Help, my brain is shrinking!

[Pufferpunk]

Actually both my open brains. They still put out a few polyps at night but are mostly shrunken & hard during the day. I think I can see a tiny bit of skeleton on my welso. One polyp on a candycane is shrinking too & I see skeleton. Please help!

Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate 0
Ca 420
KH 7

 

[ALTI]

your ph might be off since the alk is too low. how much light are they under.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Oops sorry, forgot to post, pH is 8.2 Alk in seawater is 7 so I haven't messed w/mine. It's always been at that level. I've had these brains under 260wts PC lighting (in the substrate) for over 6 months now & they've been doing great (fresh bulbs 2 months ago). Don't know why they've started failing now. I was talking to a friend & he thinks my nitrates are too low. Gonna check them again today.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Duh---thanks "friend". Didn't see who you were! Didn't want to throw names around & then not get any other advise, since AC would know what he's talking about. Wrote this Q before I talked to ya.

 

[David Grigor]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7115245#post7115245 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pufferpunk
Alk in seawater is 7 so I haven't messed w/mine. It's always been at that level.

So have you been testing it to know it's always 7?

Alk falls. Unless you doing pretty large, frequent water changes chances your ALK is likely low if you don't add any buffers for it......

 

[Pufferpunk]

Test fairly regularly. Do 10% weeklys, sometimes 20%.

 

[simonf]

Have you changed your flow recently?

How often do you feed?

Added anything new livestock that could be bothering them?

 

[David Grigor]

IMO: either something is irritating them or your water quality isn't as good as you think it is......

Nitrates being low is a good thing. There is no such thing as too low.

May try to feed them and see if they perk up.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Actually what I've found out is I do need to have a source of nitrogen as well as carbon for corals to survive. I should try to avoid zero nitrates (which will starve corals) but rather up to 5ppm is cool. I should be adding some sodium nitrate and dose carefully to run up to 3-5ppm (see the details in the Knop book or Anthony Calfo's coral prop book).

I just ordered the Salifert test kit & will test again. If at 0, I guess I'll have to up it a bit.

 

[David Grigor]

In addition to feeding you can try reducing you photoperiod some.

You can certainly try what you described, I'm certain you don't already have absolutely no traces of nitrates thus there is no such thing as too low. If your reading is 0 either the test kit is not accurate and/or it just means it's being consumed by anerobic bacteria as fast as it is being created. Just like phosphates there is no such thing as too low in our own little ecosystems. It's there in some form and/or being processed as it is being introduced through food or by metabolism. If you want to add it fine, your thinking too hard, it's not the root cause and you may end up justing fueling an algae problem.

 

[ALTI]

iwouldnt rush into the sodium nitrate . try spot feeding it. what type of sand do you have. i had some problems with a wellso brain when i used silica sand. it seemed to irritate the flesh. what r u dosing calcium with? i still think itmay have something to do with the cal/alk ratio. my open brains seem to get a little annoyed when i use too much 2 part buffer. i think the proper ratio of a cal level of 420 would be an alk of around 9-10. It sounds like you might be adding a little too much additive.

I think you have me mistaken with another friend .

 

[Pufferpunk]

Oops, my "friend" is the fellow in your avatar! I figured you were him. I rarely add anything to my tank at all. 1 drop Lugols about 3 days & maybe a capful of liquid calcium at the same time. Reef Plus 2x/week.

I have been trying to feed them--shrimp/ krill. Their polyps are extended a little but they won't accept food into their mouth.

 

[David Grigor]

What time of day are you trying to feed ? Are you waiting until the lights have been out for a while ? This is usually the best time.

I also still get the impression your alk is too low in relation to your CA levels.

I would also still play with the photoperiod some ( The daylights if you have actinics and days on seperate cycles ). You may be running your lights too long. Especially if they seem to do better earilier in the light cycle then shirvel more towards the end.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Hmmm... I'll have to pay more attention to exactally when they shrivel. Definetly put out some polyps after lights out but still won't eat. I have 10,000 daylights & Actinics, both 65wt, on different switches. Actinics are on from 9am-11pm, daylights 10am-10pm. How do you suggest I use them?

 

[ALTI]

what size tank do you have?

 

[Pufferpunk]

55g More skeleton is showing on the welso today. About 1/4"x1/8".

 

[ALTI]

i think you need some more light. 2x65 watt pc's will not deliver enough light to the bottom of the tank for those corals IMO. especiallyif the bulbs are getting old or if they are dirty.

 

[Pufferpunk]

But I've had these brains for 6+ months & they were doing fine. Replaced the bulbs in January. I am getting T5s for my birthday in June. I have a total of 260wts on my 55g.

 

[ALTI]

ok i thought you only had 2x65. its still a bit low IMO for these corals. wellso brains love strong lighting. its common for corals to last 6 months under sub par lighting. then they will slowly fade away. if your goingto upgrade the lighting why not just go with some 175 watt halides. going to cost alot less to replace bulbs and will be more beneficial to the corals.

 

[Pufferpunk]

I have considered MH lighting but opens a whole new ball of wax. I have 7 other tanks & my electric bill is nearing $200. Not only will I be having to add the cost of running these bulbs but also several fans or even a chiller. T5s run much cooler. Also, most of my tank is fillled with zoas & mushrooms & they really do best under T5s.