Coral Problems

[Critter]

Anyone know what is happening to this galaxea?

I've had it for about a year. Just until recently its starting to regress. It looks like its bleaching out or something. The white circle areas use to have polyps protruding... infact the whole thing looked like a chia pet. Could it be temp or too much light? my params are within the exceptable ranges. When I had my GHA outbreak some had grown at the base but is pretty much gone now. Any thoughts would be appreciated.. and what can be done to get it back in shape if that is possible. thanks

 

[CarlC]

The problems you had before are probably related. Now that you have removed your nutrient issue's your water is probably clearer.

If it were me I'd move it low in the tank. Let it brown out for awhile while it heals. Slowly move it back up when it is looking better.

Carl

 

[rickyfins]

What it looks like to me is it is starving. Galaxea corals require feeding in order to thrive. They will do like many other corals and look good for about a year, but then steadily recline and disappear. I would try to spot feed it and do either a dip or add vitamins to the water to help it heal from the recession.

thanks,

Rick

 

[Critter]

thanks guys.. I'll keep an eye on it and do some of the things mentioned. I just got some coral vite so I'll see what that can do for it. Also with my water params back in shape and a new skimmer is almost broken in I'm hoping for a turn around. I had fed it some mysis shrimp from time to time so not sure about the starving... but I had changed so many things in combating the GHA I couldn't even begin to guess. I changed out lights. photo period cut back to 8 hours, nitrate sponge replaced, reactivated my phosban reactor, new skimmer, added black diamond charcol, started 10% water changes weekly and dosed that marine SAT which who knows could have done something.
Had a sea hare go missing 2 hours after adding it to the tank, still don't know what happend to it.

 

[coralnut99]

As mentioned, LPS do appreciate being fed. My guess is that two things were big contributors. New bulbs, and started running carbon......at the same time. It's not that perceptable, but carbon does a lot for water clarity in a short time. As suggested, I would move it down in the tank for a time also.

 

[Critter]

It would only be a drop of 4 to 5 inches to put it on the bottom... do you think that would really make a difference?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8042023#post8042023 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralnut99
As mentioned, LPS do appreciate being fed. My guess is that two things were big contributors. New bulbs, and started running carbon......at the same time. It's not that perceptable, but carbon does a lot for water clarity in a short time. As suggested, I would move it down in the tank for a time also.

 

[coralnut99]

Can't hurt. You could also put it off in the corner too. Lighting shoud be less intense there too, even w/vho's.

 

[coralnut99]

Any overhanging rock ledges you can put it under?

 

[coralnut99]

Just took another look at the pic, and it seems to have lost most of its' tissue on the upper left side. Is there a powerhead, or return nozzle pointing at it?

 

[Critter]

That is the side that gets most of the flow from the maxi streams. I'll see if I can break the flow up a bit.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8043214#post8043214 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralnut99
Just took another look at the pic, and it seems to have lost most of its' tissue on the upper left side. Is there a powerhead, or return nozzle pointing at it?

 

[Critter]

My GBTA hasn't been faring well either since the new bulbs... So I hooked up my two bulb harness. So im running 1 super antinic and 1 50/50 for a total of 220w. I had been running 440w. So I can say its noticeably dimmer in the tank. not bad, but dimmer. maybe this will do the trick. Maybe run this way for a month and then add the two bulbs back to the 4 bulb harness. I also redirected my maxi streams to be more distruptive rather then the more flow. My skimmer has finally kicked in and is starting to produce a nice green tea.

 

[coralnut99]

What I've read some folks do when they change out bulbs is place a couple of layers of window screening under the bulbs, and over the course of a month or so, remove them one at a time. The reasoning I've read is that this lets you keep the same photoperiod while the corals adjust to the brighter lighting.

 

[Critter]

yeah I read the same thing... I tought its was a bunch of bunk.. we'll see

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8044568#post8044568 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralnut99
What I've read some folks do when they change out bulbs is place a couple of layers of window screening under the bulbs, and over the course of a month or so, remove them one at a time. The reasoning I've read is that this lets you keep the same photoperiod while the corals adjust to the brighter lighting.

 

[coralnut99]

It just seemed like another way to achieve the same thing as backing off on the photoperiod with new bulbs, and gradually ramping it back up. The screens just seemed like a bit too much to deal with.