Goniopora Not Opening

[shezzie]

Hey reefers, I haven't had my goni for too long. When I first got the goni it was extended fully and looked to be doing well, but only after a couple of days has stopped opening and is unhappy. I was hoping that someone has suggestions as to what it could be. Maybe it doesn't like where it is? I was first told that it was my phosphate and nitrate as they were low, but I have since brought them up to the recommended levels and still, the goniopora is not happy. I've attached pictures and would love some feedback thank you. (Don't mind the algae I've had a bit of a bloom the last two days)

Tank Parameters:
Calcium - 450
Alkalinity - 9.6
Magnesium - 1475
Phosphate - 0.015
Nitrate - 5.8

 

[TX_REEF]

what's your lighting and flow setup? Too much of either could also have it unhappy.

 

[slav621]

I would suggest starting with weekly water changes to get rid of that algae. Something is not right if you have algae like that. I am not a professional though.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

What size is your tank?

The tank looks very new, how old is it? Goni is a picky coral, it won't open if it doesn't like something, and so many things can bother it. Its very hard to single out what one thing is bothering it in a new tank.

 

[shezzie]

what's your lighting and flow setup? Too much of either could also have it unhappy.

Using an ai prime 16hd to light up the tank, flow is just a sicce voyager at the back right and using the return pump nozzles facing up. Doesn't seem like too much flow at all honestly I was thinking it might not be ENOUGH flow.

 

[shezzie]

I would suggest starting with weekly water changes to get rid of that algae. Something is not right if you have algae like that. I am not a professional though.

Definitely, my tank almost NEVER looks like that it's just been collecting for 48 hours and I haven't dealt with it yet I know it looks pretty bad. Here's a pic of it from only 3 days ago.

 

[shezzie]

What size is your tank?

The tank looks very new, how old is it? Goni is a picky coral, it won't open if it doesn't like something, and so many things can bother it. Its very hard to single out what one thing is bothering it in a new tank.

My tank is a IM 25 gallon lagoon, it's only roughly about 5 months old at this point. (The tangs are in the tank to grow a little more and then are going into a FOWLR 120). I guess you're right it could be a number of things as it's a new tank. I've tried to up the phosphate as at one point it was bottoming out but judging by the algae growth in a matter of 2 days, seems like phosphates are doing just fine.

 

[Pistondog]

You cant trust your po4 measurement, anything below 0.03 ppm is test noise. Feed some reef roids until po4 is above 0.06 ppm.
Try dosing manganese daily. Perked up one of my gonis.
also make sure he is off the sand.

 

[shezzie]

You cant trust your po4 measurement, anything below 0.03 ppm is test noise. Feed some reef roids until po4 is above 0.06 ppm.
Try dosing manganese daily. Perked up one of my gonis.
also make sure he is off the sand.

Ok I see, I thought the ppb phosphorous hanna checker was really good for the 0 to 0.03 range but I could be wrong. I just picked up reef roids and fed it to the tank today, how often should I be feeding it to raise that phosphate level and when should I stop? What I mean by that is what phosphate level is good to sit at? What is manganese? Maybe that question can help solve this issue. Also is the goni on sand bad? I don't really have another place to put him.

 

[Pistondog]

Ok I see, I thought the ppb phosphorous hanna checker was really good for the 0 to 0.03 range but I could be wrong. I just picked up reef roids and fed it to the tank today, how often should I be feeding it to raise that phosphate level and when should I stop? What I mean by that is what phosphate level is good to sit at? What is manganese? Maybe that question can help solve this issue. Also is the goni on sand bad? I don't really have another place to put him.

Feed rr every 3 days. Shoot for a po4 level 0.06 to 0.1ppm. Raising just off the sand is ok.
Manganese is a trace element.
Trace elements are present in most salt mixes. Some elements are used faster than others and differently by organisms.
Some of us augment our tank chemistry with elements we think are beneficial.

 

[shezzie]

Feed rr every 3 days. Shoot for a po4 level 0.06 to 0.1ppm. Raising just off the sand is ok.
Manganese is a trace element.
Trace elements are present in most salt mixes. Some elements are used faster than others and differently by organisms.
Some of us augment our tank chemistry with elements we think are beneficial.

Ok I see, so is the goni ok where it is now or should I find a way to elevate it just a bit more off the sand? I will try to find a way to dose manganese in my tank, I think I know a store that I can find it at since you said it really helped your goniopora.

 

[Manpeckz]

The Voyager nano 1000? (270 gph) or 2000? (530 gph)

Either way, may not be enough flow with where they are pointed... is that an area for detritus buildup that you know of?

 

[steveschuerger]

Ok I see, so is the goni ok where it is now or should I find a way to elevate it just a bit more off the sand? I will try to find a way to dose manganese in my tank, I think I know a store that I can find it at since you said it really helped your goniopora.

I have gonis in both higher light and lower light, low flow and higher flow. I’ve found for me it’s more what the individual coral likes and when I find it I try to leave it there. I know it isn’t much help but I sometimes think they have minds of their own . Here’s a video I took last week . It’ll give you an idea of the placement and flow of the tank

 

[shezzie]

The Voyager nano 1000? (270 gph) or 2000? (530 gph)

Either way, may not be enough flow with where they are pointed... is that an area for detritus buildup that you know of?

It is a nano 1000, which I guess might not be enough flow then, maybe I'll have to upgrade to a stronger pump in the back. As for detritus, I don't think there's a buildup I think there's a pretty even distribution of flow but it can be.

 

[shezzie]

I have gonis in both higher light and lower light, low flow and higher flow. I’ve found for me it’s more what the individual coral likes and when I find it I try to leave it there. I know it isn’t much help but I sometimes think they have minds of their own . Here’s a video I took last week . It’ll give you an idea of the placement and flow of the tank

I see you've got quite a lot going on in terms of flow. Nice corals they all look really nice. I've now realized that the flesh on the backside of the goni is dying in two places so I'm not sure if it will be able to recover. But if it does end up dying I'll get another goni once the tank matures a little more, they're one of my favourite corals. I've tried moving it to the opposite side so the left side to see if maybe the flow there is a little better for it and lifted it a few mm off the sandbed to see if maybe that's what was disturbing it.

 

[steveschuerger]

If you have it on hand you might try some Cipro . 500mg in about 6 US oz. Do 5 dosings in the tank until it’s used up. It may help.

 

[shezzie]

If you have it on hand you might try some Cipro . 500mg in about 6 US oz. Do 5 dosings in the tank until it’s used up. It may help.

Don't have any and don't know where I'd be able to get it. Is a goni able to recover from the dead spots? Do the dead spots mean it's for sure gone? Or do they just never go away but that doesn't mean a total loss with the coral.

 

[Roatan Reef]

My tank is a IM 25 gallon lagoon, it's only roughly about 5 months old at this point. (The tangs are in the tank to grow a little more and then are going into a FOWLR 120). I guess you're right it could be a number of things as it's a new tank. I've tried to up the phosphate as at one point it was bottoming out but judging by the algae growth in a matter of 2 days, seems like phosphates are doing just fine.

5 months Is too young for Gonis, plus you have an algae and a flow problem as well

 

[Pistondog]

They can retract a lot, so maybe not dead.
Search for other goni threads for more info

 

[JayM]

5 months Is too young for Gonis, plus you have an algae and a flow problem as well

Not necessarily true. I have a flowerpot goni doing great and it was placed when my tank was only 2-3 months old.