Concern about our Elegance

[eww]

We just added this piece a couple of weeks ago and all has been well. It's an Australian piece that we got from Sarang (Roscoe) that he got from CrashfireJoe a couple of years ago. Today it doesn't look to happy though. Being new to this hobby we just aren't sure if they can have a bad day and then everything goes back to normal or if there is something we should be concerned with. Water parameters are:

PH 8.3
Mg 1400
Ca 420
dKH 9.5
Temp 79.9
Sg 1.026

These have all been stable except the dKH. It was a little low at 7.5 last weekend. We did our normal bi-weekly 20% water using our normal IO salt bumping the Mg up to match our tank. I have been slowly raising the dKH over the last week until last nights test showed it up to 9.5. Like I said, all other parameters have been stable. Feedings and lighting have all been normal as well.

What is the opinion of this forum? Do we have anything to worry about or should we just use the patience this hobby has taught us and wait and see? Here are some pics.

Last week (seems healthy)

Today (not looking happy)

Thank you in advance for your input.

 

[1fishkeeper]

Im just going to say its stressed out from moving tanks. But keep a good eye on it. But I would have to just say that its stressed from moving. Its not use to the new flow and water. It should be back fat and happy in a few days.

 

[eww]

The move was a couple of weeks ago though and it has been "fat and happy" since then... until today .

 

[eww]

Nope. No changes to lighting or tank movement since it has been in our tank. In Sarang's tank it was under 1 400 watt MH (he was only running one of his three lights) but way off to the side in a 240 gal tank and at the bottom with minimal flow. His lights are also pretty high above the water surface. We have it under 156 watts of T-5 on Icecap ballasts (so more like 216 watts) and individual reflectors, again on the bottom and minimal flow. Our lights are only 2-3 inches above the water surface. We really don't want to loose this piece.

 

[eww]

New full set of tests this morning, all Elos test kits.

PH 7.9 The last one (8.3) was taken at night after the lights went out. This one is in the morning.
Mg 1400
Ca 420
dKH 9.0
Temp 77.7
Sg 1.026
NH3 0.0
NO2 0.0
NO3 0.0
PO4 0.0

So all seems to test correctly. Maybe I will post this in the Reef Corals thread to see if we get anything there. Any input from anyone is appreciated. Thank you 1fishkeeper and sheptor for your replies. I realize it is also a holiday weekend and a lot of people are away so we are keeping our fingers crossed that it makes it and not changing anything at this point.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

They are delicate to chemical and biological warfare too. They also like a mature tank and stability. Once a sweet spot has been found, don't change anything. I would run carbon and maintain water changes. Years back, these were considered NOT reef compatible and prone to die-off. Many are now having great success with thembut they are still hit and miss.

 

[mfinn]

I'd get in touch with Sarang and ask him if it did have bad days in his tank.

Plus when I see corals in my tank that I know shouldn't be having those bad days moment, I usually think about doing a water change.

Also compare his minimal flow in his tank with what you consider minimal flow in your tank.

How old is your tank now?

 

[mfinn]

Years back, these were considered NOT reef compatible and prone to die-off. Many are now having great success with thembut they are still hit and miss.

They have to be one of my all time favorite corals and what attrached me to reef tanks. But after acumulating a couple skeletons back in the early 90's, I decided to stop.

 

[eww]

Thanks Mike and Marty. Our tank is 3 1/2 months old. Maybe that is the issue all by itself??? however we started with established LR as well as some dry dead Key Largo. We have been running carbon but it hasn't been changed in a while (maybe a month). I will change it out today. Water changes have been every 2 week at about 20% volume. We did one last weekend. If this is going to die off I would rather sell it to someone so it can live and be enjoyed. I just don't know where that fine line of that decision is. I will contact Sarang and see what this corals history has been like.

Thanks again guys.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

They have to be one of my all time favorite corals and what attrached me to reef tanks. But after acumulating a couple skeletons back in the early 90's, I decided to stop.

Both you and me pal, on all counts. I gave up on flower pots and bubble corals too in the 70/80s. Of course even my mushroom and zoanthid covered rocks died off with my first under gravel filtered grosely under lit and under flowed "fish tank" back then. Since those learning-days of old, bubble corals have become easy and the collectors have figured out which species of gonos will live and which die but I digress...

As to Elegant Corals, have seen only perhaps a dozen maximum that lived a longer and fuller life than 1-5 years, and most of them were on the bottom of well lit HUGE and very mature tanks with plenty of random water flow.

Duane (Trido) kept a winner as did Ben (class Clown)

Perhaps check with them too.

 

[noworries]

I would even check with CrashfireJoe. I can see if I still have his number for you. He has had great success with his as you know. Might have some tricks for ya.

 

[eww]

Just an FYI to everyone interested... Good news for a change. Not sure what it was, maybe just a bad attitude for a couple of days. It is back to full extension today and looking better than before actually. Now we won't touch it and let it be happy. Thanks everyone for your input and ideas. This site is a life saver of sorts.