Coral Shrinking after Adding GFO...why? *video*

[coffee_snob]

This is a 90 minute time-lap after adding new reactor to system with 1/2 cup of GFO.

What is going on?

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[Reef Frog]

Your coral was adapted to higher levels of phosphate and your GFO apparently lowered it significantly in a short period of time. Some species seem to more sensitive than others. Changing other parameters quickly sometimes do the same thing. Do you have accurate test readings from a meter by any chance?

You may want to run the reactor for only a few hours a day or use less GFO in the begining and ramp things up as needed and as the coral adapts to lower nutrient conditions. Some PO4 is essential to all living things , small quantities are necessary for the coral's zooalanthae to do their job.

 

[rwb500]

gfo works pretty quickly. im guessing you had a lot of phosphates (looking at your rocks), and the gfo pulled some of the po4 out rapidly. the corals respond to changes by shrinking up, temporarily.

 

[coffee_snob]

I tested this morning and PO4 is 0.0. I turned reactor off.

Does it work that fast? What is a "normal" PO4 level?

 

[coffee_snob]

Okay panic is over, It looks better today.

 

[Sk8r]

Short answer: corals hate change. Second short answer: there is some talk that iron powder from GFO can adversely affect corals, hence recommendation to rinse before use.

This is relative: I managed to backflush a gfo into the bottom of my pump chamber to the tune of about a quarter cup of GFO with no adverse effect on LPS corals.

 

[Reef Frog]

Good to hear. When I added GFO to a tank of LPS & zoanthids about 4 years ago, I remember seeing some of the LPS like Acans shrink up, lose some color & didn't extend their tentacles for a few days but they adapted & everything returned to normal fairly quickly. I did not attempt to phase in the GFO - i start d with a large amount 24/7 as I was in the middle of a Bryopsis outbreak. My Zoas stopped multiplying as fast as they once did. Nothing died as a result but my Florida Ricordias never regained their former glory. But it was a good trade off for having a tank with algae under control.

You probably still have a very small amount of PO4 in the tank, despite the 0 ppm reading. It's just lower than the meter or test kit can detect. It's probably enough for your coral's metabolic needs. But levels of .01 -.02 ppm, sometimes even higher, are sufficient to suppress most algae and provide nutrients for corals and micro fauna, IME.

Your tank reacted very quickly it seems and it was neat that you did a time lapse video to document it.

 

[coffee_snob]

Good to hear. When I added GFO to a tank of LPS & zoanthids about 4 years ago, I remember seeing some of the LPS like Acans shrink up, lose some color & didn't extend their tentacles for a few days but they adapted & everything returned to normal fairly quickly. I did not attempt to phase in the GFO - i start d with a large amount 24/7 as I was in the middle of a Bryopsis outbreak. My Zoas stopped multiplying as fast as they once did. Nothing died as a result but my Florida Ricordias never regained their former glory. But it was a good trade off for having a tank with algae under control.

You probably still have a very small amount of PO4 in the tank, despite the 0 ppm reading. It's just lower than the meter or test kit can detect. It's probably enough for your coral's metabolic needs. But levels of .01 -.02 ppm, sometimes even higher, are sufficient to suppress most algae and provide nutrients for corals and micro fauna, IME.

Your tank reacted very quickly it seems and it was neat that you did a time lapse video to document it.

The webcam has come in handy a few times when I wanted to go back in time and study something. A video is worth 10,000 words.

You all have been a BIG help, thank you!

 

[coffee_snob]

Well it looks bad again this morning.

Can anyone ID this coral so I can research it?
My wife bought that one from lfs, and she can't remember the name of it.

This is healthy shot:

 

[MondoBongo]

top left, maybe a finger leather? aka Sinularia Coral.

in the middle looks like a Euphyllia of some type.

 

[coffee_snob]

top left, maybe a finger leather? aka Sinularia Coral.

in the middle looks like a Euphyllia of some type.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
It's a Devils Finger.

 

[tmz]

Looks like a Lobophytum, finger leather.

Corals need some phosphate. Rapid downward adjustments to zero can set them back. I find 0.02ppm to 0.05ppm a good level for PO4 on my mixed reef in terms of the animals need for it vs nuisance algae. Some like it higher Dust from gfo may also be an issue if not thoroughly rinsed. PO4 at the surface of some reefs is around 0.005 but varies significantly upward with depth and in turbidity.

 

[soulpatch]

what webcam are you using? The time lapse feature is neat and with a good cam I can watch it from work or when working in the office upstairs in the house....

 

[coffee_snob]

Looks like a Lobophytum, finger leather.

Corals need some phosphate. Rapid downward adjustments to zero can set them back. I find 0.02ppm to 0.05ppm a good level for PO4 on my mixed reef in terms of the animals need for it vs nuisance algae. Some like it higher Dust from gfo may also be an issue if not thoroughly rinsed. PO4 at the surface of some reefs is around 0.005 but varies significantly upward with depth and in turbidity.

Great reply, thanks!

I poured 1/2 cup GFO in the reactor dry, but ran about a gallon of RODI through it and into a bucket beforehand.

I have a better PO4 test kit on the way. Is testing from sump for PO4 okay.

 

[coffee_snob]

what webcam are you using? The time lapse feature is neat and with a good cam I can watch it from work or when working in the office upstairs in the house....

http://www.dropcam.com

 

[Toddrtrex]

Check your Alk levels, GFO can lower them.

 

[coffee_snob]

Check your Alk levels, GFO can lower them.

Will do, thanks!

 

[Toddrtrex]

I should have added,

When I transferred my Kenya tree over to my new 210, it looked great and then closed up. Long story short, my Alk levels had dropped (( Dry rocks seem to suck up the Alk )), raised them back up and have been tracking them better -- the coral has never looked better.

 

[tmz]

GFO may encourage some precipitation of calcium carbonate but the effect on overall alkalinity would be minimal, imo unlessther was a spurt of growth by stony corals, calms coraline alge or other calcifying organisms. Having said that I agree alk should be checked periodically and maintained at a point with in the 7 to11 dkh range.

Don't know how dry rock would use alk? More likely it would add some as some of it might dissolve in low pH areas.

 

[Toddrtrex]

GFO may encourage some precipitation of calcium carbonate but the effect on overall alkalinity would be minimal, imo unlessther was a spurt of growth by stony corals, calms coraline alge or other calcifying organisms. Having said that I agree alk should be checked periodically and maintained at a point with in the 7 to11 dkh range.

Don't know how dry rock would use alk? More likely it would add some as some of it might dissolve in low pH areas.

Just going off of what I saw with my tank. Sure, you will say that it is only anecdotal, but I have no other explanation.

180 pounds of dry rock, and one small Kenya tree coral. Water change water's Alk was around 7.5. The tank's would drop to 5, I would raise it back up, couple days later it would fall back down.
Can assure you that it wasn't adding any to the tank.