Candy Cane/Trumpet Coral

[SelectedByNature]

It seems since I got my Candy Cane coral about a week ago it's shrunk a bit. I've also never seen feeder tentacles at night or any sort of sign of life at all.

 

I had it on the substrate for about a week and just moved it halfway up the rockwork two days ago.

 

Should I be concerned about this or just give it time?

 

 

Thanks,

[Mariaface]

What's alk measuring? And it it stable day to day and after water changes?

 

What are nitrate and phosphate measuring?

[SelectedByNature]

What's alk measuring? And it it stable day to day and after water changes?

 

What are nitrate and phosphate measuring?

My parameters are not stable except Phos which is 0.3

 

Water change yesterday and alk is 10.6

Nitrate 30 PPM

 

I'm going to try to leave it flatten and not do any water changes for a bit. I was doing them often trying to lower Nitrates and it did not lower them at all.

[Mariaface]

I'd try to get them stable quickly - this coral's sensitive to swings, especially in alk.

[SelectedByNature]

I'd try to get them stable quickly - this coral's sensitive to swings, especially in alk.

Thanks I'll try. What do you suggest to stabilize parameters? Hold off on water changes for a while? Or use kalkwasser or two part or some additives?

 

I have no plans to add more fish or inverts any time soon, should I hold off on coral additions for a few months too?

 

Thanks again,

[Mariaface]

Disclaimer: I talk a lot of game, but I don't follow my own examples and I suffer the consequences

 

Get sufficiently accurate and precise test kits, and monitor usage.

 

I would suggest starting off with a small set of two part, maybe B-Ionic or something, before moving on to kalkwasser or something like that. Use the individual additives to correct any imbalances and get to optimal levels (optimal should be based on what your salt mixes to so you don't cause dips/spikes during a water change).

 

Then test daily at the same time of day to see how much is being used. Basically you're going to test the water, add the amount of 2-part needed to bring the parameter back to optimal level (follow instructions and don't dose them at exactly the same time), then test again an hour later to confirm the new level. Do that daily, and you'll see how much is being used when your tank has the right parameters.

 

If you wait a couple of days between testing and dosing, you may end up low on alk/calcium and the aquarium will only use less because there is less. There's also the fact that if alk usage is higher than 1.4dKH between tests, you'll cause a spike when correcting it. Alk shouldn't be brought up more than 1.4dKH spread out over the course of 24 hours.

 

 

Do you have algae? It sounds like the tank might be carbon limited (not the filtration media, the bacteria food source), so bacteria aren't bringing down nitrate and phosphate. When I had .3 for phosphate, my nitrates were 0 - I was nitrogen limited, and had to add it for phosphates to continue going down stably. Be careful using GFO or other phosphate removers, since they may work too quickly and actually stress the corals! Also don't bring both of them down to 0 completely.

[SelectedByNature]

Disclaimer: I talk a lot of game, but I don't follow my own examples and I suffer the consequences

 

Get sufficiently accurate and precise test kits, and monitor usage.

 

I would suggest starting off with a small set of two part, maybe B-Ionic or something, before moving on to kalkwasser or something like that. Use the individual additives to correct any imbalances and get to optimal levels (optimal should be based on what your salt mixes to so you don't cause dips/spikes during a water change).

 

Then test daily at the same time of day to see how much is being used. Basically you're going to test the water, add the amount of 2-part needed to bring the parameter back to optimal level (follow instructions and don't dose them at exactly the same time), then test again an hour later to confirm the new level. Do that daily, and you'll see how much is being used when your tank has the right parameters.

 

If you wait a couple of days between testing and dosing, you may end up low on alk/calcium and the aquarium will only use less because there is less. There's also the fact that if alk usage is higher than 1.4dKH between tests, you'll cause a spike when correcting it. Alk shouldn't be brought up more than 1.4dKH spread out over the course of 24 hours.

 

 

Do you have algae? It sounds like the tank might be carbon limited (not the filtration media, the bacteria food source), so bacteria aren't bringing down nitrate and phosphate. When I had .3 for phosphate, my nitrates were 0 - I was nitrogen limited, and had to add it for phosphates to continue going down stably. Be careful using GFO or other phosphate removers, since they may work too quickly and actually stress the corals! Also don't bring both of them down to 0 completely.

Awesome thanks a lot I will definitely look into an additive and continue daily testing.

 

I just noticed algae (and pods!) today actually. Some sort of green algae just starting on the rocks. Light almost lime green algae. And a crapload of pods all over the glass eating diatoms/algae I guess (since they were more concentrated on the algae patches).

