Toxic sand

[Azraz]

Can sand become toxic if not cleaned? Every time I get a plate, it does great for about a month, then slowly deterioroites and dies. At first they accept food readily, extend tentacles, looks happy, and then suddenly goes downhill. All other corals do pretty well in my mixed reef but I just can't keep plates alive. I have the sand for my wrasses, so removal is not an option.
Thanks for any info,
Ron

 

[Reef Frog]

Not likely if you used a good quality aragonite sand from a trusted source. Unless it was ancient and absolutely filthy. I suppose there could possibly be a bacterial or other live pathogen in the sand bed, but that would be next to impossible for the average hobbyist to diagnose. Beach sand from a bad location? - it could be possible I suppose.

But in all likelihood something else is probably dong in your plates. Water quality, lack of proper levels of the big 3 minerals, parasites or harassment by fish or inverts might be possibilities. Can any other coral species stay alive long term on your sand bed?

Plates don't necessarily have to be on a sand bed. Have you tried to keep one alive in a drag tank or flat rock in lower light in the DT?

 

[Nina51]

are you putting them in the same spot each time you have tried and if so, are there any aggressive corals nearby that could be stinging them?

 

[Azraz]

Frog, the sand was live pink aragonite bought from LFS. The tank is five years old now and other corals do fine. I monitor the big three pretty religiously and those are good. Water changes every week with Tripic Marin regular salt. Tank is clean and taken care of.
Nina, no corals are near by but I do put them in the general same spot in the corner of the tank. Do you think sand getting on them could be a problem?
The sand is fine and does get blown around and does get everywhere.
Thanks for trying to help.

 

[cloak]

"Lars?"

I'm still trying to figrue it out myself...

 

[Nina51]

I do put them in the general same spot in the corner of the tank. Do you think sand getting on them could be a problem?
The sand is fine and does get blown around and does get everywhere.
Thanks for trying to help.

if you try another one, i'd try putting it in a different spot. having sand settle on them could be pretty irritating. i recently moved mine to a front corner of my tank and i have noticed the wrasses are always kicking up sand there. gonna put it back where it was.

 

[Nano sapiens]

Flat plate corals can have issues with constant fine sediment bombardment (domed shaped ones tend to be better at sediment removal). Could be that over time the Fungia is stressed having to constantly clean itself.

As Frog mentioned, try a position elevated off of the sand bed and away from the wrasses (if possible).

 

[Azraz]

Nina, thanks, if I try another I will put it somewhere else.

 

[Nano sapiens]

"Lars?"

I'm still trying to figrue it out myself...

'Lazy A$$ Reefer Syndrome'. Term coimed by Joe Yaiullo, I believe.

 

[cloak]

It's up to U now...

 

[Nina51]

Nina, thanks, if I try another I will put it somewhere else.

you're very welcome.

maybe it's just me but i would not place a plate coral anywhere except on the sand bed, not even on a flat rock. they have the ability to move around by inflating/deflating and falling off a rock wouldn't be such a good thing.

 

[Nano sapiens]

Diving in Palau I had the opportunity to observe the local Fungia. Most were up in the coral boulder rock areas oriented at all kinds of odd angles, few on the sand. This was an eye-opener as I had thought that they were mostly, if not exclusively, sand dwelling animals. Also, all but the largest Fungia can right themselves if they happen to flip onto their tops.