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Cali Tort - possibly not doing well? Not sure


ManGups

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I have a 7 month old tank (FLuval M60 ~24 gallon) and have it running well so far.
I just got a Cali Tort and I have it high up in the tank.(around 1 foot from the Radion Gen 2 at 45% intensity) and i think it is not doing well. See some white spots on the coral (not sure tissue degeneration or bleaching or something else)
I have various SPS and LPS. All so well. On the SPS list - I have Montipora capricornis, Montipora Digitata, Acropora sp.- "Scripps Green Tip Staghorn and they all seem to be doing well - water parameter do not seem an issue.
Parameters are:
SG NO3 CA DKH PO4 MG Temp
Apr 15 1.025 0 480 8.7 0.05 1360 ~79.5F
Ca and Mg I always had that higher not sure why (i donot does anything) - I used Kent marine reef salt.

Flow is good - have 2 MP10 at 50% on reef crest mode so it that should not be an issue. (see powehead placement in pic).

 

I did dip the coral in Coral Rx before I put in the tank(Std stuff i do for all coral). I have have no pest infection for fish or corals so far.

 

I run GFO, Phosgaurd and pellet carbon and have Cheato in the back chamber.

 

Question: What could be wrong? Light too high or the coral is just acclimating. It has been just 3 days since i got it.

 

See picture

post-81712-0-19987200-1429287711_thumb.jpg

post-81712-0-99685100-1429287718_thumb.jpg

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It doesn't look like AEFW but it could be, or it could be param swings.

 

Is your 8.7 KH steady, as in not varying more than .5 KH over a day?

 

If you put it directly under LED without acclimation then it could be light stress as well and it should be kept near the sandbed for a while.

 

Ca and Mg I always had that higher not sure why (i donot does anything) - I used Kent marine reef salt.

 

 

Reading again, that is probably the issue. I like Kent, it mixes up around 9.5 KH and 550 calcium, but as you add SPS if they are happy they will start to use up your Alk and Ca, then when you do a water change these spike back up and can hurt sensitive SPS like a cali tort.

 

 

I run GFO, Phosgaurd and pellet carbon and have Cheato in the back chamber

 

Did you mean GAC (Carbon) instead of GFO? Both GFO and Phosguard reduce phosphates and you may be stripping the water too low. Do you feed moderately?

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It doesn't look like AEFW but it could be, or it could be param swings.

 

Is your 8.7 KH steady, as in not varying more than .5 KH over a day?

 

If you put it directly under LED without acclimation then it could be light stress as well and it should be kept near the sandbed for a while.

 

 

Reading again, that is probably the issue. I like Kent, it mixes up around 9.5 KH and 550 calcium, but as you add SPS if they are happy they will start to use up your Alk and Ca, then when you do a water change these spike back up and can hurt sensitive SPS like a cali tort.

 

 

Did you mean GAC (Carbon) instead of GFO? Both GFO and Phosguard reduce phosphates and you may be stripping the water too low. Do you feed moderately?

How do I find out if i Have AEFW?

 

I do not measure dKh regularly so I will need to check. I will measure again tonight same time.

 

 

The LFS i got it from also had this under some LED's not sure which so yes it could be an issue with intensity .

 

As for Ca and Mg levels I will watch it not sure what need to be done to get it down. I don't want to try to try controlling them with some dosing until they become major issue.

 

 

I use both GFO (not GAC) and Phosgaurd (very minute amounts in an IM mini reactor) with Kent reef Carbon pellets. All these together hardly fit up 1/4 the reactor.

 

I feed corals every 3 days at lights off - I use either Reef Frenzy or Reef chilli as alternates. I feed fish every day 1 pinch of Ocean nutrition formula two pellets. I bring in variety as frozen mysis, flakes etc.- but in moderate amounts

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Don't worry about AEFW yet.

 

I would not worry about calcium as long as it stays above 400 and at or below the 550 that Kent mixes at.

 

I don't agree with using both GFO and phosguard, even SPS need some phosphates in the water.

 

LFS light levels were probably very weak compared to yours.

 

If you can keep your KH from swinging more than .5 KH by doing more smaller water changes I think you'll be fine. I think you need more input here from folks used to smaller tanks, I never was that good at nanos or keeping parameters stable via water changes. :)

 

Your feeding sounds fine to me.

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Don't worry about AEFW yet.

 

 

I doubt it is AEFW - I always use Coral Rx and it is supposed to remove flatworms until and unless it is not doing what is says it is supposed to do

 

 

 

I don't agree with using both GFO and phosguard, even SPS need some phosphates in the water.

 

I try to keep Po4 less than 0.10. Trying to get it as around 0.01 is no good since coral start loosing color. i find very small amounts of both GFO and Phosgaurd do better than using more of either. I have not had problems with growth -could use more color :)

 

 

LFS light levels were probably very weak compared to yours.

 

 

 

I just feel it may be a light issue. I called and confirmed that the LFS has it under T5 and not LED's. Radion at 45% and with the coral around 6 inches under water and around 18 inches below the light probably is strong.

 

I have reduced the lighting by 50% and ramp up slowly back to 45% over a period of 2 weeks.

 

 

I still need to check on the alkalinity and see how it varies through the day etc.

 

Hopefully it recovers soon...

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  • 2 weeks later...

Everyone's sayin dont worry about AEFW but thos white splotches on it look like textbook AEFW bite marks to me. Coral RX may knock off any living flatworms, but if you kept the plug/rubble the coral came on, there are likely eggs at the base of the coral which are far too small for the naked eye to see, which coralrx will have zero effect on.

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Everyone's sayin dont worry about AEFW but thos white splotches on it look like textbook AEFW bite marks to me. Coral RX may knock off any living flatworms, but if you kept the plug/rubble the coral came on, there are likely eggs at the base of the coral which are far too small for the naked eye to see, which coralrx will have zero effect on.

Well I can confirm i have no AEF's. The cali kind of browned out and I checked multiple times in the night with flashlight and i cannot see eggs or worms. I did a couple dips again and still nothing in the dip water either.

 

I guess if is either an KH or a Light issue.

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Cali torts are troopers. One of the best and hardiest corals in my tank. My tort didn't start to really color up until it was in my tank for about 5-6 months and then just took off. I also upped the light intensity and bombarded the tank with coral food. AquaVitro fuel, Red Sea Reef Energy, Area 51 Phytoplankton and BRS Reef Chili at the same time I started to skim wetter for higher export.

 

It went from this in Feb, notice the brown.

image.jpeg?imageId=107516

 

To this in March

image.jpeg?imageId=111779

 

I need to get an updated pic but the colors are even more intense with blue, purple and green.

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Cali torts are troopers. One of the best and hardiest corals in my tank. My tort didn't start to really color up until it was in my tank for about 5-6 months and then just took off. I also upped the light intensity and bombarded the tank with coral food. AquaVitro fuel, Red Sea Reef Energy, Area 51 Phytoplankton and BRS Reef Chili at the same time I started to skim wetter for higher export.

 

It went from this in Feb, notice the brown.

image.jpeg?imageId=107516

 

To this in March

image.jpeg?imageId=111779

 

I need to get an updated pic but the colors are even more intense with blue, purple and green.

The color on that Cali tort is awesome. I hope mine decides to make a comeback. I recently set up a holding/frag/ quaratine tank and have transferred the Cali tort there.

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