Coral placement??

[gdubs97]

Anyone have any idea what is going on with these 2 different issues

Parameters are
Alk 8.90
Calcium 435
SG 1.027
Magnesium over 1400
Phosphates 0.06
Nitrate 0

I just started running carbon about 3 weeks ago....not sure if that coule be related...

1) purple coral seems to be overtaking zoas. Will this coral just swallow the zoas alive? Is there any way to stop it besides chopping the rock up?

shot taken 10/28/11

Shot from today

2) I have no clue why, but this trumpet was flourishing and now it seems to be dying...hopefully the whole thing will not go.

 

[jbonez]

Yes the candy canes are starting to die off double check your water

 

[jbonez]

And yes i would split up all the corals on that rock ...

 

[jbonez]

Also why do you have your sg. At 1.027? I would shoot for 1.025 or 26

 

[gdubs97]

Why? That's just what it is at. I mix my water to be around 1.025 or 1.026 and it stays around 1.027 in my tank. I don't think it's hurting anything. I do think alot of things just cannot be explained. My coral growth thrives with hard corals and zoas yet I cannot keep an acan at all.

I checked my levels again and they are the same as I posted.

I hear you about splitting up the corals on that rock...I'm just not sure how without damaging anything. I do think I "burnt" that candycane when I was moving corals around by touching an agressive coral against it. Hopefully it doesn't continue to disappear.

Also pH ranges from 8.15 to 8.40

Also why do you have your sg. At 1.027? I would shoot for 1.025 or 26

 

[thefuz]

I'm no expert, but I believe you've got an encrusting monti there. Unless I'm mistaken... SPS beats zoos in the roshambo game of aggression. Looks like you have really healthy zoos though as well as this SPS being a champ. I'd say go for it on chopping them up.

 

[gmate]

For what it's worth, you've got some beautiful specimens. Get rid of the encrusting SPS in my opinion.

 

[gdubs97]

I found this guy this morning. Can he be the culprit? I just added two crabs a couple of months ago and that could be when this started. I do remember hitting an aggressive coral into it and seeing a little deterioration on the coral. I'm guessing these guys eat anything that is dying???

 

[jbonez]

well just touching the aggressive coral for a second or to wont harm anything. now with the crab im not to sure but its you never know.candy canes are very hardy