GSP looking bad and other problems. tank chemistry off?

[ariane209]

Hi,

So I have a few things going on in my tank and I'm guessing they are related. Here's what I observed over time
1) I had tiny little spots of corraline algae on my LR, but those have gone away. I also noticed some light grey spots, which have been told indicate corraline algae dye-off.
2) Green hair algae problem. For some reason I've had a really hard time keeping snails alive, but no problem with crabs. I have a few small hermits crabs that keep my LR algae-free, but there's only one snail alive (astrea, i think) that's just not keeping up with hair algae on the tank walls. Maybe getting more snails would be the solution to this one.
3) I only have one coral, a GSP. When I bought it, they gave me two seperated patches, so I put one (small one) on the left of the tank, and one (big) on the right of the tank. This was to test different areas/ flow. The one of the left never looked great, it didn't seem to like that location. The one of the right was doing great for a while, but it looking weaker and weaker. It still comes out during the day, but the strands are looking all thin and broken and brittle and weak. The purple mat (and polyps when they are closed at night) looks normal. The size of it is bigger than when I bought it, so it is (or was at some point) spreading.

Does this give anyone clues as to some weird water chemistry? Too much or too little of one element? This is a 12g nano, the only other thing in there is a captive-bred false perc, oh and lots of bristleworms. Sg is 1.024, temp is 80, ammonioa/nitrite/nitrates are all zero. pH runs a little too high, it was 8.6 last time I checked but I've been running the heater a lot and it was before my last water change. Chemical filtration is carbon, poly-filter and chemi-pure.

I'd appreciate any clues you can give me. These might be individual problems, but I'm guessing they are all related. Thanks!!

[papagimp]

Water parametes look okay, how often are they swinging? Do you let the water evap a crapload before topping off? top off daily? I have a 2.5 nano and if i fail to top off often enough, the swings in salinity seem to effect my GSP's in there a bit.

Also, gsp's will occasionally do that, close up and look weaker, only to make full recoveries shortly after. How long have you had the coral for? What kind of lighting are you providing for them? How much flow is hitting them? Do they sway in the flow nicely or just sit their stagnat and suffocating?

[ariane209]

Lights are the original that came with the 12g nano-cube dx. I'm looking online, they say it's 2 24watt Compact Fluorescent 50/50. I've had the tank for maybe 6 months now, so the bulbs are 6 months old.

I do top off when I notice the water level being lower. I check it every day, but it really doesn't evaporate that fast so I do a top off usually every other day.

I've had the coral for about 1 month, maybe a little bit more. The flow on the one on the left was really strong and I didn't seem to like it. I think that's why it didn't do well. The flow on the right one (the bigger mat) is moderate. It was definitively swaying, but not too crazy like the left side.

[papagimp]

You'd be surprised how much flow they like. In fact, what may appeare like too much flow to you, can easily be no where near enough flow. The oceans got a mighty powerful powerhead running afterall.

Could be the bulbs getting old. PC's aren't the best and don't last overly long. 6-8 months I believe is average. When they get old, they'll be a spectrum shift that your eyes can't see but the corals will know it.

GSP's are typically one of the hardiest of corals available in the hobby, and only having it a month, may just wanna be patient and ride it out. If the mat is still looking good, than I really wouldn't worry just yet.

btw, great job on placing two frags separatly to find a good spot. I use that technique with every new coral. i always try and buy frags large enough that I can break a small second frag off for just that purpose.