birds nest

tomaquar · 09/06/2011, 10:21 PM

Ive tried bird's nest and Stylophora in my tank and noticed the polyps dont look as healthy as they did 3 months ago. The coral are growing and branching but the color is less vibrant and the polyps are less noticeable. This is particularly true with the Stylophora. When from puffy purple to looking like a purple birds nest. The purple birds nest is now just kind of pink.

If this is a sign of stress would they be growing and branching?

I dont add any additives. I change water and blow detritus off the rocks regularly thinking they can feed on the bacterial in the detritus. Is that a mistake? Is there an additive that I should be using? I dont think light is the problem. Right under the LEDs.

Coral cup - fine
2 acans - could survive in a mud puddle
mushrooms, zoas, tarro tree, star polyps, toad stool - no problems
2 Caulastrea - green one looks great and branching, purple and green one looks healthy but colors not a distinct
stag horn - not the original green but a nice lime green.
montipora - plates are less vibrant but the polyps look great

I tend to move them around the tank until I find a spot where they look happy and them leave them.

I have led's on my tank. I dont know the lumens but a LFS owner checked the PAR and said they provided ample light to the bottom of the tank.

If anyone sees an obvious mistake would very much like your input.

Thanks

aecasasus · 09/06/2011, 10:32 PM

What kind of flow are they getting?

SpencerG · 09/06/2011, 10:33 PM

Could just be the corals adjusting to your light, if you added them three months ago. When did you add them and where did they come from? I don't think they would be growing if they were stressed out. Are you keeping your calcium, alk, and magnesium levels up? Regular water changes? Any changes to your system?

tomaquar · 09/06/2011, 10:52 PM

Flow I have two power heads on timers so I get a good "random" moderate flow.

Regular water changes, add alk in the change water, dont add Ca and havent added Mg since the great bryopsis war ended with its abject humiliation.

Do you guys have a recommendation on a good general additive.

NatureNerd · 09/06/2011, 10:59 PM

Tell us about the lights. My ponape birdnest did better when I moved it way to the side and lower in the tank. It's color improved significantly and is still getting better. I am running AI's at around 65% power, three units over a 75g reef.

Maybe your problem is too much light. For my birdnest, it was the issue.

alton · 09/07/2011, 05:49 AM

When I added my LED, my Bird of Paradise loved it and my Green perished.

tomaquar · 09/07/2011, 06:48 PM

My lights are 18, 1 watt LBlue light LED's: 455 nm (nanometer) wavelength and 18, 1 watt White light LED's: 5500K. Two of these panels over a 55 gallon tank.

Alton I think your comment is very interesting. I wonder if LEDs need to be made with a wider array of wavelenghts.

09/06/2011, 10:21 PM	#1
tomaquar Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 140	birds nest Ive tried bird's nest and Stylophora in my tank and noticed the polyps dont look as healthy as they did 3 months ago. The coral are growing and branching but the color is less vibrant and the polyps are less noticeable. This is particularly true with the Stylophora. When from puffy purple to looking like a purple birds nest. The purple birds nest is now just kind of pink. If this is a sign of stress would they be growing and branching? I dont add any additives. I change water and blow detritus off the rocks regularly thinking they can feed on the bacterial in the detritus. Is that a mistake? Is there an additive that I should be using? I dont think light is the problem. Right under the LEDs. Coral cup - fine 2 acans - could survive in a mud puddle mushrooms, zoas, tarro tree, star polyps, toad stool - no problems 2 Caulastrea - green one looks great and branching, purple and green one looks healthy but colors not a distinct stag horn - not the original green but a nice lime green. montipora - plates are less vibrant but the polyps look great I tend to move them around the tank until I find a spot where they look happy and them leave them. I have led's on my tank. I dont know the lumens but a LFS owner checked the PAR and said they provided ample light to the bottom of the tank. If anyone sees an obvious mistake would very much like your input. Thanks

09/06/2011, 10:32 PM	#2
aecasasus Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 343	What kind of flow are they getting? __________________ Breathe IN...Breathe OUT! http://www.youtube.com/user/aecasasus?feature=results_main Current Tank Info: 150gallon, 40g Innovative Marine

09/06/2011, 10:59 PM	#5
NatureNerd Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Posts: 877	Tell us about the lights. My ponape birdnest did better when I moved it way to the side and lower in the tank. It's color improved significantly and is still getting better. I am running AI's at around 65% power, three units over a 75g reef. Maybe your problem is too much light. For my birdnest, it was the issue. __________________ Reef tanks since 1987. Current tank: 75g SPS dominated reef tank set up in 1996

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09/06/2011, 10:33 PM	#3
SpencerG Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New Orleans Posts: 356	Could just be the corals adjusting to your light, if you added them three months ago. When did you add them and where did they come from? I don't think they would be growing if they were stressed out. Are you keeping your calcium, alk, and magnesium levels up? Regular water changes? Any changes to your system?

09/06/2011, 10:52 PM	#4
tomaquar Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 140	Flow I have two power heads on timers so I get a good "random" moderate flow. Regular water changes, add alk in the change water, dont add Ca and havent added Mg since the great bryopsis war ended with its abject humiliation. Do you guys have a recommendation on a good general additive.

09/07/2011, 05:49 AM	#6
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	When I added my LED, my Bird of Paradise loved it and my Green perished.

09/07/2011, 06:48 PM	#7
tomaquar Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 140	My lights are 18, 1 watt LBlue light LED's: 455 nm (nanometer) wavelength and 18, 1 watt White light LED's: 5500K. Two of these panels over a 55 gallon tank. Alton I think your comment is very interesting. I wonder if LEDs need to be made with a wider array of wavelenghts.