How long does my torch have left? :(

[Schulks]

I know torches are difficult but I have always loved them. I think I see the brown jelly and the skeleton is poking out. I've had the torch for about 5 months and it has always been a little unhappy. It seems to have accelerated the last week or so.

Alk current 9.1 steady between 8.9 and 9.2.
Calcium 455
Nitrate 31.3
Phosphate 0.07
SG 1.0257
PH: 8.05 (Daily peak is 8.15)





I did not test calcium for over a month and last test was 470. I expected it to come down some so this lines up.
My salinity was up to 1.0262 a few weeks ago so I have been dropping it to 1.0257 by today.

I thought the head that was getting the most light was doing the worst but there is a head on the other side doing just as bad. The top heads look the best so maybe it could use more par? I think the par where it is is just under 100.

My friend with a 50+ holy grails, told me to focus on stability and not changing anything. I may have taken that too far and waited too long.

Side note: this hammer he gave me is doing much better and is the only reason I understand how bad the flesh on the torch looks. I've had this about 3 months.

 

[*GAREEF*]

Your parameters don’t seem that bad. What is your temperature? I’ve noticed in torches they have seemed to do the best at 78f and dkh 8 - 8.5 but that been in my systems could be different in someone else’s.
I keep my nitrate at 10-15 and phosphate at 0.10 - 0.15 ph 8-8.4 but mostly 8.2-8.4.
You can use an antibiotic treatment for brown jelly if you catch it early enough. Also iodine dip can help.
There might be something else that got into your water though because your parameters aren’t that far off.

 

[Schulks]

Your parameters don’t seem that bad. What is your temperature? I’ve noticed in torches they have seemed to do the best at 78f and dkh 8 - 8.5 but that been in my systems could be different in someone else’s.
I keep my nitrate at 10-15 and phosphate at 0.10 - 0.15 ph 8-8.4 but mostly 8.2-8.4.
You can use an antibiotic treatment for brown jelly if you catch it early enough. Also iodine dip can help.
There might be something else that got into your water though because your parameters aren’t that far off.

Temp is 78. My Heaters are a little small and drop to 77.5 every few days. I figure it is sort of natural anyway.

I was originally targeting 8 to 8.5 but it really settled around 9. I didnt want to chase numbers. You might be right. I believe with my lower lighting it would be better to have a lower dkh. I might try to bring it down some.

I am noticing a few corals looking a bit off so I'll toss some carbon incase there is a contaminant.

 

[*GAREEF*]

Temp is 78. My Heaters are a little small and drop to 77.5 every few days. I figure it is sort of natural anyway.

I was originally targeting 8 to 8.5 but it really settled around 9. I didnt want to chase numbers. You might be right. I believe with my lower lighting it would be better to have a lower dkh. I might try to bring it down some.

I am noticing a few corals looking a bit off so I'll toss some carbon incase there is a contaminant.

Another thing I just remembered. I had tin contaminant once and my torches were definitely some of the first to show signs of distress. My tin levels went sky high.

 

[Schulks]

Another thing I just remembered. I had tin contaminant once and my torches were definitely some of the first to show signs of distress. My tin levels went sky high.

I didn't think about those contaminants. Thanks! I'll send off an icp as well. If I lose this torch soon at least I'll know why for the next one.

 

[*GAREEF*]

Exactly my thought

 

[*GAREEF*]

I didn't think about those contaminants. Thanks! I'll send off an icp as well. If I lose this torch soon at least I'll know why for the next one.

Check your impellers, heaters and magnets.

 

[*GAREEF*]

I didn't think about those contaminants. Thanks! I'll send off an icp as well. If I lose this torch soon at least I'll know why for the next one.

Also, if you’ve used h2o2 in your tank you might have tin. As some grades of h2o2 use tin as a stabilizer!

 

[purpfish]

Also, if you’ve used h2o2 in your tank you might have tin. As some grades of h2o2 use tin as a stabilizer!

Great info

 

[Schulks]

Also, if you’ve used h2o2 in your tank you might have tin. As some grades of h2o2 use tin as a stabilizer!

I have not used h2o2. I am not certain what it is used for either

I just remembered i had a new green algae growing around the sandbed this morning. I stirred up the sand and got rid of it. we will see if it is back in the morning.

 

[Schulks]

I was gonna go to bed but one magnet specifically was on my mind. I think it is the problem now. One end is slightly ridged out and the other end is flush. I had to work at the glue and padding on it so it is a little hard to see.

The slightly bulging side

Flush side


Does this look like the problem to you guys?

 

[Schulks]

It goes to this, https://aquacave.com/icecap-dual-ma...t_aCGGg39pTeK0SaFjzrP_pQwYAootzUaAm-UEALw_wcB
I actually got it for $8 new from coralvue outlet. Lol

I pulled the felt off the dual heater mount side and it is slightly ridged out at each corner. It looks much more uniform so im not sure. I'm pulling these out and I'll replace their magnets with my k&j magnets later.

 

[VintageReefer]

I don’t think it’s anything parameter related. Dropping from 470ca to 455 ca is negligible and will be unnoticed.

Your nitrates are a little high but I doubt that’s it.

