Need help with torch corals!

[yavaar19]

Hey guys!...I need some help with experienced reefers...the 2 torch that I have all have their tentacles retracted and it’s been like that for over a week now....for the past month, everything I add in a torch, for the first few days their tentacles extends very well but after a few days it stays retracted and never fully extend and I can’t figure out why...any help would be appreciated....I have tried reducing the light intensity and all but still can’t fix the problem...
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 50
Phosphate: 0.02
PH: 8
Alkalinity: 8
Calcium: 450
Mag: 1440
Temperature: 78.4

[banasophia]

Nitrate seems too high, and what is the flow like?

[yavaar19]

3 hours ago, banasophia said:

Nitrate seems too high, and what is the flow like?

Flow is medium....I’m gonna rent a par meter tomorrow to see if the lighting is the issue

[mcarroll]

15 hours ago, yavaar19 said:

Nitrate: 50
Phosphate: 0.02

It seems like your phosphates have bottomed out...probably at zero given how high nitrates are....it's low enough that it's retarding general uptake of nitrates by the system.

 

That's going to make for irritated corals.....and eventually a dino bloom.

 

Cut back on your filtration, especially anything that specifically targets phosphates, such as GFO and water changes.

 

If needed, do you have a phosphate supplement?

[yavaar19]

6 hours ago, mcarroll said:

It seems like your phosphates have bottomed out...probably at zero given how high nitrates are....it's low enough that it's retarding general uptake of nitrates by the system.

 

That's going to make for irritated corals.....and eventually a dino bloom.

 

Cut back on your filtration, especially anything that specifically targets phosphates, such as GFO and water changes.

 

If needed, do you have a phosphate supplement?

Phosphate is at 0.03 so it’s not that...I’m working on reducing nitrate...added a refugium today...let’s hope that the high nitrate is the issue...at this point in just struggling and I just want to know what is causing this so I know what to fix...it’s a pain not knowing what is the issue...

[banasophia]

37 minutes ago, yavaar19 said:

Phosphate is at 0.03 so it’s not that...I’m working on reducing nitrate...added a refugium today...let’s hope that the high nitrate is the issue...at this point in just struggling and I just want to know what is causing this so I know what to fix...it’s a pain not knowing what is the issue...

How many gallons is your tank, how long has it been running, and what is your water change routine? 

[mcarroll]

3 hours ago, yavaar19 said:

Phosphate is at 0.03 so it’s not that...I’m working on reducing nitrate...added a refugium today...let’s hope that the high nitrate is the issue

I'm not a fan of just hoping.  If you want to set up a refugium, do so.  But your tank doesn't seem to need one – it's simply got a nutrient imbalance.

 

FYI, nitrates are only a problem for corals when they are present without adequate levels of phosphate.

 

How is your filtration set up?

 

What test kit are you using for phosphates?  

 

9 hours ago, mcarroll said:

It seems like your phosphates have bottomed out...probably at zero

I said "probably zero" for a couple of reasons...

 

One, 0.03 is the absolute minimum level you'd want for phosphates – just enough to keep photosynthesis running, but not else.  So you have the bare minimum even if the test is 100% accurate and 100% precise, which is not.  (The kit's instruction book might tell you the kit's accuracy and precision rate.).  

 

Two, as I mentioned before, with nitrates stacking up like that (and with phosphates being where it is) you have a pretty positive sign of nutrient limitation....too little P stops growth and reproduction (among other things) and allows nitrates to "pool" in the system.  It's a typical pattern.

 

The point being, a new tank needs more than just the bare minimum to facilitate photosynthesis.  Demand for N+P should be really really high right now....you should be struggling to keep nutrient levels up, algae should be blooming, etc.  If those things aren't happening, then your tank is stalled. 

 

Check out this article if you haven't been on my blog yet:  (do folks even look at post signatures anymore)

Phosphate deficiency promotes coral bleaching and is reflected by the ultrastructure of symbiotic dinoflagellates

 

Note the difference of euphillia pics between the high and low nitrate and phosphate conditions in the pic from the article:

 

Low phosphates is a killer whether nitrates are high or low.

[Tamberav]

I would probably dose some PO4, especially if you adding a fuge. Your Nitrate won't come down without bringing PO4 with it and if you are at 0.03... well...

 

What lights do you use?

[yavaar19]

On 2/21/2021 at 9:30 PM, mcarroll said:

I'm not a fan of just hoping.  If you want to set up a refugium, do so.  But your tank doesn't seem to need one – it's simply got a nutrient imbalance.

 

FYI, nitrates are only a problem for corals when they are present without adequate levels of phosphate.

 

How is your filtration set up?

 

What test kit are you using for phosphates?  

 

I said "probably zero" for a couple of reasons...

 

One, 0.03 is the absolute minimum level you'd want for phosphates – just enough to keep photosynthesis running, but not else.  So you have the bare minimum even if the test is 100% accurate and 100% precise, which is not.  (The kit's instruction book might tell you the kit's accuracy and precision rate.).  

 

Two, as I mentioned before, with nitrates stacking up like that (and with phosphates being where it is) you have a pretty positive sign of nutrient limitation....too little P stops growth and reproduction (among other things) and allows nitrates to "pool" in the system.  It's a typical pattern.

 

The point being, a new tank needs more than just the bare minimum to facilitate photosynthesis.  Demand for N+P should be really really high right now....you should be struggling to keep nutrient levels up, algae should be blooming, etc.  If those things aren't happening, then your tank is stalled. 

 

Check out this article if you haven't been on my blog yet:  (do folks even look at post signatures anymore)

Phosphate deficiency promotes coral bleaching and is reflected by the ultrastructure of symbiotic dinoflagellates

 

Note the difference of euphillia pics between the high and low nitrate and phosphate conditions in the pic from the article:

 

Low phosphates is a killer whether nitrates are high or low.

Hi...I read the article and it is very interesting...from what I understood, I need to aim for low nitrate and high phosphate...how how high of phosphate would you say? Because right now I am standing at 0.03.. thank you for all the help

[mcarroll]

If you're dosing phosphates, I would shoot for ≥0.10 ppm or higher.  (Depending on your perspective, there might be no such thing as "too high".)

 

For nitrates, there's much less at risk to the corals in terms of "bottoming out".  Nitrates are only one nitrogen source in the water, and corals are known to fabricate some on their own...and corals are often very adaptable consumers of particulate nutrients to boot.   I don't think you have to "shoot low" on nitrates...it should be fine if that's where it goes though.   👍

[banasophia]

On 2/21/2021 at 4:02 PM, banasophia said:

How many gallons is your tank, how long has it been running, and what is your water change routine? 

The question is, why is your nitrate level that high? Did you just finish cycling your tank fairly recently doing a fishless cycle? If so that can explain why your nitrate is high and phosphate is low if you didn’t know to do a large water change at the end of the cycle to get rid of the excess nitrate.