Soft Coral Problems

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Warr7207

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I have been discussing problems I am having with my soft corals on other threads and maybe some haven't seen the Q's.

All of these corals (pic below) have not shown PE (polyp extension) for at least two weeks.

Things that have changes in my tank in the last 2 months:
  • Added a CaRx
  • Installed a filter on my skimmer outlet
  • Added a couple of clams
  • Added a few peppermint shrimps
  • Added one SPS frag
  • Added 20 turbo snails
  • Added 5 mexican red legs
  • Added Zoa and mushrooms
Out of my softies these are the one suffering, the last leather shown has PE, but probably is not the healthiest specimen around.

Any suggestions to what I can do ?

How will I know when a soft coral is dead ?

What will a dead soft coral do to my parameters ?
 
The "flowing hair" pincushion 2 weeks ago

528488b733a7c989.jpg


and NOW

528489f3022b80e8.jpg


Would the coralline growth indicate this unit is dead ?
 
Lastly the Leather that has PE, but it's actual skin doesn't look great

528489f31dfbaa3a.jpg
 
What are your water peramters? What lighting and time. Temp of tank?what water changes do u do? Do u use carbon in tank?what supplementing do u do
 
mandarinman said:
What are your water peramters? What lighting and time. Temp of tank?what water changes do u do? Do u use carbon in tank?what supplementing do u do
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Parameters - 8.3 pH, 7-8dKh, PO4 - 0, Nitrite - 0, NH4 - 0, Nitrate - 15, Ca - 390

Temp - 25

450w of T5's running 12 hours a day - mixture of blue and whites

5-10% WC per week

I use carbon, purigen, phosguard and chemipure elite
 
Hi Warren, leathers are known to sulk for periods of time but not usually as long as two weeks, your `kenya tree` is a sinularia sp btw. Perhaps with all that absorbant media you hve in there you are stripping your water of nutrients which most softies either dont mind or need to thrive?
 
Midasblenny said:
Hi Warren, leathers are known to sulk for periods of time but not usually as long as two weeks, your `kenya tree` is a sinularia sp btw. Perhaps with all that absorbant media you hve in there you are stripping your water of nutrients which most softies either dont mind or need to thrive?
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You reckon I should run the system for a couple of weeks without the absorbants ?
 
Warr7207 said:
I use carbon, purigen, phosguard and chemipure elite
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Aluminum based phosphate media is known for ticking off leather corals. Your Sinularia and Sarcophyton would like you to remove the phosguard.
 
What kind of flow do they receive? I've found that most leather corals prefer medium to high flow and can tolerate similar flows as SPS. The moment I bumped the flow in my tank, I had 100% better polyp extension. I'd also go with the amount of water cleaning agents you use. You might be stripping the water too quickly of all nutrients.
 
cybervic said:
What kind of flow do they receive? I've found that most leather corals prefer medium to high flow and can tolerate similar flows as SPS. The moment I bumped the flow in my tank, I had 100% better polyp extension. I'd also go with the amount of water cleaning agents you use. You might be stripping the water too quickly of all nutrients.
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75 times flow and the pincushions are in high flow area, the Sinularia is in a medium flow area.

I tried moving the corals to different flow areas, but I think the absorbant idea might be going in the right direction.
 
Warr7207 said:
Ouch, so no PO4 remover
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If the removal of the phosguard doesn't do it, give them a little extra flow as part of their growth process is growing a skin and then shedding it. But it sounds like you have that under control already.

I'm not recommending no PO4 remover. Do you have GFO phosphate removers available? They are based on Granular Ferric Oxides as opposed to Aluminum Oxides.
 
Now this is making sense. I replaced my previous PO4 remover (Ferrous based) with Seachem Phosguard about 2-3 weeks ago.

I will disconnect PO4 remover for the next 7 days and see I get any change.

Thanks for the advice :thumbup:
 
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