Birds Nest Question

[chiroman114]

I have a 30g that has been up for over 2 years. I have 300w VHO's on there with plenty of circulation, and all the water parameters are good. My question is why can I not keep a pink birds nest alive. I buy them and within 2 weeks they are completly white. I have other corals in the tank and they are all fine. Any sugestions?

 

[serpentman]

IME, Birdsnest are sensitive to alk swings and flow.

 

[JeF4y]

Lighting, alk & flow...

I've had birdsnest turn white in HOURS. Moved quickly to a shaded spot and it's grown like mad ever since. I also lost another colony in 2 days when I changed the flow in the tank. Funny because I had that one for about a year and it grew from a match-stick to the size of a softball, then poof! Gone.

From my spotty but limited experience, I have yet to have a piece of birdsnest that could take even moderate lighting. Low lighting at best, and low flow...

 

[Aquafred]

Same here, medium low light and medium flow.

 

[chiroman114]

that is amazing. I was told the exact opposite about lighting and flow at the LFS, but you guys make sense. Thanks

 

[deaddat]

I have a very fluffy green birdsnest colony the size of a grapefruit and I keep it up at the top of the tank under T5s and middle of the tank in the direct path of the powerhead. Only parts that are bleached are where a emerald crab decided to have a snack...

 

[deaddat]

Also, make sure you're calcium is 450.

 

[DustinB]

Also, make sure you're calcium is 450.

Blah! Your calcium doesn't have to be at 450, in fact a lot of people keep it at 400. The exact number isn't that important, the main thing when keeping SPS is to maintain alkalinity and calcium levels in the proper range without any drastic changes.

What are your mag, cal, and alk levels right now? Also your nitrate and phosphate levels? Are you dosing anything? If so how much and how often? What test kits are you using?

The problem could be many things. High phosphate levels, alkalinity swings, too much/not enough light, pH swings, etc... For most any SPS you need to have stable parameters with low nitrate and phosphate levels for it to thrive.

 

[serpentman]

No way Calcium needs to be 450. Calcium does become a limiting nutrient until 360-380. Anything higher than 400 does not have any influence on growth.

My recommendation is to also start only with frags of birdsnest so they can grow and adapt to the light and flow. Moving colonies seems to be problematic.

As far as lighting, never had a problem with high light.