 

I'll be sure not to spike the alk. How do you/everyone feel about Red Sea's Reef Foundation ??

[Mariaface]

Congrats!! When coralline starts up on my frags, it's usually lime green at first. Then the purple/maroon starts. It's calcifying, right?

 

Should be good! So long as you start with separate additives for alk and cal (and mag) in order to get them balanced.

 

I forgot to mention: There's a really good suggestion that after getting alk and calcium in line, you should dose based on alk. So you'd test alk, and dose alk accordingly. Then add the same amount of liquid for calcium. A balanced two-part will make this easy, but you do need to make sure you're using the same brand for each and that they're meant to be equal.

 

To start, though, test and dose each separately. If you find that you're dosing the same amount of each, then you can proceed with that

[SelectedByNature]

Congrats!! When coralline starts up on my frags, it's usually lime green at first. Then the purple/maroon starts. It's calcifying, right?

 

Should be good! So long as you start with separate additives for alk and cal (and mag) in order to get them balanced.

 

I forgot to mention: There's a really good suggestion that after getting alk and calcium in line, you should dose based on alk. So you'd test alk, and dose alk accordingly. Then add the same amount of liquid for calcium. A balanced two-part will make this easy, but you do need to make sure you're using the same brand for each and that they're meant to be equal.

 

To start, though, test and dose each separately. If you find that you're dosing the same amount of each, then you can proceed with that

Yay so exciting!!!

 

Okay I'll order reef foundation since red Sea stuff is pretty straight forward.

 

The only question is to I bite the bullet and exceed my budget to add an RODI unit to the order? Haha. Success isn't cheap!

[Mariaface]

Hmm...

 

1. Which RO/DI unit?

2. How many gallons of water do you use per month for water changes?

3. How many gallons of water do you use per month for evaporation?

4. What is the TDS coming out of your tap water?

5. Does your water source use chloramines to treat the water?

6. How much does a gallon of water cost for you currently?

[SelectedByNature]

Hmm...

 

1. Which RO/DI unit?

2. How many gallons of water do you use per month for water changes?

3. How many gallons of water do you use per month for evaporation?

4. What is the TDS coming out of your tap water?

5. Does your water source use chloramines to treat the water?

6. How much does a gallon of water cost for you currently?

1. I haven't really looked much into the different units yet but I was thinking something like http://spectrapure.com/MaxPureMPDI-90-GPD-RODI-System

2. 20-40 gallons for water changes.

3. 5 gallons/month top off.

4. TDS from tap 120-125.

5. No idea

6. 1$/gallon but the LFS water has 30-40 TDS.

[Mariaface]

1. I haven't really looked much into the different units yet but I was thinking something like http://spectrapure.com/MaxPureMPDI-90-GPD-RODI-System

2. 20-40 gallons for water changes.

3. 5 gallons/month top off.

4. TDS from tap 120-125.

5. No idea

6. 1$/gallon but the LFS water has 30-40 TDS.

 

 

 

DO IT.

[SelectedByNature]

 

 

 

DO IT.

Math doesn't lie!

[mitten_reef]

Thanks I'll try. What do you suggest to stabilize parameters? Hold off on water changes for a while? Or use kalkwasser or two part or some additives?

 

I have no plans to add more fish or inverts any time soon, should I hold off on coral additions for a few months too?

 

Thanks again,

You definitely should hold off on corals addition for a little while and observe the tank dynamics. Weren't we just discussing trouble with frogspawn yesterday? From the picture on that topic, your tank "looks" very new. Your rock and sand don't look like they ever got hit with algae and cyano bloom as tail end part of most cycling, everything is bright white in the photos.

 

Nitrate @ 30 ppm seems very high in my opinion, even on my bad days, I'm not over 20 ppm on API basic kit. I don't know if your alk should/would be swinging if your coral isn't absorbing any calcium (since alk and cal goes hand in hand) as the corals are not growing currently. I know there are other alk experts out there that might be able to expand on that. I know I didn't have to worry about alk and cal until my SPS started their growth spurts. I'd say go ahead and do some water change and try to bring down the nitrate a bit more and see how the corals react to that.

 

I had a candy cane/trumpet coral once. It didn't fare so well, haven't had one since. When mine was going downhill, I was told by the LFS that it likes to be fed some solid food, kinda like acan - not sure how true this is. Are you feeding the corals any food at all? A week living in a fairly new tank can't be too healthy without any food.

[Clown79]

Its very easy for params to swing if corals are using them up.

