re: two coral questions

[rica5tully]

re: two coral questions

Thanks for your help:

1) I got some candy canes from a friend and put them 2/3 of the way up in the tank under PC lights. They're shrinking. Should candy canes be low in the tank and more in the shade?

2) I have some generic brown polyps (kind of like green-stars, but just brown). They're kind of cool, but they're starting to take over. Once they get on another rock is it too late? In other words, is there a way to keep them from spreading other than isolation?

Thanks,

ET

 

[prugs]

Re: re: two coral questions

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11604243#post11604243 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rica5tully
Thanks for your help:

1) I got some candy canes from a friend and put them 2/3 of the way up in the tank under PC lights. They're shrinking. Should candy canes be low in the tank and more in the shade?

Thanks,

ET

How long have you had the candy canes?

How far below the water surfaces are they?

 

[rica5tully]

I've had them about 2 months maybe? They're about 10 inches below the water level in a 72-gallon bowfront under PC lighting. I did notice that when I changed the main bulbs is when they started to deteriorate faster. So I thought I'd ask about light levels.

 

[prugs]

How many watts of pc lighting do you have, & what are the K rating of the lamps?

What K type of lamps did you have & what did you switch to?

What fish do you have in the tank?

What is the ALK level in the tank?

Are you feeding the candy canes?

 

[rica5tully]

I have 220 watts of 10,000K PC bulbs + 30 watts of actinic
(72-gallon bowfront)

I don't believe I made any changes; just put in new bulbs.

Fish: yellow tang; coral beauty; 3 chromis; bicolor blenny; cinnamon clown; coral banded shrimp

Calcium = 360

Alk = 6 (I know these values are low; need to drip more kalk)

I've tried to feed the candy canes a couple times. I have a home-made food that I mix up and freeze. I've used a turkey baster a couple of times and gently sprayed warm, thawed food mix on the candy cane heads. But I didn't see any reaction. Maybe I don't know how to do it.

Everything else in the tank (mushrooms, leathers, xenia, frogspawn, monti-cap, brown polyps, GSP, pipe-organ, and unidentified SPS are doing fine. Some of the smaller mushrooms are looking a little wilted, but I wonder if that's a bright light issue.

 

[prugs]

I would watch your coral beauty & bicolor blenny for coral rasping. I had a lineatus blenny that almost killed a few lps corals.

Feeding of lps is best done when the lights go out & feeding polyps are visible.

 

[stevelkaneval]

your calcium and alk are a little low. you should shoot for 420-470 ppm of cal and around 10-11 dkh.

 

[aquadog11]

Do not dose your tank to that high DKH.
Go to 8
When you bring them up take your time.
Not so much with the calcium but the ALK
Your corals sound like pretty easy corals
Your levels are A bit low but I have canycanes that can almost
live in crap.
Try jumping the wrong corals to 11 DKH and they will die.
I have noticed all my encrusting monti's like 8 DKH and my pokeyman monti will die at 11

 

[stevelkaneval]

hmm thats wierd ive had my dkh at 10-11 since i got the tank almost a year ago and ive had no die offs or problems. but i do agree raise it gradually.

 

[aquadog11]

Hmm thats not so weird when you have A bunch of easy care softy's
under your name
8 is natural seawater
Taking from 6 to 11 is almost double
That is A really big jump

 

[TropTrea]

I think it is very debatable on Alk levels.
I have read "experts" say
goal = 8 + or - 10%
goal should be 10 to 12
you need it the right proportion to your calcium level.

Then there is the issue on magnesium. Some claim magnesium levels are just as important as calcium or alkilinity and others simply ignore it.

 

[stevelkaneval]

the webste only lets you put so much down their. how do you know what i have i dont ever remember you at my house. and i havnt updated in a while. sooooo dont be a a%&.

 

[aquadog11]

Just stating facts no need to insult A grown up.
It is A reef discusion form
Stick with the video games

.

 

[stevelkaneval]

Hmm thats not so weird when you have A bunch of easy care softy's

your the one that insulted me!

It is A reef discusion form

exactly what i WAS doing.

Stick with the video games

another insult from YOU. what do videa games make me not as smart as you?

 

[mhurley]

[flamealert]

 

[hahnmeister]

8-8.5 is 'natural', but unless you have a calcium reactor that can keep it at that all the time, it is better to get it up over that; I usually shoot for 10, so that as it goes down between dosing, the level still stays above 8.

Just dont go above 12. It has been shown that going above this (besides pushing calcium out) will inhibit calcium formation in corals. Really, I have had it set at anything from 8 to 11, and its all good. Its like debating if having a Calcium of 380 vs. 450... its still within the 'sweet spot'.

I havent seen any corals that react badly to alkalinity in the 11 range, and I have a pretty full collection.

BACK TO THE SUBJECT AT HAND THOUGH...

Candy Canes, IME, could care less about calcium levels. They may not grow as fast, but they still will. I have had them in tank's with rather neglected conditions, and they still keep growing larger and larger.

From what you are describing, they seem to be under too much light. PC bulbs do die rather fast, so by the time you changed them, I wouldnt doubt that the change pretty much doubled the light intensity on the corals. I am experiencing the same right now in my tank... I need to move them to a darker area of the tank.