Rainbow Splice Care Tips

[SeaDweller]

When I clicked on this thread and saw the pic, I was like I bet this guy is from SD... and sho nuff. I’m almost positive I know who you got that from. Congrats on that piece, really rare in SD. How did it look in his tank?

I don’t have the RS but my milles are hairiest with lots of flow. Did I read correctly that your PO4 is 2.4 PPM? If so, that’s super high, IF it’s truly that high, coupled with high NO3, I’ve had stuff peel within a week or two (experimented with high NO3 and PO4 levels to see what could be tolerated). Obviously we are past that for your piece.

How’s the RS now?

 

[meromeroreefer]

I dont think u r resding youre po4 correctly

 

[Ook Sag]

Be advised, lanthanum chloride can lower your alk when dosed. Make sure you monitor whether or not it does in your situation.

I have been too nervous to use the lanthanum chloride. I have a clam and am worried about negatively impacting its health. As well as overall reef health bringing PO4 down quickly. I have had success so far using Rowa phos (albeit a lot of it). I currently have 750g of Rowa phos in my sump right now. I change out 250g of Rowa phos every 2-3 weeks. My PO4 is at 2.02 now. Trying to bring it down slow and steady, I can definitely see better PE and coloration across my splice and acans with the PO4 at 2.02. My goal is PO4 of .2. Hoping to reach that in another 2 months or so.

But starting at PO4 in the 3-4 ppm range, and not losing any corals yet I would say this small decrease is a success.

 

[Ook Sag]

I dont think u r resding youre po4 correctly

I use the Hanna phosphate checker that maxes at 2.50ppm. Until about a month or so ago I never could get a reading below the 2.50. I was not smart at that time and fed reef roids every other day, along with frozen mysis every day. Now its significantly less feeding. So unless my checker is all out of whack (which could be the case but it is only 2 years old). But since I have been adding a ton of Rowa phos, I have gotten readings of 2.45, then 2.30 then 2.18, now 2.02. So i think it is working because Rowa is supposed to bring PO4 down and I am seeing that in my tank.

 

[Ook Sag]

When I clicked on this thread and saw the pic, I was like I bet this guy is from SD... and sho nuff. I’m almost positive I know who you got that from. Congrats on that piece, really rare in SD. How did it look in his tank?

I don’t have the RS but my milles are hairiest with lots of flow. Did I read correctly that your PO4 is 2.4 PPM? If so, that’s super high, IF it’s truly that high, coupled with high NO3, I’ve had stuff peel within a week or two (experimented with high NO3 and PO4 levels to see what could be tolerated). Obviously we are past that for your piece.

How’s the RS now?

Unfortunately when I got the splice I was unable to see it in his tank. The frag was already at AquaSD. It definitely was not looking the best at AquaSD, I can see if I have the picture of the day I got it. Comparing it then to now, WOW. And I wouldn't even say it is even popping in my tank cause my PO4 is still so high. Luckily I have seen some slow growth and increased PE since getting my PO4 to lower. I figured if I haven't killed it yet in my tank conditions, it's a really hardy specimen.

 

[Ook Sag]

Here is the day I got it before it even touched my tanks water.

This is first 5 minutes in the tank, you can see on the front bottom that it was receding a fair amount initially.

Now all that has grown back, and polyps are poking out everywhere.

 

[Ook Sag]

Here is a picture of today. I only have iphone 7 so the color is terrible.

 

[SeaDweller]

Unfortunately when I got the splice I was unable to see it in his tank. The frag was already at AquaSD. It definitely was not looking the best at AquaSD, I can see if I have the picture of the day I got it. Comparing it then to now, WOW. And I wouldn't even say it is even popping in my tank cause my PO4 is still so high. Luckily I have seen some slow growth and increased PE since getting my PO4 to lower. I figured if I haven't killed it yet in my tank conditions, it's a really hardy specimen.

Looks good so far!

That’s good that you’re lowering your PO4, but if your PO4 is THAT high, it’s in a toxic environment, and anything could be the proverbial straw at this point. I don’t know if I would call it hardy just because it’s surviving so far. I have a good idea of what you paid for that piece so I hope it survives for you! I don’t think anyone in SD besides you hait (could be wrong).

I hope you keep it alive!

 

[Ook Sag]

Update! Finally got PO4 under .05 for a month. Splice is really coloring up and starting to encrust. Hoping to get some branches going here soon. But the main goal is to keep PO4 down. Ended up using about 2kg of rowa in total. But it worked great and didn’t lose anything.

 

[Oldsman]

Wow that looks fantastic from where it started

 

[sculpin01]

Just out of curiosity, what's your iodine/iodide level? I noticed that my corals were only extending polyps at night and found out via ATI that my iodine was 15 (normal is 68). After slowly working to bring it up, polyp extension is much improved.

 

[Ook Sag]

Just out of curiosity, what's your iodine/iodide level? I noticed that my corals were only extending polyps at night and found out via ATI that my iodine was 15 (normal is 68). After slowly working to bring it up, polyp extension is much improved.

I don’t have a iodine test kit unfortunately. But I do dose Fuel which has some iodine and A and K elements from tropic Marin which I’m not sure what’s all in it. But I see great reactions from all my coral. My iodine could definitely be low, now that you mention it. It is probably worthwhile to get a full water test done.