Help!
I have a 4 headed Torch that I have had for over a year. He starts with one head and has been thriving the whole time I have had him. Now he is almost completely sucked in ALL the time. His tentacles are visible but just barely. like little stubs. His flesh has not changed color really (atleast that I can tell). because he is so sucked in he looks a darker green which is normal for him when he is sucked in. He does not have and recession or visible damage either. I have inspected him thoroughly. i also tried moving him to a couple different spots, too see if he liked them better. He did not. I left him in each spot for a week to be sure but nothing has changed.
He has been sucked in for about 3 weeks now and I don't understand why. my other Euphyllia's are doing great. I have a frogspawn and a hammer that are both fully extending and basically just thriving. I have been seeing slow tissue recession on a Birdsnest and a Acro I have but other than them everything is great. I have always had issue with Acros and Birdsnests to say the least. I don't know why they are so hard for me to keep. I do everything that is recommended. I constantly maintain water quality...or try my best. Yet they always die. I can keep Montipora and clams just fine but branching SPS don't do well.
This is the first LPS I have had a problem with. I do weekly water changes and I only run Purigen and carbon (both bagged sitting in sump). those are the only chemical forms of filtration I use. Since the issue i have removed the carbon, because I was reading 0 nitrates and I thought maybe I should have some in there. That didn't seem to make any different three weeks later. I at a loss. I started using Brightwell Aquatics Microbacter7 as well. It is what I used to cycle the tank with and it works sooooo gooood. i though it would help me develop the tank a bit , since it appears I have lost a lot of nutrients. not sure if thats why the Torch is the way he is. I am just trying to give all possible related information and or changes in the tank.
Equipment:
ASM G2 skimmer
20 gallon sump fuge (custom dyi by me)
2x740gph returns (one for each return line )
2X 1" drains coming out the back covered by internal overflow (custom dyi by me)
55 gallon display (marineland - standard)
80lbs live sand (dsb in refugium)
85lbs of live rock
9w UV sterilizer (crappy and to small and weak for tank - just had it laying around and figured it couldnt hurt)
18w 6500 PC fuge light
chaetomorpha (harvested biweekly)
caulerpa (harvested monthly)
Dragons Breath (harvested as needed)
filter sock on drains
filter floss in overflow
sponge filter between bubble traps
hydor koralia 425 ( hidden behind rocks in back to kick up detritus behind rocks in back)
Vortech Mp10w
Aquavia 100w Heater (Titanium)
Fluval 150w heater (glass)
3x thermometers
Hydrofill ATO (magnetic probes)
Addtives:
Aquavitro Alpha (prime)
Aquavitro eighty-four (alkalinity)
Aquavitro Calcium
Brightwell Magnesium
Brightwell Microbacter7
Brightwell Coralamino
-used to use acropower but ran out - it works better if you ask me. haven't seen the same results with this product
Brightwell Marine vitamins
Two Little Fishes Reef Elements
Two little Fishes Iodide
*schedule - every other day
Stock:
Starry Blenny
Yellow Assessor
True Percula
Red Sea Mimic Blenny
Peppermint shrimp
Skunk Cleaner shrimp
Pom Pom Crab
RBTA
Maxi-Mini Anemone
Maxima Clam
2x Hermits
Astreas +
2x Nerite's
Nassarius's +
Trubo's +
Cerith's +
Dwarf Cerith's +
Dwarf Planaxis's +
6x Florida Certihs
2x Fighting Conch
Corals:
Torch 4 head
Hammer 3 head
Frogspawn 4 head
Favia
Trachyphyllia
Duncan colony
2x acan colonies
Red Goniopora
Kryponite Candy Cane 6 heads
Montipora Undata
Montipora Chili Pepper
Monitpora Capriconis
Various Zoas
Various Rhodactis
Various Ricordeas
Various Mushrooms
Xenia
Kenya Tree
Large Palyzoa colony
Green Star Polyp mat
Yellow Polyps
Daisy polyps
Acropora Blue Tort (STN)
Acropora Red Planet
Birdsnest (STN)
Long post short, can anyone give me any suggestions on this. I hate how its such a mystery and so hard to figure out what is causing this. We know so little about these animals (coral) I feel like its just a shot in the dark half the time ya know.
