birds nest

[buzzbombtom]

so today when i turned my MH and PC light on i noticed that my green birds nest did not open up like it normally does in fact most of the branches looked bare, any ideas why it was so bare, it looked nice this whole last week like it was doing really well, big and bushy now its kinda sad looking

[Grins]

When corals do this it is typically an indication that something has changed in the water. Chemistry, flow, bubbles, etc. It can also mean an invert was crawling on it and ticked it off, or if you have other corals nearby there could be chemical warefare happening.

[trippkid]

I know they don't have alot of flesh between the polyps, but is any of it peeling off that you can see. Could be RTN, if it is and you haven't fragged it already, it is more than likely gone. I personally have saved a couple different corals with RTN, didn't really do anything so I can't really take credit. It just is something that happens sometimes without warning, and you have very little time sometimes trying to save it. Hopefully this is not the case and the polyps were just retracted for some reason. Have you done any testing? If so, what did you come up with?
Matt

[buzzbombtom]

my water is fine, i moved my hydor earler in the week, so it was not getting direct movement could that be it. my sg is like at25-26

[Grins]

Well first, Matt brought up a good point. Have the polyps just retracted? Or can you see where the tissue has receeded and bare skeleton is visible? Almost as if the tissue has been peeled off?

[trippkid]

I need more than "my water is fine". I have one too, and the only place you can see skeleton is on the very bottom, the top of the coral sucks up all the light, very bushy, grows like a weed. These aren't a high flow coral like Acropora, like a moderate indirect flow. That is about all I can say without more info and pics.
Matt

[buzzbombtom]

ok i will get one as soon as i get home and i will do a water test. to get you exact numbers :) thanks btw

[trippkid]

No problem, just trying to help you out if I can. I hope it is just not feeling the best, and not an infection, bugs, or some other pathogen.
Matt

[buzzbombtom]

well my digi is not wanting to work but i know that the skeliton doesnt look like its showing more like the polyps were taken off. looks better today already i just did a water change and dosed my tank with my buffers lets see if that makes a difference.

[trippkid]

I am not going to preach, but you really should be doing more testing and know what the numbers are exactly, especially if you are wanting to keep SPS, they can be finicky sometimes. Keeping them requires a little more attention to details. I hope it gets better, like it was before for you.:thumbsup:
Matt

[buzzbombtom]

nitrate -0
nitrite-0
kh-280
ph 8.4
it is getting direct light from a mh at 14k 8 hrs a day
hydor 2 about 1/4 tanks distance away in a 46 gallon bow front

[Pufferpunk]

Calcium & Magnesium? KH can't be 280.

[buzzbombtom]

i dose calcium magnesium and an alklininty buffer

[Pufferpunk]

But what do they test out as?

[buzzbombtom]

all i have is a kh test kit its reading at 280-300 its a dip stick

[Pufferpunk]

Invest in some good, Salifert test kits. Especially when you are keeping SPS.

[buzzbombtom]

im telling you it says that my KH is that, how can it not be if it is telling me that? i am confused? i know i need another kind of test kit but money is tight right now and all living in chicago you should understand, what with the market being so bad there as it is here in northern cali. ;) no body want to come out to dinner and spend any kind of money let alone on a tip

[trippkid]

I think the test may be reading ppm scale, if you divide by 50, you get 5.6 mEq/L, which is kind of high, and stuff may be experiencing some stress because of it. I'm am just guessing here, I don't use this test, but that is the only scale with those kinds of numbers. Don't add any more buffer, I would just do weekly water changes 10-15% or every 3rd or 4th day, I wouldn't do more than 10% if an emergency to you. What kind of water do you use for mixing up new water? I would suggest RO/DI, if not already using. I wouldn't dose anything else at this point either. I know you said about money, I think we all can relate to that, Tropic Marin makes a decent test kit for CA, I use mostly Salifert for CA, MG, and SR, and I use Aquarium Systems ALK(liquid triation test). You do need to get more accurate tests, I know they can be expensive, but so is trying to fix problems, and replacing death.
Matt

[Grins]

Buzz, I agree with Matt and PP. You need to test for Ca, Alk and Mg if you're keeping stonies, especially SPS. And even more so if you're dosing. I believe in the general rule of not dosing anything you're testing to know that you're dosing properly..or if dosing is even a good idea. Otherwise you could be causing more harm than good with an overdose.

I'd also not use a dip test for Alk. The Salifert tests are best for many things but if you must you will be OK with API in my opinion.

I also think you would benefit from looking at the Reef Chemistry links in this blog post I made. It gives you an easy calculator for converting ppm to dkh, etc. And it also gives links to help better understand how the basics of reef chemistry. If you can nail the basics you will better understand how to keep your parameters balanced and know when to tell something is off. http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/blog.php?b=179

[buzzbombtom]

ok thanks for all that, btw i think i found the reason my crap is getting eaten, there is a black and white slug/snail in my tank that i caught tonight with the red light on top of the birds nest, but i did not know if i could grab him so when i came back with a "stabber" he was gone i am onto him though. any tips on how to remove him? oh and also i found a long "stretchy" worm like guy with a white mouth and a white band near the head of the beast. what is that

[Grins]

the snail/slug could be a stomatella, they might irritate the coral by they'd not eat it. The worm sounds like a peanut worm, beneficial as well.

[buzzbombtom]

darn it lol....

[buzzbombtom]

this is not an epimp session but d a m n grins you got them spot on :O from some crummy descriptions that is amazing.

[Grins]

Nah, not amazing. They just happen to be common hitchikers and ones that I asked about myself when my tank was very new to me.

[buzzbombtom]

lol ok ok i got it. looks to be doing better today i think something had a snack on it. could thre be a star that like it? i have a bunch of bristle stars in my tank, like LOTS

[Pufferpunk]

Nope, those lil brittle sars are good guys.

[buzzbombtom]

ok i thought so but i heard from someone that they are bad, but my lfs told me the same, taht they are good.