SPS polyp extension

[sponger0]

I have a question as Ive noticed my polyp extension is less then it use to be. It was good for awhile but only some of my frags are like that. My birdsnest look fine.

My red planet or red milli (was sold to me as a red milli) is fine. But the remainder of my milli's and acros not so much.

What would cause this?

I searched but no definitive answer. No red bugs. No flat worms. Plenty of flow as most have a power head or the return blowing right on them.

Water:
Mag 1400
Calc 440
Alk 9
Phos 0.0 - 0.03.

 

[tripdad]

spongerO,
I don't have an answer but I do have a similar problem with a red planet frag. When I first got it, it was red and hairy, slowly became a deep red then polyps retracted and it paled. No pest, checked and re checked, seems healthy, encrusting well, little branch growth, Params fine like yours, T5 lighting. Have moved it everywhere in tank and shows no change in PE. Feed corals 2x week with oyster feast and fish daily with a variety of foods. I dose 2 part and AA's.If I can figure it out I will post to you. I don't mean to hi-jack just sharing in hopes something common might pop out at you.Good luck

 

[sponger0]

No your fine, any info on this is welcome. Im lost. Everything is good in my tank but the PE

 

[franklypre]

My first gues is linear flow, are either of you using a wavemaker of any kind? I ran 2 Voyager 2s and a Koralia in my 58 and noticed a lack of good PE, I recently switched back to an old Koralia wavemaker with two K3s and the PE is back to nice and fluffy, even on the coral that are in the direct flow. Only other thing that it could be is a shorter light cycle, I've decreased my lights by 1 hour due to the comming summer months.

 

[evsalty]

My first gues is linear flow, are either of you using a wavemaker of any kind? I ran 2 Voyager 2s and a Koralia in my 58 and noticed a lack of good PE, I recently switched back to an old Koralia wavemaker with two K3s and the PE is back to nice and fluffy, even on the coral that are in the direct flow. Only other thing that it could be is a shorter light cycle, I've decreased my lights by 1 hour due to the comming summer months.

+1

Also I do not think having your returns or pumps pointed directly at the corals is helping. SPS like flow but most do not want it to be direct.

 

[sponger0]

The way my tank is setup thats almost impossible. And no I dont have a wavemaker. I considered getting a basic one.

 

[kaserpick]

I agree with the others; direct flow is probably not helping. There's no way to deflect the flow?

 

[sponger0]

I tried to move it a bit without having water splashing out of the tank. Some seem to be looking better than the last few days when I first came home I checked on the tank.

So with the change in flow Ill give it a few days and see if anything changes.

 

[toothman]

sometimes over doing it with gfo can drive the polyps in. Occasionally I put my gfo reactor on a timer for 4 hrs a day. I always have more pe after that. As assumed a nice water change is key.

 

[sponger0]

sometimes over doing it with gfo can drive the polyps in. Occasionally I put my gfo reactor on a timer for 4 hrs a day. I always have more pe after that. As assumed a nice water change is key.

I lowered the amount of Phos media in my reactor. I change my water every week religiously lol.

 

[tripdad]

Just a quick response to Franklypyre, No wavemaker but 2 koralias at opp corners aimed at each other, get very confused flow in middle third of tank where red planet is,not laminar at all. I did decrease lights, growth increased but not PE.Fish? Chemical?Stumped like Sponger0

 

[toothman]

I mean really take it out for a day or so and see what happens

 

[sponger0]

I mean really take it out for a day or so and see what happens

My hair algae will grow more haha

 

[franklypre]

It could be a phase or something in the WQ is just not right on. I'd try raising the mag for the GHA, maybe get a MP10 or wavemaker of some sort, and lastly I'd add some Purigen. Not really based for troubleshooting PE but generally a good idea. PE comes and goes with different lighting and seasonal changes it seems.

 

[sponger0]

It could be a phase or something in the WQ is just not right on. I'd try raising the mag for the GHA, maybe get a MP10 or wavemaker of some sort, and lastly I'd add some Purigen. Not really based for troubleshooting PE but generally a good idea. PE comes and goes with different lighting and seasonal changes it seems.

Magnesium doesnt work for GHA, thats for bryopsis and using M Tech

Id have an mp10 if i had the money...hell id have 2 lol


And I dont think purigen is going to help. Thats only going the help nitrates and ammonia. My tank has neither

 

[chessmanmark]

sometimes over doing it with gfo can drive the polyps in. Occasionally I put my gfo reactor on a timer for 4 hrs a day. I always have more pe after that. As assumed a nice water change is key.

I can't say if this is right or wrong, however from a troubleshooting point of view I appreciate the advice. My instinct would be there is a nitrate or phosphate problem so increase the GFO. I never would have thought to stop the GFO and see what that does. Thanks Doc.

 

[sponger0]

I decreased my use on phosphate media cause I put too much last time and had 2 pieces bleach out.

 

[sponger0]

Well I think I found my problem. It appeared to me yesterday. RED BUGS!!!! I will be getting some interceptor this week.

 

[RRaider]

Well I think I found my problem. It appeared to me yesterday. RED BUGS!!!! I will be getting some interceptor this week.

That's what I was thinking. After treating a week ago my polyp extention has gone wild.

 

[sponger0]

That's what I was thinking. After treating a week ago my polyp extention has gone wild.

And see, that was one of the first things I was looking for when I noticed my polyps havent been out much. I was looking for red bugs or nudis or bite marks. They were all over my tricolor yesterday so now I know why I have a monti and milli pretty faded from all color.

I thought it was my water, which Im pretty emmaculate about...or anal...or ocd. Whichever you wanna use lol