Gorg showing irregular growth

[natalia_la_loca]

Hey everyone,

 

I have a photosynthetic gorgonian that isn't looking good. It's a purple bottlebrush (muriceopsis flavida) that I ordered from Aquascapers in December 2012. It was looking great until late last fall, when it started having a really irregular growth pattern. The tips of the branches are bulbous, some of the branch tips are pointing downward (!), polyp extension is irregular.

 

This started to happen a few weeks after I pointed a powerhead toward this gorg, hoping to give it some nice flow; this caused it to bend forward slightly at 15-second intervals. I also upgraded the lighting to a stronger LED in August. I was thinking maybe the powerhead was too strong and moved it so it wasn't pointing directly at the gorg, but the problem hasn't gone away. I haven't made any other changes to the tank since then other than adding a couple of acans in November and January. My other photosynthetic gorgs (Eunicea sp.) are showing no ill effects.

 

Tank specs:

37 gallons

Skimmer: Reef Octopus BH2000

Lighting: Lumentek Pro 120 LED from Reef Radiance (max. 60% intensity)

Pumps: two koralia 2 on wavemaker; one koralia 1

Canister filter running lignite carbon, Purigen, Poly-Filter; filter floss replaced weekly, carbon 1x/month

Water change 10 gallons weekly, manual top-off with RODI

Carbon dosing: vodka 5ml daily

Alternating Rod's Food and Coral Frenzy 2-3x weekly

Temp: 72-74F

Sal: 1.025

Nitrate: 0

Phosphate: 0

pH: 8

kH: 10

cal: 420

tankmates: 2 erectus seahorses (Apr. 2013), 1 mandarin (May 2009), 1 hector's goby (Dec. 2012); various softies/LPS/SPS, turbo snails, blue leg hermits

 

Here is the gorg last August before things got weird:

 

And here it is now:

 

Any ideas?

[metrokat]

Is that an oxydator in the back? When did you install it?

[natalia_la_loca]

It is an oxydator--forgot to mention that. Installed December 2012.

[natalia_la_loca]

*crickets*