Candy Cane Problems... Growing under sand?

[Boston21]

So after having a frag for nearly 3 months now its been in between degradation and success. It has split a head and also lost tissue but all while still remaining colorful and alive. I dont get it. So today I decided that I was going to move it to higher light and a different area to see if it would grow better/survive. Everything went fine, it seems to have puffed up a little bit more after the move indicating that it might like its new spot.... and heres the kicker.....


Later tonight I was checking out my tank under my blues and noticed a part of the harder calcareous part of the frag at the bottom was GLOWING RED like the color of the candy cane. Could it be growing out the bottom or maybe the sand was irritating it the whole time?

Weirdest thing ever. I tried to take a pic but it wasn't very good. I'll try to take one in the daytime.

Parameter's:

PH: 8.2
Temp: 78.0 - 79.5 ~
Amm: 0 PPM
Nitrite: 0 PPM
Nitrate: 0-10 PPM (20 percent changes a week/switching back to once every 2 weeks)
Calcium: 420 PPM
Alk: 11dKH
Phos: Dont have a great test yet.
Salinity: 1.026-1.025


My frogspawn's, zoa's, palys, RBTA, and mushroom's all seem to be doing great except for a GSP that also randomly died that I cant figure out either -_-

Also dont seem to have brown jelly disease from what I can tell. Any help?

EDIT: Heres a picture, its the red part you can barely see on the "stalk".

 

[Boston21]

Bump.

Seems to be coloring up and puffing up a little bit more today now that its in its new spot. Red seems to have grown just overnight too, thinking corraline of some sort?

Do you guys think this frag will make it? (Picture is rough, but you can kinda see that its still alive but with some recession)

Ignore my frogspawn eating

 

[Boston21]

..... Awfully quiet in here.

 

[Lowefx]

Ive seen worse come back. I'd give it 2 weeks, then revisit old pictures to see the progress. Maybe keep it at lower light for a few days, and move it up slowly.

 

[Boston21]

It's been at lowest possible light for the past 3 months and has continued to degrade. But after I have put it up closer to the light its starting to come back around. Color is starting to come back in full and its puffing up a bit more then it was. Also just started trying to feed it Rod's but it doesn't seem to be letting any feeder-tentacles out, or they are just too small for me to see maybe.

 

[Lowefx]

ok, do what works. My feeding tenticles come out about 20 min after lights out.

 

[Boston21]

ok, do what works. My feeding tenticles come out about 20 min after lights out.

I appreciate the advice though, was beginning to look grim in here haha. Do you keep Candy Canes?

 

[Lowefx]

Yes I have some. Started with 4 heads, now about 18 over a year of growth. I have the neon green ones. Brightest coral in the tank.

 

[Boston21]

Yes I have some. Started with 4 heads, now about 18 over a year of growth. I have the neon green ones. Brightest coral in the tank.

What are you using for lighting?

 

[Lowefx]

2x150w MH 16k and 2-96w PC's in a 90g RR

 

[Boston21]

2x150w MH 16k and 2-96w PC's in a 90g RR

What sort of distance from the lights are your C.C's in your tank?

 

[Lowefx]

About 10" from water surface + 4" to the fixture.

 

[Boston21]

About 10" from water surface + 4" to the fixture.

Argh, thats close to the same distance the frag was before I moved it from my 120w LED fixture. I guess we will see the outcome, for some reason though. I feel it really is improving daily as I have been keeping a better eye on parameter's and everything lately.

Looking at making a couple frag rack's to make this easier in the future.