Flat Torch Tentacles What's the Cause?

[Luna Lagoona]

So as per the title this torch is new and I really love it but am not sure why it's tentacles have deflated and gone flat. (Not the best picture sorry)

I'm guessing it's getting too much flow so I turned down my Nero 3 to have 50% as the maximum in it's Random pattern but it's still not looking great and I don't want to sacrifice the flow much further for the rest of the tank just for the torch.

I've tried moving it a couple times and it's not really in direct flow either but overall I'd say the tank has high flow. (It's only a 25 gallon Lagoon so the two 300gph return pumps and the Nero 3 are a lot.

Anyway let me know if anyone has suggestions.

Ammonia 0
Nitrates and nitrites both at or near 0

My salinity might still be a little low 1.023 I think. (still recovering from a miscalculated refractometer) I'll retest this and update with the edit later.

I can't test for mag, all, or calcium.

I'm going to try and take some water in to my local shop later and also pickup a Hanna All tester.

 

[aquaman3680]

How long have you had it?

 

[Luna Lagoona]

How long have you had it?

About a week now.

I recently got a and sifting goby that stirred things up and caused what I think was a bacteria bloom and I only just bounced back from that thanks to doubling down on airation

 

[moz71]

First nitrates at zero is no good,need a little. Second very important to test alk and calcium. Very well could be your problem if low. You are not even sure they are stable which is most important. Need to get those test kits. Without them you are going to struggle on keeping any corals. Also what lights you have. So many factors here to consider

 

[Luna Lagoona]

So these are the values I could actually test for. I need to get a new heater as well as I don't trust that my current one is keeping things steady enough.

Here's a video that shows the torch some more.


HD version might not be done processing yet.

 

[moz71]

Most of your corals look good. Torch doesn’t look bad and don’t think flow has anything to do with it. My torch actually is in high flow. How long have you had these corals? The reason I ask is because they look good despite not knowing your calcium and mag. Are you dosing alk and calcium? Parameters you have look good but the swing in alk is a little concerning! Did you jump it up quickly. Number one commandment in reefing is stability. Most likely reason you lost bird nest and goni

 

[Luna Lagoona]

Most of your corals look good. Torch doesn’t look bad and don’t think flow has anything to do with it. My torch actually is in high flow. How long have you had these corals? The reason I ask is because they look good despite not knowing your calcium and mag. Are you dosing alk and calcium? Parameters you have look good but the swing in alk is a little concerning! Did you jump it up quickly. Number one commandment in reefing is stability. Most likely reason you lost bird nest and goni

So I have had the tank up and running for just coming up on 2 months now.

I purchased the tank and original live rock from a tank tear down and everything was running right up until the night I came to pick it up. So it sort of had an "instant Cycle" but I did let things go for 2 weeks before adding any livestock just to be safe.

I am not dosing anything at all, only doing 20% water changes weekly with Auqa Forest Reef salt. My thoughts are that with an aggressive water change schedule like that it should be enough to maintain the levels I need until I start getting major growth or have larger colonies. The Alk swing is really more reflective of my testing as I tried to use a syringe to put in the "drops" but it was more like squirts so I don't think that first reading was really accurate to begin with.

I honestly think my temperature is by far my biggest concern I often put my hands in there and find things feel colder or warmer so I don't think it's staying steady.

I also recently jumped my salinity up from 1.020 to 1.025 again over about a week because my refractometer was not calibrated correctly and I didn't realize that I had a lower salinity than I was intending to.

 

[mdb_talon]

Instead of(or in addition to) a new heater i would suggest getting a controller(inkbird or similar). Heater failures are extremely common and best way to help protect yourself is a controller with alerts. Set the heater to a temp a bit above the controller temp

 

[moz71]

Yes, temp swings can cause it. And should correct that, really need to test all and get stabilized. other things absorb alk and calcium, Coraline algae for one. And I think I see some new rock in there that can absorb it. Caroline algae alone can absorb a lot. You are going to be going though a lot of disappointment without testing all parameters and getting stabile. I know I have been there! You are going to find one day that levels are all over the place and things start dying or best case no growth. Just really just trying to help you prevent that since you already have some nice corals. I have lost so many good corals when wasn’t testing and realized alk and calcium dropped out of nowhere

 

[Luna Lagoona]

Instead of(or in addition to) a new heater i would suggest getting a controller(inkbird or similar). Heater failures are extremely common and best way to help protect yourself is a controller with alerts. Set the heater to a temp a bit above the controller temp

Yeah I was going to try and get a heater with a controller like that. They are super pricy though. ~300$ for any 100watt heater and controller in Canada.