The hammer doesn’t look too happy either. Are these night shots? Does the torch and hammer open more, or are they like this all the time. ?

What fish are in the tank? You may have a biter

You could have a bacterial issue - it can travel in the water

I agree you could have a contaminant also, very possible from that magnet swelling. Icp would be good way to check

 

[*GAREEF*]

I was gonna go to bed but one magnet specifically was on my mind. I think it is the problem now. One end is slightly ridged out and the other end is flush. I had to work at the glue and padding on it so it is a little hard to see.

The slightly bulging side

Flush side


Does this look like the problem to you guys?

Is this the side that is in the water?
How long has it been
In your tank?
If so here is what I did when I had tin contamination.
I did a 50% water change ran chemipure bag and 2 cooprizorb pouches. Waited two days and did another 50% water change. Waited two days and did a 25% water change. After one week I removed the chemipure and cooprizorb and another 25% water change. Followed with every 5 days 25% water change. After the first water change things started to look better and by the end of the first week close to full polyp extension had returned.
Looking back now, if I was to have it happen again, I would have started with a 75% water change.
I know that sounds drastic but if you have a well established sand bed and rock work, that’s what I’d recommend and just forgo the chemipure and cooprizorb.
Just match the parameters of new tank water makeup with your current water minus the tin of course…lol
Also, I used nyos phosphate and nyos nitrate to match my levels. You don’t want to bottom those two out because then you will have other ugly problems start to rear their ugly heads! Dinos!!

 

[*GAREEF*]

I have not used h2o2. I am not certain what it is used for either

I just remembered i had a new green algae growing around the sandbed this morning. I stirred up the sand and got rid of it. we will see if it is back in the morning.

Lol yeah watch out the H2o2 police will see this and come in here and try to convince you there is nothing wrong with tin levels in a reef tank and then tell you their tin levels are probably ten times higher than mine was and their tanks are looking great….lol
God I might have to delete this….lol

 

[Schulks]

The hammer doesn’t look too happy either. Are these night shots? Does the torch and hammer open more, or are they like this all the time. ?

These are night shots. I have the room lighting up really high.
They both have been opening up during the day. The torch is never fully open. Sometimes I think it is doing better but ultimately it has always been trending down . The hammer normally looks a lot better than the torch.
Lights just came on but I'll get a couple picture in a few hours.

What fish are in the tank? You may have a biter

I only have 2 clowns, 1 royal gramma, 1 yellow watchman goby, and a neon goby. I ordered a bunch of fish from dr.reef that should be ready soon. Nothing crazy though.

Do any snails eat coral? There is a nassarius looking snail that hangs out on the torch nearly every day. I thought he was a little sus but I was worried he was carnivorous to other snails. I believe he rode in on my gulf live rock.

You could have a bacterial issue - it can travel in the water

I have a 40w UV on this 50 gallon build. I wanted to run it slow for protozoa but when the corals looked unhappy I started running all the flow through it. It is on it's own manifold on my return line so I can adjust it however.

Is this the side that is in the water?
How long has it been
In your tank?

I actually had this on a center wall in my sump so both sides were in the water. I just bought it on black friday. It is one of the newest things I have added. Before this my heaters just sat on the bottom.

I might be too impatient for an ICP. I might just bust it open later and find out.

 

[*GAREEF*]

Yeah that’s probably not long enough to be the culprit since this has been going on for awhile.

 

[*GAREEF*]

These are night shots. I have the room lighting up really high.
They both have been opening up during the day. The torch is never fully open. Sometimes I think it is doing better but ultimately it has always been trending down . The hammer normally looks a lot better than the torch.
Lights just came on but I'll get a couple picture in a few hours.


I only have 2 clowns, 1 royal gramma, 1 yellow watchman goby, and a neon goby. I ordered a bunch of fish from dr.reef that should be ready soon. Nothing crazy though.

Do any snails eat coral? There is a nassarius looking snail that hangs out on the torch nearly every day. I thought he was a little sus but I was worried he was carnivorous to other snails. I believe he rode in on my gulf live rock.


I have a 40w UV on this 50 gallon build. I wanted to run it slow for protozoa but when the corals looked unhappy I started running all the flow through it. It is on it's own manifold on my return line so I can adjust it however.


I actually had this on a center wall in my sump so both sides were in the water. I just bought it on black friday. It is one of the newest things I have added. Before this my heaters just sat on the bottom.

I might be too impatient for an ICP. I might just bust it open later and find out.

What brand is the uv? And pump for it?

 

[Schulks]

What brand is the uv? And pump for it?

It is actually pentair and it runs on a manifold from my return pump.


Edit: however, I do have stray voltage coming from it. I had to add a ground probe to get my ph probe to read correctly with the UV on. I never emailed pentair to ask about this.

I am checking the bulb again but it has always been dry.

 

[*GAREEF*]

It is actually pentair and it runs on a manifold from my return pump.


Edit: however, I do have stray voltage coming from it. I had to add a ground probe to get my ph probe to read correctly with the UV on. I never emailed pentair to ask about this.

I am checking the bulb again but it has always been dry.

Stray voltage means exposed wire/solder.
Which could be releasing antimony in to your system. Another contaminant that has same effect as high tin levels.