Corals not going very well

ReefGirlSara · 09/12/2007, 09:33 PM

Some things are flourishing, some things are all but dying off completely. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

Doing Really Well:
Candy Cane Corals
Green Ricordeas
Purple Gorgonian
GBT Anemone

Doing very Poorly:
Green Star Polyps - used to cover the top of every rock and they were beautiful, almost taking over the tank, now there's only about 4 little clusters on the tops of some rocks. The only major difference in the tank is now there is a lot of coraline algea.

My Yellow Gorgonian is doing very badly also, as of today. It has 5-6 rusty-brown colored blothes on it. It's not opening like normal either, only about 1/10th is opening.

Also, a rock anemone died about 3 weeks ago, and 2-3 weeks before that a sand-sifting star basically disintegrated. Oh, and 2 snails just died, but I still have about 7-8 that are doing fine. All the hermit crabs and shrimp, and remaining stars are doing fine.

My water parameters are good.
Salinity - 1.025
Nitrates are a little high but I'm doing a water change tonight. Phosphates - zero
Calcium - 460
Ph - 7.9 to 8.1
Temperature stays around 80 +/- 1 degree

It's a 54gallon corner reef tank with a 175 watt MH Iwasaki 15,000k (bulb is about 1 week old). I cut the time way back (from 10 hours to 3 hours) on the light when I first put it in, and now I'm adding about 20-30 minutes more a day. The old bulb was about 12-13 months old, and it was a 10,000k coralife bulb

Does anyone have any advice? I'm stumped. I was looking at pictures of the tank from when I first got it, and it was so much prettier. The star polyps were everywhere, the open green brain was huge (it's doing ok now, but not as big), and the live rock looked prettier when it wasn't completely solid purple.

MSAreef · 09/12/2007, 09:54 PM

After you do your water change tonight, I would test your PH again and then test your alkalinity. You probably need to add a buffer to raise them. Your PH should be closer to 8.3 (sometimes it's lower if your running a calcium reactor) and your alkalinity should be at least 8. When star polyps stay withdrawn that is often and indicator of something amiss in your water parameters.

Also, I would increase your photoperiod. I would have gone from 10 to 8 hours.

ReefGirlSara · 09/12/2007, 09:59 PM

The star polyps are actually dying, not staying withdrawn. The ones that are still there do open. I use Oceans Blend for my supplements, which supposed to boost alkalinity / PH. I don't have an alkalinity test so i don't know what it's at.

MSAreef · 09/12/2007, 10:20 PM

I would get an alk test tomorrow. I'm also guessing a low PH problem because of your starfish falling apart and dying. They are notoriously sensitive to low PH, snails too. I'm not familiar with your supplement. I've been using Kent Superbuffer for years and it's been working for me. Now I have a kalkwasser reactor which has really helped to stabilize the PH. You might want to consider dripping Kalkwasser at night. When you pick up the alk test I would also get a magnesium test. You can test for phosphates too, but, you haven't mentioned an algae problem so I don't think that is what is going on. I still think your PH and alk is off.

rlm2005 · 09/12/2007, 10:35 PM

Yellow gorgonians are hard to keep. Is it in an area with high flow? The spots on it more than likey are algae. Try blowing it off or lightly scrubbing it with a soft (very soft) toothbrush.

MSAreef · 09/12/2007, 11:02 PM

After you do your water change tonight, I would test your PH again and then test your alkalinity. You probably need to add a buffer to raise them. When star polyps stay withdrawn that is often and indicator of something amiss in your water parameters.

frags on a rock · 09/13/2007, 12:48 AM

they will get better! keep doing water changes

ReefGirlSara · 09/13/2007, 06:04 AM

I'm going to get the alk and magnesium test kits today, so if the levels are bad, what should I do? As far as the Ph goes, I have Seachem Marine Buffer, but I stopped using it for 2 reasons- it never got the Ph to 8.3 in the past, and the Oceans Blend supplements that I'm using say not to use a different buffer along with them.

I'm worried that my tank is heading down a bad path... Also, as far as the phosphates go, I did have a problem with nasty brown and green 'carpet' like algea on top of the sand when my sand sifting star died. I bought 2 little sand sifting stars about 2 weeks after the one died, and they seem to be fine. Maybe my Phosphates test kit is not any good? Maybe all of my tests are no good!! I don't know. Aside from water changes, since the rock anemone died the nitrates went up so I've been doing 7-10 gallon water changes every 3-5 days, I don't know what else I should do.

