Corals

[seabass]

28 minutes ago, Pbalz said:

Didn’t dose anything; should I be removing some phosphate or leave it alone?

As I previously mentioned, most people would consider your tank's phosphate level (0.18 ppm) to be high.  Also, the relatively low nitrate level (0.5 ppm) might somewhat be acting as a limiting factor.  Personally, I would probably try to slowly lower phosphate at least by half.

[Pbalz]

Ok thx

[seabass]

From a Reefkeeping article by Randy Holmes-Farley:

Quote

Nitrate

Nitrate is an ion that has long dogged aquarists. The nitrogen that forms it comes in with foods, and can, in many aquaria, raise nitrate enough to make it difficult to maintain natural levels. A decade or two ago, many aquarists performed water changes with nitrate reduction as one of their primary goals. Fortunately, we now have a large array of ways to keep nitrate in check, and modern aquaria suffer far less from elevated nitrate than did those in the past.

 

Nitrate is often associated with algae, and indeed the growth of algae is often spurred by excess nutrients, including nitrate. Other potential aquarium pests, such as dinoflagellates, are also spurred by excess nitrate and other nutrients. Nitrate itself is not particularly toxic at the levels usually found in aquaria, at least as is so far known in the scientific literature. Nevertheless, elevated nitrate levels can excessively spur the growth of zooxanthellae, which in turn can actually decrease the growth rate of their host coral.

 

For these reasons, most reef aquarists strive to keep nitrate levels down. A good target is less than 0.2 ppm nitrate. Reef aquaria can function acceptably at much higher nitrate levels (say, 20 ppm), but run greater risks of the problems described above.

 

There are many ways to reduce nitrate, including reducing the aquarium's nitrogen inputs, increasing nitrogen export by skimming, increasing nitrogen export by growing and harvesting macroalgae or turf algae (or any other organism of your choice), using a deep sand bed, removing existing filters designed to facilitate the nitrogen cycle, using a carbon denitrator, using a sulfur denitrator, using AZ-NO3, using nitrate absorbing solids, and using polymers and carbon that bind organics. All of these methods are described in more detail in a previous article.

 

It's been awhile since I've read through this.  Ideas about nutrient levels have changed a bit, and it's now commonly recommended to maintain a nitrate level between 2 and 5 ppm.  However, I'm wondering if your current state of relatively high phosphate and low nitrate isn't even more desirable.

[Pbalz]

I did another test on phosphates cause I was thinking that was quite a jump in numbers did two and both came back .03 phosphate don’t know why it was a high test yesterday but I think that was a bad test

Do I need to do a water change if my parameters are In order

[seabass]

10 minutes ago, Pbalz said:

Do I need to do a water change if my parameters are In order

Most likely not.

 

Although, IMO, removing organics is a primary goal of water changes.  You don't want organics (dissolved or otherwise) to build up in your system.  We don't test for them, and some incorrectly use inorganic nutrient levels as an indicator of organics.

 

Keep your tank well maintained while not letting nutrient levels bottom out.

[Pbalz]

Will reef roids work for a hammer coral or do I need to give him special care

[Murphs_Reef]

I feed my hammer bits if table shrimp. Loves it 

[seabass]

Yeah, I think filter feeder food might be a little small, meatier foods would be better.  Almost any frozen fish food is suitable.

[Pbalz]

When I tried to feed him and the torch the mysis just sat on the coral for a bit it didn’t open or take it in ?

[Pbalz]

Am I doing something wrong I been using tweezers

[Tired]

They should have taken it. How long did you leave the mysis on them? 

[seabass]

You might try a different time of day, maybe like a little after lights out.  Maybe turn the pumps off while you target feed.  Otherwise, keep trying (like once a day) until they take it.  Just don't leave uneaten food laying around to rot.

[Pbalz]

I do have a slight problem

the lights go off after I go home at night will I actually see the coral take the food in 

[Tired]

You can check with a flashlight now and then.

[seabass]

You might try to trigger a feeding response.  Maybe use an eyedropper to blow mysis juice onto the coral before feeding.

[Pbalz]

Ok I will try that tommorow but will the food go in the coral or stay on top

[Pbalz]

Could the mysis be too big

[Tired]

Not for a torch coral, no. They can eat some pretty big pieces. You'll see them engulf the food to eat it. 

[Pbalz]

I will keep trying 

[Pbalz]

Is there a site or book that has coral types and their care cause to be honest I am nit sure which one need to be fed and which can just use the light

[seabass]

In general, the corals that are usually available to the hobby are largely photosynthetic.  With decent reef lighting:

• LPS corals usually do best with occasional, light, target feeding (once or twice a week) of meaty food (think a thawed frozen mysis shrimp).  This is generally the case with anemones too.
• Soft corals usually de best with good nutrient levels and adequate light.  They usually don't require target feeding.
• SPS require good light and usually benefit from occasional feeding from small particle foods like Reef Roids.

[Pbalz]

Ok sorry but can you explain difference between lips and sps and soft corals  I ordered reef roids as my grogonian needs it and I thought my other corals could benefit from

them 

[Tired]

Soft corals are corals that don't have skeletons. Zoanthids are some of these. If it has no hard bits, it's a soft coral. Gorgonians are their own category as far as reefkeeping goes. LPS and SPS are both stony corals; large-polyped stony and small-polyped stony. If it has a skeleton, and it's fleshy, it's probably a LPS. Your hammer is a LPS. SPS have a skeleton and very, very small polyps. Montiporas are examples of these. There are a few corals that are harder to sort into those groups, but most corals in the hobby can fit into one of those categories. 

 

If you know what kind of coral you have, you can look up its care online. If you don't know what a coral is, you shouldn't buy it, you should find out what it is and read up on it. If you bought a coral and don't know what kind it is, you can post pictures for it to be identified.

[Pbalz]

I know what I have don’t know what type it was but now it’s clear which are what the only other one I question care is my Vargas 

[seabass]

43 minutes ago, Pbalz said:

the only other one I question care is my Vargas

A Cespitularia, is a soft coral (related to Xenia).