New frags not happy looking

[G&B Reefing]

Hi

I got three new frags. Its been about 2 weeks. One looks great. One looks “OK”. One is showing some deterioration (i think).

Good one:


Okay one: Losing some coloration. Looks like its getting dull on some surfaces. My thought is to much light? Polyps are extending still over night and during ramp up/ramp down. Not so much while lights at peak settings.




Worst looking: Possible flesh loss? My thoughts are its the shaded area not getting enough light.



Looking to get some thoughts on these.

Parameters: (measured this morning)
NO3: 0.5
PO4: 0.04
Alk: 9.3
Ca: 450
Mg: 1240

Flow: neo3 pointed at them. Set to random. Max 60% min 15%.

Light: red sea 50 set to 60% blue 7% white. Frag rack is ~ 3” from the surface

Nutrients: 4 fish. Fed twice a day. No one has been caught picking at any of the frags. Other corals look alright (mix of LPS and softies in the bottom half).

Tank size: 26 gallon red sea nano

 

[Dburr1014]

Looks like a newly set up tank. Yes?

 

[MoshJosh]

Hmm, they don't look too bad. My first instinct would be to try lowering the two that aren't doing well and see how they do.

 

[G&B Reefing]

Looks like a newly set up tank. Yes?

At the 1 yr mark

 

[Mwatts12]

Your numbers are fine. At this point. Just leave them alone.

If they don’t survive the tank is not ready.

 

[G&B Reefing]

To give an update. I moved the power head a few days ago so that they are not getting as much direct flow. I can already see color coming back to the not great spots!

 

[Pod_01]

Just a suggestion, I start all my corals on the sand and move them up gradually.

Also out of curiosity, how do you keep your NO3 /PO4 so low?

NO3: 0.5
PO4: 0.04

Some of those look like smooth skin acros. I have very little luck with them… They grow one day and next the skin is peeling.

Green slimmer might be better first candidate…

 

[G&B Reefing]

I am using the red sea nopox dosing per their instructions. This includes a skimmer. Also do 12% water changes weekly. Feed frozen twice a day and target the acans and hammers with mysis every other. Ab+ once a every 4ish days. I used to throw reef roids in but couldnt keep P04 stable with those.

 

[Reef Psychology]

How long you’ve been using NOPOX? And have you measured your PAR levels?

 

[Dburr1014]

Better question is why are you using nopox?

Your numbers are low already, why are you lowering them more???

 

[G&B Reefing]

How long you’ve been using NOPOX? And have you measured your PAR levels?

Using nopox since the tank was started. I follow the instructions and dosing recommendations based on tested parameters and it seems to be keeping stable. I do test twice a week. More if i make a routine change.

As far as PAR goes it is the measurement ive not formally gotten. Wife scoffs when i tell her i need to buy one…. I do have the Photone app on my phone (free version) and i am getting ~240 at the surface per the app but am not sure how accurate it is. I am running a red sea led50 at 60% blue and 7% white so it seems reasonable. A few other threads have some usedul info on led50 settings and resulting PAR which i have used as rough guidance. So long way of saying I dont really know.

 

[Mwatts12]

Some say start on sand and work up

I start all my acros glued straight to the rock

Lights on 100% lots of flow. 0 acclimation.

I do not have a par meter

Just glue them and leave them alone.

 

[Pod_01]

Some say start on sand and work up

I start all my acros glued straight to the rock

Here is my acro on sand:

Lot more success vs. higher up.
The corals are stressed from transportation and putting them right under 100% light is not the best path to success IMO.

 

[Mwatts12]

Here is my acro on sand:

Lot more success vs. higher up.
The corals are stressed from transportation and putting them right under 100% light is not the best path to success IMO.

Good. Glad to hear. Plenty of ways to get the job done.

It’s not a right or wrong situation.

 

[G&B Reefing]

Its been two weeks. My monti came back and is looking good. Tissue healed and color is good.

I have a question on this guy. His green color is not throughout. The tissue appears intact. Is this considered browning or bleaching? What should i do try to improve this guy? More/less light? Dirtier water?

Tank notes:
No3: .75
Po4: .04
Light: red sea led50 @ 60%B 10%W
Alk: 8.8
Ca: 415
Mg:1220

 

[Pod_01]

Its been two weeks. My monti came back and is looking good. Tissue healed and color is good.

I have a question on this guy. His green color is not throughout. The tissue appears intact. Is this considered browning or bleaching? What should i do try to improve this guy? More/less light? Dirtier water?

Tank notes:
No3: .75
Po4: .04
Light: red sea led50 @ 60%B 10%W
Alk: 8.8
Ca: 415
Mg:1220

To me that looks like slow starvation…
I am not sure what you changed if anything but I would reduce the use of NOPOX to maybe 1/4 dose. See if PO4 comes up to 0.08-0.12 range and see if things improve.

Also I would stop using +AB or use it once a month. The NOPOX helps to remove N/NO3 from your tank and +AB adds it back in… So if you cut back on both the tank will likely look better and you save $$$$. Your snails and fish also provide what is in +AB and for free…

 

[Lavey29]

You have no nitrates so your corals are starving to death. The photone app is fairly accurate. I compared its reading to actual par meter. Your 240 par at the surface is ridiculously low and those SPS frags on your rack need 300 to 400 par to survive.

 

[G&B Reefing]

Update. I have decreased nopox use and been feeding heavy (brine mysis and ab+) to increase nutrients over the last 9 days per recommendations. Latest water parameters.

Alk: 8.8
Ca: 420
Mg: 1215
N03: 4+ (need to run the diluted test)
P04: 0.08
Note: i am keeping up on water changes

Also, i did the phontone app again with a paper diffuser in an attempt to get more accuracy (followed their how to make a paper diffuser tips). For those that use it be sure to use the diffuser (no diifuser i get 240 at water surface, with diffuser i get 400+). Also put the phone in a plastic bag and put it in the tank. Was getting 360 at the level of these frags.

To the coral. Green color does not appear to be coming back. I do have a few observations per the below photo. The surfaces which have light on them but are not directly facing the light are green. Surfaces that are directly facing the light are faded and appear lighter in color. My initial thought is to intense of light and i should drop the par exposure on this piece. Any thoughts on this? Also as a note, although the color is faded over a large portion it has continued to encrust the frag plug and started encrusting the frag rack.

 

[G&B Reefing]

Also. Meant to say in the above post. i have noticed significantly decreased polyp extension on this frag as well.

 

[G&B Reefing]

Bump!