Green Psammocora Wasting Away

[JerseyReefer]

Please help. I have a green Psammocora that I've had for almost a year. It never did well and I tried a bunch of different tank placements. About 2 months ago I put it on the sand bed and it did great. Color came back and it grew. Then about 2 weeks ago it started wasting away and it's happening everyday. What could be wrong? I have an orange one in the same tank that's doing well. Every other coral is doing fine too. I'm stumped

 

[reeferfoxx]

Please help. I have a green Psammocora that I've had for almost a year. It never did well and I tried a bunch of different tank placements. About 2 months ago I put it on the sand bed and it did great. Color came back and it grew. Then about 2 weeks ago it started wasting away and it's happening everyday. What could be wrong? I have an orange one in the same tank that's doing well. Every other coral is doing fine too. I'm stumped

You've wasted away your tanks nutrients. Test po4 and no3. These two things need to be present in the water column.

 

[JerseyReefer]

You've wasted away your tanks nutrients. Test po4 and no3. These two things need to be present in the water column.

Crazy! That's definitely the case for my tank. Thanks.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

and put it back on the sand. It could be light it could be flow. It could be nutrints. And with higher light and no nutrints it could be struggling.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

yup my nutrients are on the low side, and psammy never live in my tank for too long
they are perfect indication of low nutrients.

 

[JerseyReefer]

Should I spot feed it?

 

[reeferfoxx]

Should I spot feed it?

First thing you need to do is look at tank parameters. Check your Ca, Alk, Mag, N03, and PO4.

Assuming you don't have any NO3 or PO4 due to Waste Away, I would start with dosing nitrates and broadcast feeding some fine particulate foods like reef-roids or coral frenzy. These dry powdered foods help with adding po4. Don't go overboard. For NO3 I like to use KNO3 or potassium nitrate like "stump remover". It's cheap at local hardware stores and will last a very long time.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Should I spot feed it?

yea. Def wont hurt. It may not respond quickly or perhaps fast enough to either nutrient dosing or actual feeding to stop the recession. I honestly don't know.
Were it mine Id move it and feed it.

Im def not as good experienced or as patient as the Foxx at dosing.
Both are options.

 

[JerseyReefer]

I used Waste Away so that may be it. I moved it to the sand bed and put it on a piece of acrylic to avoid anything in the sand from bothering it. I'll start broadcast feeding coral food slowly. I don't want a spike or throw anything off.

Thanks for all your help!!!

 

[reeferfoxx]

yea. Def wont hurt. It may not respond quickly or perhaps fast enough to either nutrient dosing or actual feeding to stop the recession. I honestly don't know.
Were it mine Id move it and feed it.

Im def not as good experienced or as patient as the Foxx at dosing.
Both are options.

Sometimes PO4 is already locked in live rock. Just dosing NO3 can help suppress the coral loss and help release PO4. It's that balance we always talk about. Once you feed the reef-roids or coral frenzy(or whatever is available) those nutrients will be in the column. Now the amount to sustain isn't immediately apparent. I would just follow the instructions for feeding. Typically it's only once or twice a week. After dosing KNO3, it's best to wait 24 hours for testing. In this time I would test PO4 once a week. Don't let PO4 raise above 0.04 and don't let NO3 get above 10. My guess is he used Waste-Away for some type of algae or cyano. Keeping this nutrient balance will rid the tank of these pests. Though, in my experience once the balance is achieved, cyano for example, will take a week or two before recession occurs.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I used Waste Away so that may be it. I moved it to the sand bed and put it on a piece of acrylic to avoid anything in the sand from bothering it. I'll start broadcast feeding coral food slowly. I don't want a spike or throw anything off.

Thanks for all your help!!!

i like to use rubble, shells, sand dollars too for that stuff. Itll encrust on it, keep it off the sand and you can mount it like a frag to and not be noticeable.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

My guess is he used Waste-Away for some type of algae or cyano.

Yup. personally I do recommend a good bacteria like this from time to time. But yea, may have just pushed it over the edge for this one....
It'll prob be just fine.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Yup. personally I do recommend a good bacteria like this from time to time. But yea, may have just pushed it over the edge for this one....
It'll prob be just fine.

I only use waste-away if my skimmer and refug aren't doing the job. And I only use 1/8th the recommended dose and stop at that. I then wait a week before testing. Often times the product can give false readings. Either way i know my weekly 20% water change will keep my levels from getting too high. I only use reef-roids when my levels are too low. It's a PITA, but rewarding overall.

 

[JerseyReefer]

I only use waste-away if my skimmer and refug aren't doing the job. And I only use 1/8th the recommended dose and stop at that. I then wait a week before testing. Often times the product can give false readings. Either way i know my weekly 20% water change will keep my levels from getting too high. I only use reef-roids when my levels are too low. It's a PITA, but rewarding overall.

I had a dino problem and Refresh and Waste Away got it off my rocks. Washing the sand got the rest. So I fixed one problem and got another. The life of a reefer!!!

 

[reeferfoxx]

I had a dino problem and Refresh and Waste Away got it off my rocks. Washing the sand got the rest. So I fixed one problem and got another. The life of a reefer!!!

We live, we learn :) When ever dosing bacteria to fix something, always keep a tool box of po4 and no3 test kits. Also, a reduction of nutrients can sometimes lower or raise alk. That should also be a staple for testing. Good luck and happy reefing!