Torch Coral Slowly Dying

[jkapit]

I've had this torch Coral for over 2.5 years and its stalks have split about 3 fold since I've been keeping it.


Over the past six months I have lost 3 polyps. The tissue on the side of the stalks recedes and then the polyp bails off the top of the stalk.

This week I lost one more and two more look close to doing the same thing.

I would appreciate any advice as to what may be causing this problem.

These are some of the specifics of my tank and water:

175G
600 Watts of Compact Fluorescents - 10 hours a day
I dose kalk
Feed corals Zoomax once or twice weekly.
20 gallon water change every two weeks
Tropic Marin Salt

Mg - 1250
Cal - 320 - can't seem to get it any higher
Kalk - 7 degrees of hardness
PH - 8 - 8.2
Temp - 79-81
Phosphate - .01
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0
Ammonia - 0


Thanks for your help

 

[pixburg-reefer]

Do you have a picture? I'm not sure I have ever heard of that happening before.... I don't think that would have anything to do with your calcium but that is low

Kelly

 

[r00onmac]

have you changed bulbs lately or lowered your light?

when i lowered my halide over my tank i lost 4 of the 7 heads before i realized that was the issue... once i raised it up closer to where it was originally the 3 remaining heads expanded full the next day and have grown 2x since that day...

 

[jkapit]

Here is the Pic of my Torch.

As far as lighting goes, I change my PCs every 12 months. They were last changed in January.

Although my calcium is low, it seems very difficult to raise. If I add either 2 part or turbo calcium I get precipitation that manifests on my glass and rocks but the overall calcium gets at most to 360.

Thanks for your input.

 

[lalc]

I salvaged this torch 6 months back the tissue had receded and only the heads where left-I saved 2 of 3 heads and they are doing better.
I use Kent brand 'Liquid Reactor" myself keep it above 420 no problems and as you can see nice growth.

 

[PatMayo]

I would post your calcium problem in the chemistry forum. That low calcium is not good long term for any corals. There has to be something else going on to cause the calcium from being able to be raised.

Regards,

Pat

 

[lalc]

Totally agree with pat.
did you study my pic---look closely and read the growth history
you can see the improvements once I got my calcium up over 400.

 

[jkapit]

Thanks guys,

I will work on raising my calcium and see if that helps. I have posted my issue on the chemistry forum in the past, but did not stick with my thread so I'll revisit the issue.

I will also up my feedings and target feed some mysis and cyclopeez a couple times a week as well. I guess that can't hurt.

Thanks again.

 

[ek9vboi]

Dosing Kalk will bring up your calc. but at the same time might even raise your alk. Remember it is a stable form of alk, pH, and calc. It is ONLY used to maintain, so the best time to use it would be when your parameters are around what you want.

I would get some calc. additive and use that till the calcium is up to par.


Kalk - 7 degrees of hardness
^ Do you mean ALK? Also 7 degress of hardness meq/l or kH?

 

[tacocat]

Have you wiped off your tanks bracing? sometimes a lot of dirt gathers up there and reduces the light penetration.