With the lagoon I don't have a ton of space on the back for heating elements either so having a smaller element is really important.

Which makes the Helios an expensive but likely useful option.

 

[mdb_talon]

Yeah I was going to try and get a heater with a controller like that. They are super pricy though. ~300$ for any 100watt heater and controller in Canada.

With the lagoon I don't have a ton of space on the back for heating elements either so having a smaller element is really important.

Which makes the Helios an expensive but likely useful option.

InkBird Smart WiFi Aquarium Heater Controller

InkBird WiFi Aquarium Heater Controller Canada

www.reefsupplies.ca

 

[bruno3047]

The flow is way too low. All of your torches tentacles should be in motion at all times. Not crazy motion. But definitely not motionless. This is what your torch should look like. Photo of my gold torch and a video (which may or may not work) of all my torches. Also, that’s not a very good spot for the torch. The torch should be in a place where it could get flow from all sides. I prefer the sand, but others may disagree.

 

[Luna Lagoona]

That element is 10.75" the 200w model is the one I can get locally.


This is a cheaper heater option but the heating element is so large that I think I will struggle to fit it in the AIO areas in the back.

The flow is way too low. All of your torches tentacles should be in motion at all times. Not crazy motion. But definitely not motionless. This is what your torch should look like. Photo of my gold torch and a video (which may or may not work) of all my torches. Also, that’s not a very good spot for the torch. The torch should be in a place where it could get flow from all sides. I prefer the sand, but others may disagree.

See I actually just lowered the flow because It seemed like the flow was too much for the torch otherwise. But I know what you mean about getting regular flow and looking healthy. This torch hasn't been happy since I got it to be honest.

Here is a picture of the mother colony (not my tank)

And here was my torch when I first added it and it's kinda of been in decline since. Again when I first added it my tank was only 1.020 which I think threw it off... then after that the bacteria bloom... Then the stupid bullet goby nips at it and also dumps sand on everything... (as soon as I catch that bugger I already have a new home lined up for it haha)

 

[bruno3047]

That element is 10.75" the 200w model is the one I can get locally.


This is a cheaper heater option but the heating element is so large that I think I will struggle to fit it in the AIO areas in the back.




See I actually just lowered the flow because It seemed like the flow was too much for the torch otherwise. But I know what you mean about getting regular flow and looking healthy. This torch hasn't been happy since I got it to be honest.

Here is a picture of the mother colony (not my tank)

And here was my torch when I first added it and it's kinda of been in decline since. Again when I first added it my tank was only 1.020 which I think threw it off... then after that the bacteria bloom... Then the stupid bullet goby nips at it and also dumps sand on everything... (as soon as I catch that bugger I already have a new home lined up for it haha)

Torches are picky. If your water quality is less than optimum, they will let you know before any other LPS. I believe they are second only to SPS such as acropora in this regard. But if you can get it into suitable water conditions, and some stability, it will make a comeback. Good luck.

 

[Luna Lagoona]

So this was my torch last night

And here it is today

notice that weird area on the top right. I thought it was the start of a new head but I think it melted overnight.

 

[Luna Lagoona]

Annnd what a rapid decline! The right side is flopping around totally free if the skeleton

That torch was my favorite coral I've gotten yet... Curse that stupid goby. Even my Miagi tort died after it was added and stirred up my sand

I did everything I could

 

[moz71]

Trying to tell you it’s your stability, not the dishes fault.

 

[bruno3047]

Annnd what a rapid decline! The right side is flopping around totally free if the skeleton

That torch was my favorite coral I've gotten yet... Curse that stupid goby. Even my Miagi tort died after it was added and stirred up my sand

I did everything I could

Sorry to hear that. Torches are by far my favorite corals. As you can probably tell from my tank. But they’re not the easiest coral to keep. Why don’t you get your tank settled where everything is happy and healthy and then take a shot on another one? This is where I get my corals. Full range of torches from the plainest green to the most exotic gold, appropriately priced

Lucky Corals - Live Corals for sale

Coral for sale: torch corals, hammer corals, frog spawn corals, mushroom corals, zoas, soft corals, brain corals, scoly, acanthos (acanthophyllia), elegance corals.

luckycorals.com

Sorry. I just realized that you are in Canada. I don’t know if Lucky Corals ships to Canada. They are in California. But at least you’ll get an idea of what’s out there and what the price ranges are.