Reef nutrition

Need Some SPS Wisdom

Dorfman

Dorfman

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Need some thoughts. I put this BG Digi in my tank about a month ago during the great Omar frag giveaway. Originally all these pieces you see here were one largish stalk on a plug. Unfortunately, during the removal from the plug to glue to my rock one piece became many. Other than that the transfer was uneventful. However, a few weeks after intro the large stalk (now at the back in this pic) began fading in color and polyps would not come out to play any more. I thought the light may be too intense so rotated the rock the frag is on so the fading portion sits in partial shade now to see if that made any difference. No noticeable change. Since this was all part of one unit at one time and has been subjected to all the same environmental conditions up to this point, I’m perplexed how part can be looking health and the other part... not so much. Any ideas?


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give it more light. move it back into the light without being shaded. if the other 2 branches are fine, im sure the larger stalk will be fine also. you can also cut and rotate the larger stalk upwards to get more light - looks like the underside of a colony to me. sps needs time, its not gonna magically tell you the next day. as long as you have polyp extensions on the larger stalk, you are fine.
 
I have BG from him too. I keep mine around 200 par. I notice it has longer polyp extension in areas with more light so I agree with @jhuynh advising to put it back in a higher light area. Although that bigger chunk looks dead at this point.

How’s the tank overall, are other corals having issues/are the parameters stable? If you believe it is an issue of placement, what’s the flow like?

My piece has gotten big so I can frag it. so you can surely try again, but hopefully we can figure it out and save it. :)
 
i would stop moving it. It's likely just adjusting--the light was hitting it at a different angle in its previous tank so the polyps on one side are used to more intense light. It'll adjust, you just shouldn't keep moving it
 
Dorfman said:
8a86912fdd839f7bae61806b210e7aa5.jpg

Need some thoughts. I put this BG Digi in my tank about a month ago during the great Omar frag giveaway. Originally all these pieces you see here were one largish stalk on a plug. Unfortunately, during the removal from the plug to glue to my rock one piece became many. Other than that the transfer was uneventful. However, a few weeks after intro the large stalk (now at the back in this pic) began fading in color and polyps would not come out to play any more. I thought the light may be too intense so rotated the rock the frag is on so the fading portion sits in partial shade now to see if that made any difference. No noticeable change. Since this was all part of one unit at one time and has been subjected to all the same environmental conditions up to this point, I’m perplexed how part can be looking health and the other part... not so much. Any ideas?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
First question will be, whats your parameters and tank condition?
 
max_nano said:
I have BG from him too. I keep mine around 200 par. I notice it has longer polyp extension in areas with more light so I agree with @jhuynh advising to put it back in a higher light area. Although that bigger chunk looks dead at this point.

How’s the tank overall, are other corals having issues/are the parameters stable? If you believe it is an issue of placement, what’s the flow like?

My piece has gotten big so I can frag it. so you can surely try again, but hopefully we can figure it out and save it. :)
Click to expand...
I not think what he is experiencing is light btw
 
OK so I'm hearing a unanimous vote for more light... check

Current water parameters are as follows:
Temp: 76.7 deg F
Salinity: 1.023
pH: 8.2
Alk: 8.0 ( a little low, going to bring it up tonight)
Calc: 440ppm
Mag: 1496 ppm
Nitrate: .05ppm
Phosphates: .13ppm

other hard corals are also looking a little washed out or OK (same as when introduced) but not really growing.

Zoas, nem, brain coral all look to be thriving.

Any other suggestions?
 
The washed out look is due to low nutrients or im your case sever imbalance of the nutrients.
If this is light induced, you would think u need to lower the PAR when you see coral washed out not the other way around. That's why I am almost certain its not light induced.
 
Just remember my advices are as good as your parameters reporting accuracy. Based on the data you gave am giving you a direction. Pls make sure these parameters are correct..
Have u ever done icp by any chance?
 
Last edited:
ofzakaria said:
Just remember my advices are as good as your parameters reporting accuracy. Based on the data you gave am giving you a direction. Pls make sure these parameters are correct..
Have u ever done icp by any chance?
Click to expand...
I have not but was thinking that would be a logical next step to test the accuracy of my measurement tools.
 
Coral reefer said:
Nitrate too Low.
Alk at 8 is great.
Why low salinity?
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My theory on my salinity is that since my filtration system is outside (in the cold) I see a pretty high rate of evaporation due to temperature differential and cold, dry winter air. I think the ATO water is diluting my salinity. I was going to bump that up tonight, also.
 
Dorfman said:
My theory on my salinity is that since my filtration system is outside (in the cold) I see a pretty high rate of evaporation due to temperature differential and cold, dry winter air. I think the ATO water is diluting my salinity. I was going to bump that up tonight, also.
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Ato should only replace what evaporated. I would double check your measurement before adding.
 
Dorfman said:
My theory on my salinity is that since my filtration system is outside (in the cold) I see a pretty high rate of evaporation due to temperature differential and cold, dry winter air. I think the ATO water is diluting my salinity. I was going to bump that up tonight, also.
Click to expand...
How are you measuring?
Top off will not dilute unless you have a leak or skim super wet or pull out lots of water to give away frags
 
Coral reefer said:
How are you measuring?
Top off will not dilute unless you have a leak or skim super wet or pull out lots of water to give away frags
Click to expand...
With a refractometer which I regularly check with calibration fluid. As Omar suggested, I may spring for a complete water analysis externally to see how accurate my measurements are. Hopefully stuff is not too far off or I will have to kick myself in the @$$ for chasing ghosts.
 
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