What's wrong with the coral?

[Kawaii]

It has been in our tank since June 2005 and within the past several months has begun to look shriveled. I think it could have been from when we lost power for a little bit during the hurricane. Does anyone know what is wrong with it or what I could do to get it healthy looking again? Right now we're adding in Purple Up, Reef-Vital DNA, Kent Marine strontium & molbydenum, Kent Marine liquid calcium, and Kent Marine Iodine.

 

[supertech3]

Have you checked your water parameters with test kits, could be dangerous adding all those supplements?

 

[bertoni]

I would be careful about dosing most of those products. What are the basic water parameters? What kind of lighting do you have, and how old are the bulbs?

This article discusses water parameters:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

 

[Kawaii]

It is an Eclipse tank with one standard bulb 18 watt and one actinic 20 watt. The bulbs are a year old.

We have only been adding these chemicals within the past few weeks because we were trying to help out the coral growth, so I know that they aren't what caused it to shrivel. If anything, it has seemed to be doing a little bit better since we started adding the chemicals, but it depends--sometimes I look at it and it looks okay and other times it looks not so good at all.

 

[Kawaii]

May I also add, all of our other corals are doing fine. We have about 8 other types of corals.

 

[graveyardworm]

If you cant or arent testing something then it probably isnt wise to add it. I would discontinue the additions and do a series of water changes of up to 25% each. Then watch for an improvement.

 

[bertoni]

The bulbs also might be old enough to be dimming, although I'm not sure that the Sinularia would care.

 

[Kawaii]

Here are our levels:

Nitrite: 0 ppm
Ammonia: between 0-0.25
Nitrate: high range 0-12.5; low range 0-2.5
Alkalinity: high
PH: 8.2

 

[mjkn2]

If your parameters seem okay I would look into the lighting, water flow, location in the tank.

 

[bertoni]

The possible presence of ammonia is a bit worrying, although that might just be a test kit issue. An alkalinity test that returns a number would be useful, IMO.

Depending on the what other corals you have, you might be seeing some sort of chemical warfare. Hard to say. You could try in the coral forum.

 

[Gobie]

If you stop adding every thing it will be ok. It will take a while then it will probably shed and be fine. Something was bothering it, it will come around just give it time. I have a cabbage leather that was the first coral I bought ten years ago, you canââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t kill it.
I donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t use it, but I think reef vital will give a false ammonia reading with some test kits. I think It states that on the bottle.

 

[unsane]

Stop adding foriegn chemicals to your tank. YUO DONT NEED THEM>!!!!

 

[dragonyze]

i had the same thing happen to my Sinularia ( i didnt know what they even were until i read this post) when i lost power and the temp dropped to almost 60 back in december. a couple of mine were nearly black for a week they were so sad. It really took them a couple solid weeks to bounce back. but bounce back they did and i honestly think they look better now than they did before. when you see them start shedding you know youre on your way to recovery. and i second (or third?) the notion of taking it easy on adding things that you cant test for, especially if youre adding all those in a short period.