Elegance problems still a problem?
- Thread starter RobertK
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Bass Cadet
New member
(Finally had a chance to test my water.)
The parameters before I did a water change (usually 10% every other week with NSW [Catalina water]): Temperature ~80F, pH ~8.2, MG=1260, KH/ALK=7.2 dKH, CA=425. I restarted dosing about 10mL of each part B-Ionic every day. I'm embarrased to admit but a few weeks ago the water had dropped to MG=1245, KH/ALK=6.0 dKH (oops), CA=400. It didn't seem to effect the corals, though.
Lighting is 2x30W NO + 2x55W PC (170W over 50 gallons). Water flow is low. I have a hang on Turboflotor T-1000 with an Aquabee pump and the return is the only water movement.
As for the amphipods and copepods, I do have a mandarinfish so there probably aren't a lot.
HTH,
greg
The parameters before I did a water change (usually 10% every other week with NSW [Catalina water]): Temperature ~80F, pH ~8.2, MG=1260, KH/ALK=7.2 dKH, CA=425. I restarted dosing about 10mL of each part B-Ionic every day. I'm embarrased to admit but a few weeks ago the water had dropped to MG=1245, KH/ALK=6.0 dKH (oops), CA=400. It didn't seem to effect the corals, though.
Lighting is 2x30W NO + 2x55W PC (170W over 50 gallons). Water flow is low. I have a hang on Turboflotor T-1000 with an Aquabee pump and the return is the only water movement.
As for the amphipods and copepods, I do have a mandarinfish so there probably aren't a lot.
HTH,
greg
I hope Im not going to regret saying this but what makes my elegance so differant from yours? I too thought the problem had been solved and about a month and a half ago I picked one up. It looked good when I got it, brought it home and for about a week it was about half expanded, to be expected I thought. Then I added enough current to keep the tenticals waveing, and it opened up to twice the size it was at the LFS! It has been that way for the past month. I admit my tank(s) arent the cleanest,(could this be the trick?) 110w PC above the upper 20g, 40w for the lower 20g. Tanks are connected via an overflow with a rio 1700 circulating between the two. pH 8.1, ca&alk dont measure(coroline growth is good), mostly softies, Nitrites/nitrates at 0, amonia 0. small venturi skimmer, heavy fish load, 5g water change every 3 weeks or so. Could it be that they just dont like a sterile enviornment? Or is it too soon to tell with mine?
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A mind is like a parachute, it only works when its open.
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A mind is like a parachute, it only works when its open.
Wolverine
Premium Member
ReefDawg, it's probably still too early to tell. The one that we had was fine for just under a month before it crashed. And I've seen them go as long as 4-5 months before the actual crash. And this is in VERY stable tanks where everything else is growing like crazy.
There are a lot of people out there who feel that a high nutrient environment is key to elegance corals, but there should be plenty of nutrients in our tank. In fact, I know that ours has a much higher nutrient load than the tank of a friend of ours, and his elegance has been doing fine, so I think this is only part of the story.
When we got ours, it was a little small for about 2 days, and then it opened up beautifully, much larger than it had in the store. And it was great for a long time, and then it suddenly started opening up a lot less. Then the tentacles started to look all shrivelled up, and the body looked REALLY bloated. This went on for about a week, and then it just stopped opening at all. I'll be staying away from them for quite a while.
Dave
There are a lot of people out there who feel that a high nutrient environment is key to elegance corals, but there should be plenty of nutrients in our tank. In fact, I know that ours has a much higher nutrient load than the tank of a friend of ours, and his elegance has been doing fine, so I think this is only part of the story.
When we got ours, it was a little small for about 2 days, and then it opened up beautifully, much larger than it had in the store. And it was great for a long time, and then it suddenly started opening up a lot less. Then the tentacles started to look all shrivelled up, and the body looked REALLY bloated. This went on for about a week, and then it just stopped opening at all. I'll be staying away from them for quite a while.
Dave
jimhobbs
Moderator Emeritus
Oh No!!!!!!
I've got bare skeleton{about 3 ribs worth} on the end of my elegance!...I did the Tetra-D dip and will transfer to the home tank tomorrow...
Man, that was FAST!
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Tank at: members.xoom.com/jimhobbs/reefstats.htm
I've got bare skeleton{about 3 ribs worth} on the end of my elegance!...I did the Tetra-D dip and will transfer to the home tank tomorrow...
Man, that was FAST!
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Tank at: members.xoom.com/jimhobbs/reefstats.htm
Anybody read the article in December FAMA about Elegance corals by two Dutch guys from the Netherlands saying they keep them alive for years? What's up with that?
What's the longest you guys or gals have kept one? Tried once, no luck, but then again I am from Texas...did use a Dutch oven once, but don't think that counts.
elvis
What's the longest you guys or gals have kept one? Tried once, no luck, but then again I am from Texas...did use a Dutch oven once, but don't think that counts.
elvis
alde
Premium Member
Hi All,
I don't have an Elegance now, but did a few years ago. I had it in my tank for almost 5 years and was doing well and growing. I gave it to a LFS when I moved out of the state.
The one thing that was common prctice then and not now is the use of wet/dry filters. I was using one then. Are the people keeping them alive using wet/dry filters? Maybe they need nitrates. I also just had a simple counter current skimmer. I am sure I had more nutrients in the water than the reef of today.
