Awful/Strange growth pattern on Hawkins Enchinata

[dowtish]

As you can see, there are horrible nodules on the tips of this coral where it is growing. I did have an accidental calcium overdose a few weeks back, and I am thinking that is the cause. Anyone else ever seen this before? I also have another acro doing something similar.

I'm thinking of snipping a couple of them off and seeing if they grow back normally, now that my levels are back to where they should be, or will that stress the coral too much?

 

[layer3switchguy]

I may be wrong, but I thought I had read someplace this growth pattern has something to do with calcium levels, but lets see what others suggest.

Just out of curiosity, what does ALK, CA, and MG look like in your tank?

 

[dowtish]

In the original post I said I had an overdose of calcium a few weeks back, and that's what I'm thinking is the cause.

My current Cal levels are 450, but I accidently hit my timer under the tank and it dosed an extra 2 hours for 3 days. So it was off the charts near 700 for over a week.

 

[layer3switchguy]

Ok, I do think that may be the issue. Aesthetically if it bothers you, I think your safe to prune the coral.

 

[dowtish]

It's definitely bothering me, because I am the one who caused it. And they look awful. Can we say "lots of tiny frags"

 

[TucanSam007]

haha yeah just glue em all together on one plug!

 

[afernandez]

Personal ?

Can we get an fts to see where you have it in your reef

 

[dowtish]

Below the yellow wrasse, beside all the blue paly's. My tank is 27" tall and my 6 bulb T5 is 5" above the top. they are almost exactly half way down.

 

[stevedola]

i have the exact same issue on my gemafea...still uncertain on the cause. It was growing great until a few mths ago it started getting those same inflated tips. My calcium has been rock solid for atleast 6 mths prolly longer.At first I thought it was a nipping fish but not the case. Im completely at a loss and have decided to try an experiment and frag the coral and grow it on the other side of my tank...I want to see if its the flow causing this. YOu are not the only one with this issue...i have talked with others regarding this issue however no one can definitively say what is the cause.

 

[stevedola]

after seeing your pic, my gemafera is very close to a colony of palys in my tank. I wonder if they emit some toxin that can stress the coral? just a thought

 

[afernandez]

Thanks . I just got a frag For the second time . The first time I put it really high with high flow As recommended by Ora... it did not do good it eventually died(the tank was young). This time around I put it mid way with indirect flow. Hopefully it will do go

 

[layer3switchguy]

BTW, awesome tank! Congrats!

 

[dowtish]

i have the exact same issue on my gemafea...still uncertain on the cause. It was growing great until a few mths ago it started getting those same inflated tips. My calcium has been rock solid for atleast 6 mths prolly longer.At first I thought it was a nipping fish but not the case. Im completely at a loss and have decided to try an experiment and frag the coral and grow it on the other side of my tank...I want to see if its the flow causing this. YOu are not the only one with this issue...i have talked with others regarding this issue however no one can definitively say what is the cause.

I think lighting and flow can make any coral have different growth patterns. But specifically the tips doing this is what is odd to me. I have posted elsewhere, and this is not uncommon at all apparently with this coral. I plan on snipping off three nodules and glueing them upside down on a plug and seeing the nodule will encrust and the freshly snipped end grows normally.

 

[dowtish]

BTW, awesome tank! Congrats!

Thanks man! It looks different than that now. I was just looking at the pic I posted, and it's funny how much I move things around, and still think I'm one of those reefers who keeps his hands out of the tank...:hmm3: