HELP! Birds nest losing polyps

[Cramsmith]

hello all,

I just fed my fish and then went in after a bit to turkey baste rocks and corals. And when I went baste the birds nests I blew off some polyps, and the vacant area is WHITE, is it bleaching or is it RTN? I only asked because I was googleing and decided it be best to ask for help.

 

I did a water test last night thinking I would feed and do a water change today.

 

Water parameters:

79 deg

pH: 8.2

NO3-: between 0-5 ppm (API test)

PO4: between 0-0.25 ppm (API test, still waiting on my Red Sea order)

Ca2+: 480-500 ppm (API)

Alk: 8 dKh (API)

Mg: ~1500 (Salifert)

 

Tank is a Biocube 14, with the nanocustoms led (tuned down to ~1/3 power), InTank media basket running floss, chemipure elite (3oz), ~3 oz of Carbon-GFO mixed 1:1, and Cheato.

 

The Birds nest is about midway up on the left side of the tank in front and below the return so it gets good flow.

 

Birds Nest is ~ 3 wks old and has been in its current location for 2 wks.

 

NOTE: about 4-5 days ago the wife found the Birds nest broken off its plug and buried under the sand, we think the hermits knocked it off since she stated the plug and area were surrounded by ~ hermit crabs. She proceed to glue the Birds nest back on the plug at the same location.

 

do you think because it was broken off the plug and glued back into the same location it is just not happy or is it RTN?

 

Should I move it? Frag it? I am afraid to touch it since I don't want to cause more damage. HELP

 

[Oceanus]

Actual tissue came off I assume? Are only the spots where polyps were white? This sounds like RTN, if you could get a picture we could confirm it for sure.

 

Being buried is extremely stressful and this could have set the stage for RTN.

[Tamberav]

Do you dose anything at all? So far, acro's have been easier to keep for me than birdsnest. They are really bitchy about any sort of alk change, even small ones.

[Cramsmith]

Okay so I don't know how to post pics, need help with that to. Will look around and see. Any help would be great.

 

Alk was low, 7/20 Alk was 5-6 dKh, I added 3 ml of Thrive Alk and on 7/23 Alk was 8-9 dKh and last night dKH was 8.

 

will work on pics now

[Cramsmith]

i will try to take a better pic but the left arm is the arm that lost polyps vs the right

[Tamberav]

Okay so I don't know how to post pics, need help with that to. Will look around and see. Any help would be great.

 

Alk was low, 7/20 Alk was 5-6 dKh, I added 3 ml of Thrive Alk and on 7/23 Alk was 8-9 dKh and last night dKH was 8.

 

will work on pics now

 

So you brought the alk from 5-6 to 8-9 in one dose?

[Cramsmith]

Hopefully this one is better, this one off of the wife's iphone, the first were off of the camera go figure.

 

 

[Cramsmith]

So you brought the alk from 5-6 to 8-9 in one dose?

Apparently yes. Thrive alkalinity says to dose 1-3 ml/10 gallons, so based on the LFS recommendations I did 3 ml (7/20).

 

My previous and very first dosing of the tank was 7/13, (7/13 Ca was 420, and Alk 6 dKh) where I added 6 ml of Thrive Calcium and 3 ml or Alk. Thirve Ca states 2-5 ml/10 gallons so that is what i did again based on LFS recommendations.

 

On 7/20 the Ca was 460 and again Alk was 5-6, so I dosed the same 3 mls. Change 420 to 460 (poor handwriting in my notebook)

[Tamberav]

Apparently yes. Thrive alkalinity says to dose 1-3 ml/10 gallons, so based on the LFS recommendations I did 3 ml (7/20).

 

My previous and very first dosing of the tank was 7/13, (7/13 Ca was 420, and Alk 6 dKh) where I added 6 ml of Thrive Calcium and 3 ml or Alk. Thirve Ca states 2-5 ml/10 gallons so that is what i did again based on LFS recommendations.

 

On 7/20 the Ca was 460 and again Alk was 5-6, so I dosed the same 3 mls. Change 420 to 460 (poor handwriting in my notebook)

 

Birdsnest are sensative to alk swings. No more than 1 dKh per day is the general rule. Since that is the "max", I try to aim for no change greater than 0.5.

 

Birdsnest seem to show problems first before other SPS when things are out of wack. They will be the 1st to show signs from an alk swing. Looks to me like there was some up's and downs with alk. As long as nitrate/phosphate are within range, Acro's are easier imo. lol

 

It's best to figure out the daily consumption and dose every day that amount to alk stays rock solid.

[Cramsmith]

thanks reef nerd,

Yeah, this is basically our first attempt at keeping coral, will not go into details. And our very first go round with dosing Ca and Alk. I suppose I needed to dose on the lower end of the recommended dosing amount. Until figure things out.

 

So if i am going to test daily until I figure out consumption I better get a better Ca test kit, I don't like how the API test kits, the reagents get up in the cap and leak.

[Tamberav]

thanks reef nerd,

Yeah, this is basically our first attempt at keeping coral, will not go into details. And our very first go round with dosing Ca and Alk. I suppose I needed to dose on the lower end of the recommended dosing amount. Until figure things out.

 

So if i am going to test daily until I figure out consumption I better get a better Ca test kit, I don't like how the API test kits, the reagents get up in the cap and leak.

 

API isn't super accurate either. I believe their alk kit will tell you if its 6, 7, 8, ect but not if its 7.2, 7.4, ect.

 

If it continues to recede, you can try cutting off the tips (maybe that right side) and making a new frag to try and stop the spread.

[Cramsmith]

API isn't super accurate either. I believe their alk kit will tell you if its 6, 7, 8, ect but not if its 7.2, 7.4, ect.

 

If it continues to recede, you can try cutting off the tips (maybe that right side) and making a new frag to try and stop the spread.

Yeah, I am thinking I am going to order new/different brand of kits, something easier than the API. I went ahead and did and water change, and will test Ca/Alk everyday starting tomorrow until I figure things out.

 

We did not move or frag the birds nest, will wait until tomorrow or the day after to see if indeed we should cut the tip off and make a new frag at which point we will put it down low to acclimate to the light and flow.

 

Thanks again.