 

Testing 2 hrs after a water change and then the next day will determine if your tank is using up alk, ca, and mag on a daily basis.

 

If there is no change after 1 day, continue to test until you see a change.

 

That will show you how much your tank is using and how often you need to dose.

 

As your tank advances and you add more coral this will change.

 

I really like esv bionic 2 part dosing, its very easy to use and an excellent product.

 

Whatever your choice is, i'd either get an ro/di system or bottled distilled. Ro and tap isn't a good option.

[SelectedByNature]

You definitely should hold off on corals addition for a little while and observe the tank dynamics. Weren't we just discussing trouble with frogspawn yesterday? From the picture on that topic, your tank "looks" very new. Your rock and sand don't look like they ever got hit with algae and cyano bloom as tail end part of most cycling, everything is bright white in the photos.

 

Nitrate @ 30 ppm seems very high in my opinion, even on my bad days, I'm not over 20 ppm on API basic kit. I don't know if your alk should/would be swinging if your coral isn't absorbing any calcium (since alk and cal goes hand in hand) as the corals are not growing currently. I know there are other alk experts out there that might be able to expand on that. I know I didn't have to worry about alk and cal until my SPS started their growth spurts. I'd say go ahead and do some water change and try to bring down the nitrate a bit more and see how the corals react to that.

 

I had a candy cane/trumpet coral once. It didn't fare so well, haven't had one since. When mine was going downhill, I was told by the LFS that it likes to be fed some solid food, kinda like acan - not sure how true this is. Are you feeding the corals any food at all? A week living in a fairly new tank can't be too healthy without any food.

My tank definitely looks new and is new. Algae blooms don't have to do with cycle but I get what you mean more in the sense of a maturing tank and that point is well taken.

 

When I asked about holding off on coral I meant the things I know I can keep like zoas softies. Obviously I won't be getting more lps any time soon until my tank matured and parameters are stable.

 

I have reef energy and reef roids to try and feed but I only did it twice as I'm already concerned with nitrates. Also my acan does put out tentacles at night but I've never seen anything from my trumpet as all.

 

I could probably just use water changes and let the tank mature to inhibit parameters from swinging but I think I'll get Reef Foundation too to have it on hand.

Its very easy for params to swing if corals are using them up.

 

Testing 2 hrs after a water change and then the next day will determine if your tank is using up alk, ca, and mag on a daily basis.

 

If there is no change after 1 day, continue to test until you see a change.

 

That will show you how much your tank is using and how often you need to dose.

 

As your tank advances and you add more coral this will change.

 

I really like esv bionic 2 part dosing, its very easy to use and an excellent product.

 

Whatever your choice is, i'd either get an ro/di system or bottled distilled. Ro and tap isn't a good option.

Thanks Clown I will definitely do that!

 

And yes I will invest in an RODI unit ASAP

[mitten_reef]

Try feeding the acan with your fish food, frozen meaty stuff is even better, while the feeder tentacles are out - they'll just grab on to the food. You should be able to find ppl's posted pics of their acan feeding on meaty food...it's very cool!

 

For softies, try ricordea Florida, plenty of colorful ones out there, and they don't tend to take over like regular or Yuma mushrooms. Leather is a whole other class of softies that you could find interesting ones, and they're not invasive.

 

Believe me, I was there, the urge to get new and cool looking stuff when things aren't quite settled in yet. And now, like most ppl on here would say, all my money goes to corals. And you'll be there soon as well.

[SelectedByNature]

21 hours ago, micoastreefing said:

Try feeding the acan with your fish food, frozen meaty stuff is even better, while the feeder tentacles are out - they'll just grab on to the food. You should be able to find ppl's posted pics of their acan feeding on meaty food...it's very cool!

 

For softies, try ricordea Florida, plenty of colorful ones out there, and they don't tend to take over like regular or Yuma mushrooms. Leather is a whole other class of softies that you could find interesting ones, and they're not invasive.

 

Believe me, I was there, the urge to get new and cool looking stuff when things aren't quite settled in yet. And now, like most ppl on here would say, all my money goes to corals. And you'll be there soon as well.

I fed my corals last night with success!! So yay my Trumpet and Acan are alive and well

 

 

Oh cool I've never heard of Ricordea Florida before. Looked it up and it's awesome.

 

Do you have any other beginner coral suggestions?

 

I also just ordered an RODI unit this morning!

[Clown79]

Euphylia is a fairy easy coral same with most lps. The issue is they don't do well with fluctuations in alk and ca  or do they like too much flow. 

 

Ensuring you don't have major swings is the best thing you can do.