Grumpy Corals...Wait or address?

[mythesis]

Tank is about 5 months old. 90 gal, live rock start.

I just completed a ramp up from 70 - > 85% light intensity over a 30 day period. Par on the torch should be ~ 140, on the Frogspawn ~80

About a week or two ago, we got a dino bloom out of nowhere. Turns out, my anenome guards had gotten gunked up and flow was way down. Cleaned them out, suctioned out dinos, and dinos are rapidly dissipating. The Frogspawn/Torch especially looked unhappy which led us to see they weren't really "flowing" anymore.

But my corals, especially the Torch & Frogspawn are still looking pretty unhappy. It's been 3 days since we fixed the flow and they're still only partially extended. The GSP frags we have are not extending at all and the zoas look pretty grumpy too.

Params:
Salinity 1.025
Temp: 75 ish (somewhat fluctuating now as we're in the in-between of heat/cool. Was running about 78 over the summer)
Alkalinity: 9.6
Calcium: 380
Nitrates: 5-10
Phosphates: 0.5
Nitrites/Ammonia: I haven't tested in a while, but have been 0 for months.

I have a bag of carbon in the sump, but just to cut down on smells. I think it's about 2-3 weeks old at this point.

So my question:

Does this seem something I need to investigate and address? is the light too intense now?

 

[mythesis]

Sorry for the bump, but it seems like things aren't recovering --- any ideas?

Did a 15 gal water change & replaced the carbon today for lack of better ideas.

everything just looks ... irritated.

 

[Knucker]

Keep an eye on your parameters. They need to be stable. Keep an eye on temp. I would also add a bit of coral amino acids to help them with energy. They could be irritated at the fact there is more flow now then they are used to. I would turn down the flow some just to be on the safe side.

Never ever wait if there seems to be an issue.

 

[1guydude]

The flow is good. I would turn the light a little to closer to what they were and see if that improves.
Than ramp up but over a longer period of time and maybe ramp up to a smaller percent. I run mine 100% and I have to shade corals.
Hths u
D

 

[Uncle99]

CA is low at 380….bump to 420/440ppm.

Phosphate is very high at .5ppm for a tank under a year and low coral load.

Phosphate on the higher end can slow growth in corals or for some, darken them.

Reduce phosphate through GFO and change socks, or what have you twice as fast.

It’s probably still resetting to the changes, but, I’d consider running phosphate more like 0.05ppm to say .1ppm

Par looks fine to me, but some sulk for awhile when it changes even to a small degree.

Stabilize her out, no changes for a few weeks now,

 

[Knucker]

Come to think temp is a bit low. I try to keep mine at about 77-78 year round.

ALK is a bit higher then normal sea water which is about 7-8 but that will lower as you add Calcium. It also isn't exactly a bad thing some run their tank at 11-12.

I remember I lost a hammer due to my heater quiting on me and the temp got too cold.

 

[mythesis]

Yeah the nutrient levels have been pretty stable around those numbers for a while. I know it's a touch high, but

But temp makes sense. Saw it was 75 just now. Raising it back to to 78 to see if maybe that'll help.

 

[Knucker]

Keep us informed please. I care a lot about these little colonies lol

 

[mythesis]

Keep us informed please. I care a lot about these little colonies lol

Nitrates at about 4 today
Phosphate still at 0.5

Temp at 77.8.

Frogspawn still looks unhappy, but starting to extend a little more
Torch is still pretty balled up

Trumpet still has little white specs on the edges of some of the polyps.

 

[danlechem]

Have you started rowaphos? Seems like the first port of call as per uncle99 advice

 

[mythesis]

I added some chaeto to reduce both yes.

 

[danlechem]

That's not Rowa - add both, start with a small amount and gradually increase.

 

[kevgib67]

Calcium was the first thing to jump out to me also you didn’t listen your magnesium value. My torches, Frogspawn and hammers thrive with higher magnesium. I try to keep mine at 4000, I have to dose as my salt mixes to 1350. Your corals aren’t goners in fact the torch still has a pretty healthy flesh band. A few adjustments should turn it around but nothing happens overnight. Could you list your magnesium?

 

[mythesis]

I actually don't have a test kit for magnesium. I read a thread by Randy a while ago where he didn't test it at all because it's basically a byproduct of everything else. I can get one I think next week.

But even the GSP is angry, neither of the two rocks of it have extended their polyps.

My nutrients have been pretty stable at that 10/1 nitrate/phosphate range for most of the tank's existence.

Calcium same way, at the 380 ish range for months.

The only parameter that's changed much at all is KH which has slowly increased.

I don't dose anything currently and there are Coraline spots just starting to appear a bunch.

But then what I expect is dinos showed up and suddenly the corals are grumpy

 

[kevgib67]

I actually don't have a test kit for magnesium. I read a thread by Randy a while ago where he didn't test it at all because it's basically a byproduct of everything else. I can get one I think next week.

But even the GSP is angry, neither of the two rocks of it have extended their polyps.

My nutrients have been pretty stable at that 10/1 nitrate/phosphate range for most of the tank's existence.

Calcium same way, at the 380 ish range for months.

The only parameter that's changed much at all is KH which has slowly increased.

I don't dose anything currently and there are Coraline spots just starting to appear a bunch.

But then what I expect is dinos showed up and suddenly the corals are grumpy

I’m not going to argue with Randy, he’s the man, I just telling you the experience I have in my tank, low magnesium and calcium won’t effect your soft corals but definitely your Lps and sps, your calcium is well below the normal parameters. With all your corals being affected the only thing I can think of is low or rapidly swinging alk or some contaminate is in your tank. Cleaning product, scented candles , air fresheners, rust etc. you may have mentioned it but I would add carbon if you haven’t already.

 

[mythesis]

Thanks. I did change the carbon bag yesterday just in case. I just have the mesh bag free floating in first compartment of sump after rinsing it in RODI.

I validated ammonia and nitrite are 0.0.

Ph at 8.0

So those parameters are all pretty much the same as they've been for months.

Would zoa/GSP be affected by calcium/magnesium? They're both as irritated as the torch.

The frogspawn is looking better than yesterday, although still not normal.

 

[mythesis]

Here's my history of params:

 

[mythesis]

You mentioned rust... Super dumb question but it's ok to leave a "flipper" algae scraper in all the time right?

Or should I be removing it every day?

It's got a metallic looking blade, but I figured it was reef safe.

 

[kevgib67]

You mentioned rust... Super dumb question but it's ok to leave a "flipper" algae scraper in all the time right?

Or should I be removing it every day?

It's got a metallic looking blade, but I figured it was reef safe.

Ya that’s fine the culprit is usually tha magnet when the rubber covering gets a cut or hole in it. I leave mine in 24/7.