Flowerpot Help

[Sound2]

We purchased this flowerpot coral on 3/19/16. It looked really good at the aquarium warehouse. They said to put it in medium flow, medium light. Our light is a little big for our 29 gal tank so I put it at the bottom in a medium flow location. It didn't seem to be doing so well, so I have moved it to several other locations within the tank; one with less lighting and it's current location with a little more lighting and more flow.

What am I doing wrong? It now appears that something may be growing or covering the side of the coral. The tentacles do not come out at all anymore. As I'm new to the hobby, I'm not really sure what I need to do. I have been dosing with Nano Code A & B almost daily to get calcium levels up. They are currently at approximately 370, even after a 5 gal water change. All my other corals (pulsing xenia, Blue Sympodium, Hammer Head, Frog Spawn, etc) are doing really well.

Any advise is appreciated.

Flowerpot when purchased:


Flowerpot Now:

 

[Tab28]

Without knowing your water perimeters. It would be a crap shoot on why the coral is suffering. If it has brown jelly disease it may be too late. If you perimeters like phosphate or nitrates are high. That will surely do a coral in. If you magnesium and alkalinity are not balanced with your calcium levels. You will dose forever and never get calcium up. The 3 need to be within a range of each other. Need you water perimeters. Salinity, ph, alk, mag, nitrates, phosphates. If your tank is less than 4 months other perimeters maybe neededz

 

[ngvu1]

Do you feed it? Beside, this coral is for advance reefers.. also they are hit or miss. The red ones seem to be easier to keep than the green one.

 

[Sound2]

Without knowing your water perimeters. It would be a crap shoot on why the coral is suffering. If it has brown jelly disease it may be too late. If you perimeters like phosphate or nitrates are high. That will surely do a coral in. If you magnesium and alkalinity are not balanced with your calcium levels. You will dose forever and never get calcium up. The 3 need to be within a range of each other. Need you water perimeters. Salinity, ph, alk, mag, nitrates, phosphates. If your tank is less than 4 months other perimeters maybe neededz

Temp: 78
Salinity: 1.024
High Range PH: 8.4
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: .5
Nitrate: Chemical test shows 0, test strip shows 20
KH: 300
Phosphate: 0

Tank was put up on Christmas Eve.

 

[Sound2]

Do you feed it? Beside, this coral is for advance reefers.. also they are hit or miss. The red ones seem to be easier to keep than the green one.

Been feeding phytofeast twice a week or so. Just purchased some Reef Chili but still need to figure out how to use it. Other then that I feed the fish Mysis & Brine Shrimp, some flake food, and pellets.

 

[Tab28]

If you are reading nitrite and no nitrates your tank may not be completely cycled.

 

[ngvu1]

Good point. I was assuming from the beginning! !!!!

If you are reading nitrite and no nitrates your tank may not be completely cycled.

 

[alan j t]

That sure is a long cycle,being it was setup on Christmas eve. Maybe they should get the water tested from a petstore

 

[D maul]

Been feeding phytofeast twice a week or so. Just purchased some Reef Chili but still need to figure out how to use it. Other then that I feed the fish Mysis & Brine Shrimp, some flake food, and pellets.

Try taking a 1/4 of a teaspoon of reef chilli and some tank water and fill a turkey baster and slowly release chilli and see if you get any polyp movement.

 

[joshkirkland83]

Ive had gonis for years, IME the long tentacle ones need to be fed a minimum of three times a week. Large food is useless to them, they are filter feeders. Ive had great success with gonipower and oysterfeast. As mentioned above they require a good bit of care and are also hit or miss...

 

[Sound2]

That sure is a long cycle,being it was setup on Christmas eve. Maybe they should get the water tested from a petstore

When I take my water to the LFS they take a strip and dip it in the water, just like I do here and tell me everything is good.

 

[Sound2]

Try taking a 1/4 of a teaspoon of reef chilli and some tank water and fill a turkey baster and slowly release chilli and see if you get any polyp movement.

No polyp movement.

 

[RMS18]

I have had hard time with these so I only buy small frags. I lost 2 green I have a purple and pink that are doing good. Something with the green ones they bleach out and die.

 

[phantomreefing]

Personally this is among one of the many hardest corals to keep alive.
I personally had this awesome one but it soon perished in about 6 months. It began doing what yours is currently is :/




There are too many factors, an obvious one being light and amount of turnover. It be nice to know what lights are being used by those who have been successful.

 

[ngvu1]

This one does not photosynthesize so it needs to be fed...I think. I had one too and it was not even 6 months. :-)

Personally this is among one of the many hardest corals to keep alive.
I personally had this awesome one but it soon perished in about 6 months. It began doing what yours is currently is :/




There are too many factors, an obvious one being light and amount of turnover. It be nice to know what lights are being used by those who have been successful.

 

[Sound2]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I have successfully killed another coral. :( However, all is not lost as the LFS said I could dip this in bleach or white vinegar and use the base for frags. Learning this way is NOT fun even when I do my homework prior to purchases.

 

[Frop]

Sorry for the loss. I've been keeping mine in a low/medium flow (enough to move its arms about 30degrees) and lower light (100par peak at 4 hours).