Bubble coral is getting brown algae on its septa ?

candymancan

New member
I purchased a blue/purple buble coral from petco.. And before you say anything it was still in its bag as they just got a shipment of corals. It was tied to a peice of white foam to keep it floating upside down..

I immedialty purchased it before they plopped it into their tanj.


Its been doing good for the last 2 weeks maybe ?. I put it on the ssjd bottom and i havent taken it off its argonite base they glued it too. Its in the lowest flow of my tank thr nubbles barely wiggle.. And its in partial shade from a archway above. I noticed the septa those fins the bubble coral have are getting diatom algae on them.. My tank right now is having a diatom algae bloom.. I gently took my fingers and it rubbed right off so deff diatom algae. Used a soft toothbrush to gently get the algae off all of it. The septa fins look like they have tissue recession. So that might be why algae is growing on the receeded parts.

Should i put the bubble coral under the overpass completetly ? There is no diatom algae down there due to the well overpass blocking light. It isnt completetly black dark but enough to keep diatoms from growing.

Or will the shade hurt it more then being in the ligjt ? I figured if i can keep the diatoms off the exposed septa fins it can have a chance to recover.

I tried feeding it but i never see its tentacles i only see tons of bubbles and at night they deflate.. So rather thrn poison my tsnk with excess food i stopped shooting mysis shrimp mash on it
 
I think I’d be more concerned about driving calcification and growth, I would not move it out of the light, make sure your cal, alk, mag are within spec. And feed the tank.
 
Alk is 12. calcium is 580 its pretty high for some reason. Ph is 8.2 i use reef crystals and have fiji pink sand i dont dose anything in the tank because i dont need too. Everything is high as far as the minerals go.

I read you should put it outa the ligjt to keep algae off the exposed skeleton.. but i dunno
 
Oh and my salinity is 1.025-1.026 temp is 78f but varies. Lighting i currently use 4 65w power compacts 3 are 420.460 bulbs one is 6500.6500 im waiting for my quad T5HO fixture to come.

Dont like LEDS.

umm what else nitrates are 10-15 and phosphates are 0 to 0.25 im using two media types for phosephates atm so its probly 0 the api test is meh for phosphates.. I know the seachem phosguard works though tested it in my fresh tank with 5.00ppm phosephates and it brought it down to .25

So tbh i cant find anytjing wrong with the tank besides maybe 4 65w power compacts on a 27g hexagon being too much light lol. 265w of even power compacts is alot of light
 
I assume it’s a new tank? Phosphates are a little high, remember you don’t want to drive them to zero. Sounds like the coral started to recede. if the coral is extended it should shade it’s base. I put mine in a shot glass with a little sand. Don’t forget magnesium. Sounds like your on the right path, I’m sure it will recover in your tank.
 
Should i shade it then ? Or put it in full light.. Im thinking shade.

Yes the tank is new but cycled. Been doing fresh for 20 years salt is fsirly nee.

Thr problem with .25 is this is the reading from api it onky does .25 then 0. So it could be .10 or .05 or .20 you know what i mean ?



The rest of my coral seem fine. I have a neon greem nepthea. purple montipora. green stylophoras. a green bubble tip anemone. a clam. hammer coral and a torch coral.

I have 3 fish a royal gramm. fire angel and a azure damzel.

I habe 4 nerite snails. 4 little hermit crabs. 4 aspea or whatever their called snails and 2 of those snails with the ice cream cones
They aretearing the diatoms up. It comes back fast but i know in time itll go away fresh water does the same thing..


But i hear its best to keep the bubble coral in shade to keep algae off its exposed skeleton on those sepna spikey things.
 
They are Photosynthic so they need light. Low in the tank would be good. I have use peroxide on a Q top to clean up the algae, just try to keep it off the flesh. Since it’s a new tank I would not over feed it. So light will be it’s only meal for awhile.
 
Last edited:
Well what im saying is constant wiping of the skeleton thats exposed.. how is it going to calcify.. Its like constantly rubbing a wound. ? Wouldnt that be counter productive ?
 
I cant figure how to edit my posts on this forum.

anyway i jad it on thr bottom of the tank and thats where its growing algar.. It was partially under. out of my arch if that makes sense if i move its 3 incjes to the right itll be all the way under the arch away from direct light.. Its like black down there but not direct light... I figure if i keep algae off the tips this way it can heal vs constantly rubbing on the tips ?

But im just asking questions dont get nasty lol
 
Back
Top