I have a 4 headed Torch that I have had for over a year. He starts with one head and has been thriving the whole time I have had him. Now he is almost completely sucked in ALL the time. His tentacles are visible but just barely. like little stubs. His flesh has not changed color really (atleast that I can tell). because he is so sucked in he looks a darker green which is normal for him when he is sucked in. He does not have and recession or visible damage either. I have inspected him thoroughly. i also tried moving him to a couple different spots, too see if he liked them better. He did not. I left him in each spot for a week to be sure but nothing has changed.
He has been sucked in for about 3 weeks now and I don't understand why. my other Euphyllia's are doing great. I have a frogspawn and a hammer that are both fully extending and basically just thriving. I have been seeing slow tissue recession on a Birdsnest and a Acro I have but other than them everything is great. I have always had issue with Acros and Birdsnests to say the least. I don't know why they are so hard for me to keep. I do everything that is recommended. I constantly maintain water quality...or try my best. Yet they always die. I can keep Montipora and clams just fine but branching SPS don't do well.
This is the first LPS I have had a problem with. I do weekly water changes and I only run Purigen and carbon (both bagged sitting in sump). those are the only chemical forms of filtration I use. Since the issue i have removed the carbon, because I was reading 0 nitrates and I thought maybe I should have some in there. That didn't seem to make any different three weeks later. I at a loss. I started using Brightwell Aquatics Microbacter7 as well. It is what I used to cycle the tank with and it works sooooo gooood. i though it would help me develop the tank a bit , since it appears I have lost a lot of nutrients. not sure if thats why the Torch is the way he is. I am just trying to give all possible related information and or changes in the tank.
Equipment:
ASM G2 skimmer
20 gallon sump fuge (custom dyi by me)
2x740gph returns (one for each return line )
2X 1" drains coming out the back covered by internal overflow (custom dyi by me)
55 gallon display (marineland - standard)
80lbs live sand (dsb in refugium)
85lbs of live rock
9w UV sterilizer (crappy and to small and weak for tank - just had it laying around and figured it couldnt hurt)
18w 6500 PC fuge light
chaetomorpha (harvested biweekly)
caulerpa (harvested monthly)
Dragons Breath (harvested as needed)
filter sock on drains
filter floss in overflow
sponge filter between bubble traps
hydor koralia 425 ( hidden behind rocks in back to kick up detritus behind rocks in back)
Vortech Mp10w
Aquavia 100w Heater (Titanium)
Fluval 150w heater (glass)
3x thermometers
Hydrofill ATO (magnetic probes)
Addtives:
Aquavitro Alpha (prime)
Aquavitro eighty-four (alkalinity)
Aquavitro Calcium
Brightwell Magnesium
Brightwell Microbacter7
Brightwell Coralamino
-used to use acropower but ran out - it works better if you ask me. haven't seen the same results with this product
Brightwell Marine vitamins
Two Little Fishes Reef Elements
Two little Fishes Iodide
*schedule - every other day
Stock:
Starry Blenny
Yellow Assessor
True Percula
Red Sea Mimic Blenny
Peppermint shrimp
Skunk Cleaner shrimp
Pom Pom Crab
RBTA
Maxi-Mini Anemone
Maxima Clam
2x Hermits
Astreas +
2x Nerite's
Nassarius's +
Trubo's +
Cerith's +
Dwarf Cerith's +
Dwarf Planaxis's +
6x Florida Certihs
2x Fighting Conch
Corals:
Torch 4 head
Hammer 3 head
Frogspawn 4 head
Favia
Trachyphyllia
Duncan colony
2x acan colonies
Red Goniopora
Kryponite Candy Cane 6 heads
Montipora Undata
Montipora Chili Pepper
Monitpora Capriconis
Various Zoas
Various Rhodactis
Various Ricordeas
Various Mushrooms
Xenia
Kenya Tree
Large Palyzoa colony
Green Star Polyp mat
Yellow Polyps
Daisy polyps
Acropora Blue Tort (STN)
Acropora Red Planet
Birdsnest (STN)
Long post short, can anyone give me any suggestions on this. I hate how its such a mystery and so hard to figure out what is causing this. We know so little about these animals (coral) I feel like its just a shot in the dark half the time ya know.