Purple polyp Bird's-nest dying??

CourtNjoeZreef

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I have had this purple polyp bird's-nest for about 4 months. Everything thing I read is this is supposed to be growing like mad. It looks white and has since day one. In the last 24 hours it has developed what looks to be brown algae on a few of the tips.

I have no idea what to do with it. Had it high in high flow low flow high light. And low flow low light.

9.0 alkalinity
8.3 PH
460 calcium
0 ammonia, nitrite,
nitrate lower then testable level.
Magnesium was over 1380 last I checked it (stays about the same)

Dosing
20ml kalkwasser
Aquaforest parts 1-3 25ML daily

PXL_20210522_000337594.MP.jpg PXL_20210522_000326792.jpg
 

blasterman

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Birdsnests dont like hyper low phosphates and that really low nitrate isn't helping things.
 

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From what I can tell in that photo it’s dead. You need some nitrates and what are your phosphates at? Higher alk low nutrients generally is tougher unless you are going high import/export
 
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CourtNjoeZreef

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Yeah I don't really feed a whole ton. I do pellets in the morning and then the evening after I'm home from work the tank gets amino acids/mysis shrimp (spot feed the other corals) phytoplankton and zooplankton and reef chili. I work 10hours a day so I can't feed all day. We have a pearly head jawfish so a lid is a must and can't use an auto feeder. (This is a diy tank top to bottom learning curve has been established on many things) I'm going to remove it lick my wounds and carry on. Probably try and feed more in the morning


Could this low nutrients issue also be contributing to a small purple slime patch starting on my sand bed?

Phosphate is below detectable levels along with nitrates.
 

Gtinnel

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We have a pearly head jawfish so a lid is a must and can't use an auto feeder.
There is usually some solution that would allow use of an autofeeder. I've even seen videos of people put the food into the sump near the return pump. What is your lid made from?
I put a 3d printed feeding port into my mesh lid and then cut a funnel that fills the feeding port with an autofeeder dropping the food into the funnel. It's not the prettiest but it works. I also struggle with low nitrate and to keep my corals happy I have to feed a lot, or dose nitrate.
 

Hydrored

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Yeah I don't really feed a whole ton. I do pellets in the morning and then the evening after I'm home from work the tank gets amino acids/mysis shrimp (spot feed the other corals) phytoplankton and zooplankton and reef chili. I work 10hours a day so I can't feed all day. We have a pearly head jawfish so a lid is a must and can't use an auto feeder. (This is a diy tank top to bottom learning curve has been established on many things) I'm going to remove it lick my wounds and carry on. Probably try and feed more in the morning


Could this low nutrients issue also be contributing to a small purple slime patch starting on my sand bed?

Phosphate is below detectable levels along with nitrates.

Low nutrients is a cause for all sort of issues from cyano to dinos to even some different algae. What size tank and how many fish?
 
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CourtNjoeZreef

CourtNjoeZreef

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There is usually some solution that would allow use of an autofeeder. I've even seen videos of people put the food into the sump near the return pump. What is your lid made from?
I put a 3d printed feeding port into my mesh lid and then cut a funnel that fills the feeding port with an autofeeder dropping the food into the funnel. It's not the prettiest but it works. I also struggle with low nitrate and to keep my corals happy I have to feed a lot, or dose nitrate.
My lid is just 1/8" glass I cut to fit. The tank is a 55g tall which is a old size from what I can tell. Couldn't find a nice lid. I want to do mesh. The tank is tempered glass beat I can tell so siphon overflow and the return is over the edge as well. Ugly and loud. Getting my feet wet so to speak.

I wouldn't trust the food to make it into the return pump. I feel as though it would settle out and just rot. (Would certainly raise the nitrates though... Hmmm)
 
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CourtNjoeZreef

CourtNjoeZreef

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Low nutrients is a cause for all sort of issues from cyano to dinos to even some different algae. What size tank and how many fish?
55g tank. 20g sump approximately 70g actually in the system (sump isn't full +equipment ect)

1 algae blenny
1 tomini tang
1 six line wrasse
1 Pearl head jaw
3 Green chromis
1 clown
2 cleaner shrimp
1 emerald crab
3 trochus snails
1 long tentacle anenome
1 carpet anemone
And 11 coral frags.

All the fish are juvenile best I can tell.
 
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