Frogspawn drooping and discoloured only on one side

[Parsely]

This is my first tank almost 3 months old, and first corals. I added zoas 2.5 weeks ago and they seem like they are doing great, fluffy and bright.

I got a frogspawn a couple of days ago since the zoas were doing well. it was looking great the first couple of days and now half of it looks fine and the other half looks horrible, drooping and discoloured.

in the process of doing testing now:

salinity: 1.025
ammonia: 0
Nitrates: 20
Calcium: 410
Phosphates: 0.25
Kh: 143(is this alkalinity, I only have those stupid api tests right now)

I thought I would ask here if anyone can recognize what could be wrong

 

[AKG]

Your phosphate is pretty high to be honest. Running some phosban might help.

 

[Chlorinated]

Your phosphate is fine if algae is in check.

I could try dipping the coral.

 

[JGT]

Po4 is pretty high if it’s accurate via a reliable testing kit. Can’t see flow. That could have an impact.

 

[AKG]

Your phosphate is fine if algae is in check.

I could try dipping the coral.

.25 not . 025 , but the main thing is not having them bottom out. But honestly OP could be using tap water or something and not mentioning it

 

[JGT]

.25 not . 025

Yea, .25..not fine.

 

[Chlorinated]

.25 not . 025 , but the main thing is not having them bottom out. But honestly OP could be using tap water or something and not mentioning it

Yea, .25..not fine.

.25 is perfectly fine. Talk to many coral farmers and see what they say. Low nutrient systems actually work against coral growth.

If algae is in check .25 phosphate is fine. I've talked to many with nitrate 20+ and phosphate .2+ with phenomenal color and growth...with ALL corals, not just softies.

Believe what you want but the literature is out there.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The phosphate test is with API, they always says .25. Need a better test kit.

But even .25 phosphate wouldn’t do that anyway my phosphate has been that high before, it doesn’t affect like that. It’s something else.

What kind of light is on the tank?

 

[Parsely]

.25 not . 025 , but the main thing is not having them bottom out. But honestly OP could be using tap water or something and not mentioning it

I have a Rodi filter. I’m using the API test kits (awful I know), 0.25 is the first value off of 0 on their chart so it could have been somewhere Inbetween there. Surprised to learn that’s considered high, don’t know why the test kit wouldn’t allow for more precise numbers Inbetween 0 and 0.25 if that’s the case.

the frogspawn is looking a little better now, I’m thinking maybe my hermit crab may have trampled over it but I’m not sure.

I’ll attach a full tank shot, this is a Fluval evo, so the return pump is back left, I have a power head front left. The frogspawn is lower right. I am very new to this so I have no idea how to distinguish if it’s too little or too heavy flow

 

[Parsely]

The phosphate test is with API, they always says .25. Need a better test kit.

But even .25 phosphate wouldn’t do that anyway my phosphate has been that high before, it doesn’t affect like that. It’s something else.

What kind of light is on the tank?

Stock light that came with Fluval evo

 

[Chlorinated]

I have a Rodi filter. I’m using the API test kits (awful I know), 0.25 is the first value off of 0 on their chart so it could have been somewhere Inbetween there. Surprised to learn that’s considered high, don’t know why the test kit wouldn’t allow for more precise numbers Inbetween 0 and 0.25 if that’s the case.

the frogspawn is looking a little better now, I’m thinking maybe my hermit crab may have trampled over it but I’m not sure.

I’ll attach a full tank shot, this is a Fluval evo, so the return pump is back left, I have a power head front left. The frogspawn is lower right. I am very new to this so I have no idea how to distinguish if it’s too little or too heavy flow

Get the Hanna ULR phosphate tester. API is garbage for what we need in this hobby unfortunately. Some things just don't come cheap.

 

[AKG]

.25 is perfectly fine. Talk to many coral farmers and see what they say. Low nutrient systems actually work against coral growth.

If algae is in check .25 phosphate is fine. I've talked to many with nitrate 20+ and phosphate .2+ with phenomenal color and growth...with ALL corals, not just softies.

Believe what you want but the literature is out there.

I mean yeah, in an established tank. OP's tank is 3 months old. It all depends. I wouldn't be surprised if it was still cycling and maybe there's high nitrite, or the coral is just upset, or infected,or splitting, or dealing with too much flow. The fan is blowing directly to the front wall making a back eddy where that part of the coral is. That would be my next guess tbh is a flow related issue. OP, what fan is that?

 

[Parsely]

Get the Hanna ULR phosphate tester. API is garbage for what we need in this hobby unfortunately. Some things just don't come cheap.

Yes, I realize that now. Planning on upgrading to a better test kit. Annoying that a lfs pushed the api ones on me and they are garbage from my experience so far

 

[KrisReef]

Wouldn't it be possible that those clownfish have been making love to the LPS?

 

[Parsely]

I mean yeah, in an established tank. OP's tank is 3 months old. It all depends. I wouldn't be surprised if it was still cycling and maybe there's high nitrite, or the coral is just upset, or infected,or splitting, or dealing with too much flow. The fan is blowing directly to the front wall making a back eddy where that part of the coral is. That would be my next guess tbh is a flow related issue. OP, what fan is that?

It’s a Fluval sea cp1 circulation pump. Do you think I should move it?

 

[Parsely]

Wouldn't it be possible that those clownfish have been making love to the LPS?

Haven’t seen them near it yet, I do have a larger hermit crab in there that just seems to march across everything and anything so he is a suspect for causing this

 

[AKG]

Ok so you created a back eddy on accident. It's a bit of a stretch to say it's too much flow for it, but point it a little higher and see if the issue goes away tbh.

 

[Parsely]

Ok so you created a back Eddy on accident. It's a bit of a stretch to say it's too much flow for it, but point it a little higher and see if the issue goes away tbh.

Ok this makes sense! Thank you so much! This is my first tank so I am just learning as I go!

 

[AKG]

Ok this makes sense, what would you suggest I do with fan? This is my first tank so I am just learning as I go!

Point it slightly up and towards your front panel, the goal being to point it such that flow hits all sides of your tank without spreading like previously. So point it slightly up towards the surface maybe 10° and aim for thefront panel towards the right side so it hits as close to the center of your far right panel as possible. Over time this might create a gyre.

 

[Parsely]

Point it slightly up and towards your front panel, the goal being to point it such that flow hits all sides of your tank without spreading like previously. So point it slightly up towards the surface maybe 10° and aim for thefront panel towards the right side so it hits as close to the center of your far right panel as possible. Over time this might create a gyre.

Amazing thank you!