09/12/2007, 09:33 PM	#1
ReefGirlSara Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Archer, FL Posts: 709	Corals not going very well Some things are flourishing, some things are all but dying off completely. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Doing Really Well: Candy Cane Corals Green Ricordeas Purple Gorgonian GBT Anemone Doing very Poorly: Green Star Polyps - used to cover the top of every rock and they were beautiful, almost taking over the tank, now there's only about 4 little clusters on the tops of some rocks. The only major difference in the tank is now there is a lot of coraline algea. My Yellow Gorgonian is doing very badly also, as of today. It has 5-6 rusty-brown colored blothes on it. It's not opening like normal either, only about 1/10th is opening. Also, a rock anemone died about 3 weeks ago, and 2-3 weeks before that a sand-sifting star basically disintegrated. Oh, and 2 snails just died, but I still have about 7-8 that are doing fine. All the hermit crabs and shrimp, and remaining stars are doing fine. My water parameters are good. Salinity - 1.025 Nitrates are a little high but I'm doing a water change tonight. Phosphates - zero Calcium - 460 Ph - 7.9 to 8.1 Temperature stays around 80 +/- 1 degree It's a 54gallon corner reef tank with a 175 watt MH Iwasaki 15,000k (bulb is about 1 week old). I cut the time way back (from 10 hours to 3 hours) on the light when I first put it in, and now I'm adding about 20-30 minutes more a day. The old bulb was about 12-13 months old, and it was a 10,000k coralife bulb Does anyone have any advice? I'm stumped. I was looking at pictures of the tank from when I first got it, and it was so much prettier. The star polyps were everywhere, the open green brain was huge (it's doing ok now, but not as big), and the live rock looked prettier when it wasn't completely solid purple.

09/12/2007, 09:54 PM	#2
MSAreef Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bay Area Posts: 176	After you do your water change tonight, I would test your PH again and then test your alkalinity. You probably need to add a buffer to raise them. Your PH should be closer to 8.3 (sometimes it's lower if your running a calcium reactor) and your alkalinity should be at least 8. When star polyps stay withdrawn that is often and indicator of something amiss in your water parameters. Also, I would increase your photoperiod. I would have gone from 10 to 8 hours. __________________ Marcie Current Tank Info: 90 SPS, Tunze 6100 X2 and multi-controller, Euroreef skimmer, 3/4" sea swirl, chiller, knop calcium reactor, Geo Kalkreactor, 2x400W MH Hamilton, autotopoff, 10W UV, TLF phosban reactor, 8 gal fuge, 29 gal sump

09/12/2007, 10:20 PM	#4
MSAreef Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bay Area Posts: 176	I would get an alk test tomorrow. I'm also guessing a low PH problem because of your starfish falling apart and dying. They are notoriously sensitive to low PH, snails too. I'm not familiar with your supplement. I've been using Kent Superbuffer for years and it's been working for me. Now I have a kalkwasser reactor which has really helped to stabilize the PH. You might want to consider dripping Kalkwasser at night. When you pick up the alk test I would also get a magnesium test. You can test for phosphates too, but, you haven't mentioned an algae problem so I don't think that is what is going on. I still think your PH and alk is off. __________________ Marcie Current Tank Info: 90 SPS, Tunze 6100 X2 and multi-controller, Euroreef skimmer, 3/4" sea swirl, chiller, knop calcium reactor, Geo Kalkreactor, 2x400W MH Hamilton, autotopoff, 10W UV, TLF phosban reactor, 8 gal fuge, 29 gal sump

09/12/2007, 11:02 PM	#6
MSAreef Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bay Area Posts: 176	After you do your water change tonight, I would test your PH again and then test your alkalinity. You probably need to add a buffer to raise them. When star polyps stay withdrawn that is often and indicator of something amiss in your water parameters. __________________ Marcie Current Tank Info: 90 SPS, Tunze 6100 X2 and multi-controller, Euroreef skimmer, 3/4" sea swirl, chiller, knop calcium reactor, Geo Kalkreactor, 2x400W MH Hamilton, autotopoff, 10W UV, TLF phosban reactor, 8 gal fuge, 29 gal sump

09/12/2007, 09:59 PM	#3
ReefGirlSara Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Archer, FL Posts: 709	The star polyps are actually dying, not staying withdrawn. The ones that are still there do open. I use Oceans Blend for my supplements, which supposed to boost alkalinity / PH. I don't have an alkalinity test so i don't know what it's at.

09/12/2007, 10:35 PM	#5
rlm2005 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Diego Area Posts: 432	Yellow gorgonians are hard to keep. Is it in an area with high flow? The spots on it more than likey are algae. Try blowing it off or lightly scrubbing it with a soft (very soft) toothbrush.

09/13/2007, 12:48 AM	#7
frags on a rock Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Louisiana Posts: 59	they will get better! keep doing water changes

09/13/2007, 06:04 AM	#8
ReefGirlSara Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Archer, FL Posts: 709	I'm going to get the alk and magnesium test kits today, so if the levels are bad, what should I do? As far as the Ph goes, I have Seachem Marine Buffer, but I stopped using it for 2 reasons- it never got the Ph to 8.3 in the past, and the Oceans Blend supplements that I'm using say not to use a different buffer along with them. I'm worried that my tank is heading down a bad path... Also, as far as the phosphates go, I did have a problem with nasty brown and green 'carpet' like algea on top of the sand when my sand sifting star died. I bought 2 little sand sifting stars about 2 weeks after the one died, and they seem to be fine. Maybe my Phosphates test kit is not any good? Maybe all of my tests are no good!! I don't know. Aside from water changes, since the rock anemone died the nitrates went up so I've been doing 7-10 gallon water changes every 3-5 days, I don't know what else I should do.