Candycane is having some problems

[ilektrik22]

hello again...you guys were really helpful before and I was wondering if you could help me again. So my tank has more or less bounced back, everything is doing well.

Except now my Candy Coral (Caulastrea furcata) the pieces that survived the fuge addition look like their melting and spewing squiggally stuff out of their mouths(the photosynthetic thingys are dying I believe) and I'm not sure why. They have been doing well until a few days ago when I noticed them deteriorating

It's sitting the same distance from my light as before, my tank parameters:
nitrates at 0-5 ppm always been at this level, I think it's my test kit,
salinity 1.025,

calcium is 370, ( adding 1ml A everyday and B everyother if alk seems low)
I've also started doing a kalk drip ovrnight, I mix in 1/3 of a teaspoon for now to slowly increase levels)

Alk 3.54/ or 9.9
ph 8, temp 78

Did an 8g water change on the weekend ( for 30g tank/20g fuge) all parameters were matched to tank ( except calcium).

Flow in the tank is a bit higher then before the fuge addition, but it's in medium flow ( same as before)

I'm now only running carbon passively

my other corals seem fine incl: plate coral, blastos, zoa's, mushrooms, and a frag I'm a little confused if it's a GSP or a Briareum asbestinum or if their the same thing, if it's a gsp could it be causing the candycane any problem?
Pic when it's closed ( boyfriend has the camera and this is all I have)

 

[kevinpo]

Hello,
The picture does not appear to be of a C. furcata. I'm not sure what coral it is. It almost appears to be an SPS of some type or even an encrusting gorgonian type coral.
Here is a picture of a Caulastrea furcata. It was taken in sunlight so the color is a a bit light. The coral structure is quite typical however.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[ilektrik22]

sorry I didn't make myself clear.

The pic is not of the candycane, it's of Briareum asbestinum a Gorg. I think. It's the only new coral in the tank so I was wondering if the pictured species could be affecting the candycane?
( I'm not exactually sure what species that pictured coral is, I think it's a Briareum of some sort, when it's open it kinda looks like a gsp)

Anyway I was just trying to list changes/new things that may be affecting the candycane, mine use to look like yours but now it looks like it's melting off it's skeleton.

 

[kevinpo]

Yes it does appear to be a Briareum sp. At the small size I would not expect it to have much impact on your other corals. Leather type corals especially from the Sinularia group, typically have a larger impact. You can run carbon if you suspect chemical warefare. A picture of the other coral (Candycane) would be helpful.
C. furcata can extend polyps (up to 2.5") when feeding and also drip tissue as a reproductive strategy.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Not sure from the picture what the coral is, looks a bit like a corky sea finger (by your description) Is it pointing upright? Try moving the candy cane to a new location away from the other corals. Your Calcium seems already high enough to be adding all the suppliments, but that is just my opinion. Others would know more.

 

[SueT]

calcium I would try to raise to ~420ppm-ish and your alk. seems to be high enough. IMO.. Mine runs about 9.2dKh and I wish I could get it a bit lower. Kalk. is not the best product to raise calcium with as it is more to keep the levels stable when the desired level is reached.

 

[ilektrik22]

Unfortunatly I can't take a pic of the candycane, my boyfriend took the camera with him to hawaii.

I'm struggling with calcium, last night after addition of part A ( 1ml) it was 390 this morning it was at 350, overnight I dripped Kalk ( just 1/3 of a teaspoon to start with) no idea where it's all going.

I was told to suppliment to get my calcium higher, ( along with waterchanges ) so I have been and was also suggested to use kalk. But I seem to have high Calcium consumption and am finding it difficult to get it up and keep it up.

On the otherhand the candycane is now showing it's white skeletony structure. I'm just trying to figure out what's going wrong in my tank/ what i'm doing wrong, I don't like adding all these additives since i'm not experienced and I'm wondering if that might be the problem? if so would/should my other corals be showing signs of stress?

This was/is one of my original corals and I really don't want it to die since I killed so much when I added my sump

 

[kevinpo]

I advise stopping all additives except the part A (calcium). Your alkalinity is already high enough. Raise the calcium to about 425ppm to get it into balance with the alkalinity. You can try and move the coral to a lower light less flow area for now. I try to keep my alkalinity about 8.3 - 9.0 dKH and the calcium about 400 - 425ppm.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[ilektrik22]

Will do,

I've been trying, but I guess adding the part B and kalk was bonding to the calcium since alk was high already? BAd me!!!

So just part 1(A)

I just noticed one of my zoa frags spewing brown stuff into the watercolumn, my candycane is the closest coral to this colony...( there was nothing I noticed near the zoa colony to cause it to spew) happened right before lights out. Odd.