devils hand question

orthokardia

orthokardia

New member
the devils hand in this pic has looked like this for a few days. it was getting larger and most of the polyps were extending when the lights came on. now it just stays small and dark with no extention
<a href="http://s757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/?action=view&current=tank045.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/tank045.jpg" border="0" alt="tank"></a>

another question. how do you keep birdsnest from catching all the free floating algae that comes by? it is like a magnet.
<a href="http://s757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/?action=view&current=tank046.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/tank046.jpg" border="0" alt="tank"></a>

and a few pics for fun
<a href="http://s757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/?action=view&current=tank013-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/tank013-1.jpg" border="0" alt="tank"></a>
<a href="http://s757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/?action=view&current=tank043.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/tank043.jpg" border="0" alt="tank"></a>

thanks for any input,
-bart
 
Bart, what are your water parameters? that behavior is typical of bad water. lighting could be a part, but since you have it on the sand can't go any lower. Are you running mh lights?
 
I would say light as well. I have mine over half way to the top and it seems quite happy

050.jpg
 
temp 78.5
ph 8.34
i test the others on sundays and nitrates are 0 and phosphates are 0
all other corals looks great with good polyp extention.
i am running 3x250 10K MH 6hrs and 2xVHO actinic 9hrs
the tank is 32" deep
 
6hrs? That is very short imo for the MH since you only have 2 vho. I would raise the devils hand up a little and start increasing your light time a little each week to get around 8 hours a day.

Also, what is your alk and salinity?
 
mine is 12 inches from the top under 3x250 mh and 4x80watt t5.
i would try to move yours higher plus its probably not happy being on the sand
 
checking your params is a great idea... but if this is the only coral having problems then i would assume its not that. this would leave location being the problem. aka flow or light.
.......
 
Titan, its not..he has algae floating around, a high PH which might mean his alk is high, and different corals respond to different conditions.
 
How long is a few days? My mushroom leather does something similar every once in a while, and then it will slough off a layer of "skin" and come back happier than before. I believe this is part of how it grows.
 
perhaps..but he has also been dosing vodka and vinegar..lots going on so trying to be thorough here. I also recall a thread a few weeks ago about an algae issue (is i remember) correctly.
 
Give the devils hand a while. It will be fine. It is a very strange coral and did that a few times (exactly like what you're seeing) in my tank and then would come back even bigger than before. Looks like hell then revives.
 
All Leather type corals do this on occasion to cleans their body's of unwanted Algae and other junk that builds up on them. It's a way of cleaning themselves and they will open back up even better after. I wouldn't worry too much about this unless It stays closed for a very long time! JMO
Bill
 
Zach did you get that from me. If so she was at 22" away from 250w hqi ph14k bulb. and loved flow. Also did Great.
If something goes wrong I got some of her grandbabies in my frag tank. You could have.
But I think she will be alright if the polyps don't come out in 2 days movie her up and high flow. Keep us posted.
 
temp 76.2
SG 1.024
PH 8.26
Alk 3.5 meq/L
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
cal 335 mg/L
Phos 0.08 mg/L

the algae is doing great. it has receeded to just a few patches that my lawnmower grazes on constantly. it is either full or pregnant cause it has a gut! i am dosing only Viniger at 15ml/day which is very low for 300 gal.
 
Bart, Did you work your way up to 15ML a day or just start at that dose? And how long have you been doing the Vinegar? Just Curious...
Bill
 
bill,

i just started at that dose. my thinking is the dose is smaller than the amount i had used in the past to mix lime into solution making kalk and the carbon avalibility is about the same for both. i do no intend to increase the amount for total phosphate/nitrate control. i like the extra bacteria for coral food and a baseline level of export. i am using cheato and might add an algae scrubber for additional neutrient export. these are just my thoughts right now. i am very interested in hearing your thoughts as i have heard your tanks rock and you obviously have a ton of experience.
 
All things being relevant, Stability Is the common denominator In a successful Reef tank. IMO When you add a substance like Vinegar, Vodka, Sugar or any Carbon source It should be done Gradually as to not shock the current bacterial base that Is keeping your tank alive. By adding what you call a small amount all at once goes against all current beliefs for dosing carbon, My System Is 300gal total and I only dose 4ml of Vinegar when I do dose It at all, I prefer Vodka and only use Vinegar If I see Cyno start to appear. The key IMO Is doing any dosing In small increases as to let the system adjust to the new source of carbon gradually Instead of shocking It all at once. The amount you added all at once Is quite large IMO and may have done more harm than good, Also adding Vinegar to Kalk Is a different scenario than dosing It directly to the tank as It just Increases the potency of the kalk which Is dripped slowly Into a high flow area of the sump. Randy Holmes Farly has lots of reading on all these methods of carbon dosing you may want to read more of them and see what he Say's about It all. He Is a very knowledgeable In this area and It may help. All this Is just my opinion and you can take It as such but from the Algae I see In the Photos you need to get to the source of the problem first and foremost, The test kits for PO4 are useless and give you a false sense of what the real problem Is. Just my 2 cents Hope It helps, And I'm sure there will be much disagreement on the subject!!!
Bill
 
some time lapse tank photos over the last three months
<a href="http://s757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/?action=view&current=064-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/064-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/?action=view&current=feelslikespring041.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/feelslikespring041.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/?action=view&current=feelslikespring042.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/feelslikespring042.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/?action=view&current=tank013-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx215/orthokardia/tank013-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
 
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