Corals as natural indicators for water parameters

LuckyFish

LuckyFish

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Guys, many corals can give us an indication, when a water parameter is running out of the norm.
This thread is to share experiences we all have with certain corals, when certain water parameter are running out of the desired level.
Target is to find similar experiences to determine a species that really can indicate a drop or rise of a certain water parameter.
So start sharing your experiences. The future should be, that we only have to test water parameter when such indicator coral shows that there is something out of the standard.

Bali polyps as the first species are good indicators for nitrate levels. As soon as the tentacles of the bali polyps become shorter, you should test your nitrate. It is climbing up. If your bali polyps have long tentacles, your nitrate level is fine. This works only if you know what bali polyps look like with no or very little nitrate. Do not expect them to work as an indicator if your tank has 25mg nitrate per litre at the time when you introduce them to your tank. ;)

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I could be wrong and feel free to correct me but I'm sure I read that the Kenya Tree is a good indicator that you'r ALK is low...? Or is it the fact that the balance between MAG,CAL and ALK is out, hence the Kenya Tree indication...?
 
I have noticed my colt coral extends less as the nitrates go up. unfortunately not extending much at all at the moment but that is due to it sulking after getting washed under some rocks for a couple of days when I was away on business its coming right slowly though
 
Pulsating Xenia - If the Xenia stops pulsating it is a general indication of Lower PH levels. It is advisable to check KH and CA levels as these may both be out of balance as both have an affect on PH.
 
the tips of my sps go bit white when i dont buff on time..
 
I have noticed everytime my 2 pincussions frags are sulking and or closed for more than a day or so, that my Phos (Po4) are high. Water change and all is well. And that i need to change my phos remover(used Chemi-pure Elite). And this has been an very accurate indication for me.

But then again its not to say that if your pincussions are closed or sulking that it is/just your phos thats out of the norm.
 
If fish are breeding in your system, it is a general indicator that your water conditions are in a good state. Fish will not breed where they sense the enviramental conditions are not right for the survival of their fry.
 
Alan said:
Pulsating Xenia - If the Xenia stops pulsating it is a general indication of Lower PH levels. It is advisable to check KH and CA levels as these may both be out of balance as both have an affect on PH.
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I also believe my xenia is a good indicator for iodine. Actually a good water change indicator in general. As time between changes goes on it gets less fluffy and pulses less strongly... I can't attribute these changes directly to particular elements etc, just general observations... :p
 
Alan said:
If fish are breeding in your system, it is a general indicator that your water conditions are in a good state. Fish will not breed where they sense the enviramental conditions are not right for the survival of their fry.
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Absolutely wrong! If fish breeds, your temperature is right and the food is good.
Everything else? The fish does not care.
All pairs I have, 4 ocellaris, 1 tomato and 1 yellow belly damsel, are breeding in the worst water since breeding marines started off.
The damsels spawning in a tiny tank with zero lights above.
I did a huge water change recently, but before the water change, the nitrate levels were 300 mg/l. And everybody was happy spawning!
 
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Dont know so much, when i neglect my tank my clowns stop breeding. Pay the tank some attention and they start laying eggs again.
 
Alan said:
Pulsating Xenia - If the Xenia stops pulsating it is a general indication of Lower PH levels. It is advisable to check KH and CA levels as these may both be out of balance as both have an affect on PH.
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Shot Alan, although these corals are often seen as a pest, I love my small shell that I have them growing on, I have recently read that over use of carbon will cause them to wither away and die. The coral magazine mentioned this, the issue that discussed trace elements.

This thread should be very useful, only problem I don't have Bali polyps, colt coral or Kenya trees, and no more real estate to add more coral. But I have other leather corals, SPS etc. Great topic to learn from. I will feel like a zen master the next time I look at my tank and bam can see that alk is low, ph is high, ca is stable, iodine is at toxic levels, just joking. Thanks lucky fish.
 
nice thread! and i have found the exact same with Xenia. if they are pulsing slowly or not at all a water change is definately in need!!
 
My Gorgonias (Nps) are a great and very accurate temperature indicators. They close when it becomes to cold or to hot! Will post pic in this thread later or check my tank thread in my signature the blue gorgie is in there
 
LuckyFish said:
I did a huge water change recently, but before the water change, the nitrate levels were 300 mg/l. And everybody was happy spawning
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I get into a panic with 25mg/l and run like hell to change water, the algea wud be all over in no time at that level
 
Fine for fish, but not for corals. This will bring up a very old debate about whether NO3 is toxic to fish or not, mainly reserved for the fresh water guys.
 
Alan said:
Fine for fish, but not for corals. This will bring up a very old debate about whether NO3 is toxic to fish or not, mainly reserved for the fresh water guys.
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I was told by Proaquatix that nitrate levels of +100 mg/l weren't a problem for fish.
I found it even more surprising that my fish kept on spawning with nitrate of
300 mg/l. Three hundred, not thirty!
I missed to check at what level the hair algae died off, but I have some nice red macro algae growing. Not that they grow like mad, but also not dying.
Some would say, that my testkit is off.

60-70 gram fishfood per day, I have to figure out what filtration could cope with that one.
 
I have two large pieces of Heliopora that extend all their polyps for a few days after a water change. Usually only small patches of their polyps are out.
 
chas84 said:
I have two large pieces of Heliopora that extend all their polyps for a few days after a water change. Usually only small patches of their polyps are out.
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Are you dosing trace elements? It might be that they suck the trace elements from the new water until the water lacks in certain trace elements after a few days.
 
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