper limit whereas it’s 12F from the lower limit, …same line of thinking with ALK riding near 8…, Nitrate near zero, et
just a thought

just a glance but some of those params are riding sorta too close to the edge for my comfort…
..anyway, that’s what jumps out at me…anyone?
p.s. I lived in phx AZ now Cle OH, IME 80f is fine but only 4F from the safe upper limit whereas it’s 12F from the lower limit, …same line of thinking with ALK riding near 8…, Nitrate near zero, et
just a thought

Sorry my friend, I mistakenly typed the parameter of nitrate, it should be 3.5 ppm.

 

[MaxTremors]

Sorry my friend, I mistakenly typed the parameter of nitrate, it should be 3.5 ppm.

First, none of those test results are very accurate, API at best will give you a vague ballpark. I don’t know how you’re getting the numbers you’re mentioning as the resolution of API tests is not that exact (for example the nitrate test goes 0-5-10-20-etc, and the phosphate goes 0-0.25-0.5-1.0, guessing at values in between is incredibly inaccurate). Also, you’re using the freshwater card for the phosphate test, don’t know if that makes a difference.

My recommendation would be to get better test kits (try to get kits with the best resolution, meaning kits that are more specific and have less vague/large ranges, Salifert, Red Sea, Hanna, and Tropic Marin are all good).

The snails are not the issue, the nassarius snails stirring up the sand is a good thing.

Outside of that, would need more info. How old is the tank? How are your parameters over time (are the stable - kind of hard to say with API test kits)? Are you using RODI water?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

How old is the tank and how long have the corals been in there?

The pics looks like a new tank going through the uglies, different algae's fighting to consume nutrients and survive. Corals have a hard time in new tanks until the water chemistry balances out.