First Coral - Not So Well

Discussion in 'Coral Health' started by SuperScro, Jul 4, 2007.

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  1. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

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    We call shrooms tank roaches. Where you see one, there's many others and they're impossible to kill :lol:
     
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  3. geekdafied

    geekdafied 3reef Sponsor

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    When that tank crashed back in march, nitrates, nitrites and ammo were off the charts. Im still recoving from all of that. I had a lot of stuff in the stock tank that got electricuted from the tank that crashed.
     
  4. MDeth

    MDeth Feather Star

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    My best advice is to know what you are looking at, and look over everything you buy!

    Check out massive amounts of pictures of LPS corals (on online sites and such) and discern what is a healthy specimen. If you see any tissue damage on an LPS - even a recent cut mark from fragging that hasn't healed yet - pass on that specimen. < Best to save your money and get a better one later!
     
  5. SuperScro

    SuperScro Flamingo Tongue

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    Thanks for the advice. I do sometimes have a hard time telling if a coral is healthy. If it doesn't look perfect or normal as it should, I will pass on it.
     
  6. MDeth

    MDeth Feather Star

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    We're all guilty of it :/

    See something that looks AMAZING except for a little section... :'(
     
  7. nemo79

    nemo79 Zoanthid

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    Ahh don't feel bad, we have all been there. I myself never drip acclimate corals, just float back and add later. The one coral I did acclimate was a colt and it died. I would not suggest colts as they are the more fussy soft coral, and when they decline they release a toxin into the water. Mine made a mess in my tank when it croaked. Like others suggested try shrooms...I prefer ricordia mushroom-they are beautiful. Also finger leathers, zoo's, xenia are easy too but can be fussy.

    Having 5ppm nitrates is nothing, alot of soft corals like a little bit of nitrates, 400 - 450 ppm for calcium is normal, 14 for alkalinity is high get it to between 8-12 dkh, 0 phos is great, how about ammonia and nitrites, these are the killers. Your temp is high, run a fan over your tank or check your heater it could be faulty. My hubby has a cheap heater and one day it would be 77, next few hours 85...one morning it was at 89, he turned the heater right down to nothing and the tank when lights on is 77-78. Never go higher than 80. What lighting, skimmer, tank specs would help to know, then we can help more.
     
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  9. nemo79

    nemo79 Zoanthid

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    oops, I must be going crazzzzy, I see your signature now! Sorry.
     
  10. SuperScro

    SuperScro Flamingo Tongue

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    It could be my heater. It has to be the summertime, because when I first got my lights, the temperature only rose to 79 from 78. Going to check my heater and add a small fan.

    Not sure why my dKh is so high, but what do I need to do to lower it? I have two books, but one is different from the other when it comes to this. One is Conscientious Marine Aquarist and Marine Aquariums (simple guide I think?).

    How long should I float the coral? I assume its going to be about 20 minutes, since its important to get it out and into the tank. And to make sure once more. Don't add any tank water to the bag? I actually think this is a problem b/c my LFS puts the corals in plastic containers. Hopefully they will put it in a plastic bag instead.
     
  11. Elegance coral

    Elegance coral Plankton

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    People say that these corals are very hearty. This may be true if you can find one that hasn't been damaged and then get it home and in the tank without damaging it. The scoots on the skeleton are very sharp. It doesn't take much to cause them to cut through the coral tissue. Once this happens added with the regular stress of shipping the coral usually falls victim to an infection and dies. I personally don't think they should be suggested as beginner corals, but they are all the time. If you want a good hearty coral to start out with try an open brain. They are about the same size as a plate coral only much easier to care for in my opinion. They look good and come in different color patterns also.
    I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Unfortunately many people have the same story with the same coral.
     
  12. Elegance coral

    Elegance coral Plankton

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    I'm new here and yawl do everything backwards. or maybe everyone else does? Anyway, I didn't know everyone had replied to his first post and answered his questions when I posted my reply. I can answer his last question though.;D

    Float the coral until the temp in the bag/container is equal with the tank.