Best regards, Al
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He who feared he would not succeed sat still.
I don't have an Elegance now, but did a few years ago. I had it in my tank for almost 5 years and was doing well and growing. I gave it to a LFS when I moved out of the state.
The one thing that was common prctice then and not now is the use of wet/dry filters. I was using one then. Are the people keeping them alive using wet/dry filters? Maybe they need nitrates. I also just had a simple counter current skimmer. I am sure I had more nutrients in the water than the reef of today.
Best regards, Al
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He who feared he would not succeed sat still.
Bass Cadet
New member
KASESQ: I seem to recall reading in TRA or MCRA that they do like higher nutrient levels.
BDB: I agree with Fox, it sounds like a sponge. I have a pink one growing on mine as well as some bivalves(?) and other filter feeders. As for puffing up while shrinking its tentacles, mine seems to do that often when I feed (cryopaste) phytoplankton.
Alde: nope, no wet dry. Just a protein skimmer. I had an underpowered skimmer for a while and replaced it with a Turboflotor. Doesn't seem to have made a difference with the elegance.
I'm still interested in the possible (lack of) copepod/amphipod connection. I know another reefkeeper with two elegances who has a mandarinfish in his tank. I think Charles also has a dragonet. Same tank?
greg
BDB: I agree with Fox, it sounds like a sponge. I have a pink one growing on mine as well as some bivalves(?) and other filter feeders. As for puffing up while shrinking its tentacles, mine seems to do that often when I feed (cryopaste) phytoplankton.
Alde: nope, no wet dry. Just a protein skimmer. I had an underpowered skimmer for a while and replaced it with a Turboflotor. Doesn't seem to have made a difference with the elegance.
I'm still interested in the possible (lack of) copepod/amphipod connection. I know another reefkeeper with two elegances who has a mandarinfish in his tank. I think Charles also has a dragonet. Same tank?
greg
alde
Premium Member
Hi All,
The Manderin connection is interesting. A friend who is also a member of this list has an elegance that was doing great until his manderin died. A few weeks later the coral started to decline. I'm sure his population of pods went up. Hmmm, very interesting.
Al
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He who feared he would not succeed sat still.
The Manderin connection is interesting. A friend who is also a member of this list has an elegance that was doing great until his manderin died. A few weeks later the coral started to decline. I'm sure his population of pods went up. Hmmm, very interesting.
Al
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He who feared he would not succeed sat still.
Big Daddy B
New member
I've had one for about 9mos and it has grown considerably. To my knowledge the problems had just started when we got it. It was completely open 5 minutes after introduction, and hasn't really stopped since. Mine actually every once in while does what was described earlier, puff up real big and shrivel it's tentacles. I saw this as a way it was trying to move because it didn't like where it was. So, I would move it around a little. Now it wasn't doing this all the time, maybe once every 3 weeks. The place it's in now it has been very happy for about 4 mos.
Now for my problem. I have been following this thread for awhile, and this weekend I wanted to get a close inspection of it so I got it to close up most of the way. On one side of the skeleton is greyish covering that was not there about 2 mos ago. I touched and it seems to have the consistency of rubber. It's not touching any of the tissue, and there is no receeding, but what is this stuff. It really is just like a rubbery coating on one side of the skeleton.
Anyone got any ideas??
Now for my problem. I have been following this thread for awhile, and this weekend I wanted to get a close inspection of it so I got it to close up most of the way. On one side of the skeleton is greyish covering that was not there about 2 mos ago. I touched and it seems to have the consistency of rubber. It's not touching any of the tissue, and there is no receeding, but what is this stuff. It really is just like a rubbery coating on one side of the skeleton.
Anyone got any ideas??
Big Daddy,
It sounds most likely to be a sponge of some sort. Unless the coral starts to recede in that area, or otherwise look to be irritated, I wouldn't worry about it. It's probably harmless.
All on this thread,
It seems to me, that since people used to be able to keep these corals for years, and now there's so many problems, there must be something to the shipping and/or collection problems that have been suggested. I have one that I got from kapu180 about 2-3 months ago. I'm not sure how long he had it, but it's done very well in my tank. A couple days ago, I came home and it was pretty much closed at a time of day when it's normally wide open. I started to worry that mine was going to bite the dust too, but the next day it was back to normal. It's still too early to tell if this one will do well in the long run, but it's doing very well so far.
FOX
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members.xoom.com/KoryFox/index.htm
It sounds most likely to be a sponge of some sort. Unless the coral starts to recede in that area, or otherwise look to be irritated, I wouldn't worry about it. It's probably harmless.
All on this thread,
It seems to me, that since people used to be able to keep these corals for years, and now there's so many problems, there must be something to the shipping and/or collection problems that have been suggested. I have one that I got from kapu180 about 2-3 months ago. I'm not sure how long he had it, but it's done very well in my tank. A couple days ago, I came home and it was pretty much closed at a time of day when it's normally wide open. I started to worry that mine was going to bite the dust too, but the next day it was back to normal. It's still too early to tell if this one will do well in the long run, but it's doing very well so far.
FOX
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members.xoom.com/KoryFox/index.htm
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