EvilTwin's 75g tank - Frag Outpost Forums - Coral Propagation and Reef Aquarium Forums

FragOutpost · 03-19-2006, 09:15 AM

That is weird about the gorgonian polyps turning brown. I'm not sure what causes that to happen. I had bought a couple of zoomed powersweeps when I first set up my tank a while back and they worked great for a while but after about 6 months the sweeping motion would start to lock up and they soon became either locked in a fixed position or the nozzle that sweeps would quit sweeping and you would have to aim in a certain direction. A few months later I just tossed them. It is a nice concept but I think it has too many moving parts which means too many things that could break. I hope that they have improved the durability of these powerheads and I hope you have better luck with them than I did.

EvilTwin · 03-19-2006, 10:30 AM

Well, I ran tests today after my water change. PH dropped to 8.0, which is huge after only a 20% water change. Nitrates are now undetectable. I also tested for iodine which cam up at .02, this is low. Phosphates were zero but silicates were really high. I suspect this is the reason for my diatom problem I have been fighting. My fish don't seem to be stressing, but the gorg isn't looking any better. My finger leather has been a bit retracted since yesterday as well. I suspect if I let things settle out I'll see some improvement. The xenia is still quite retracted. I will get some iodine to dose in the next day or so.

FragOutpost · 03-19-2006, 10:41 AM

Once your PH rises to 8.2 your xenia should bounce back like nothing happened. Quick changes in PH are very stressful to reef invertebrates. The general rule of thumb is that PH should not fluctuate more than 0.2 +/- within any 24 hour period. Silicates would explain the diatoms issues although Calfo also says that excessive iodine may contribute to diatom outbreaks. Are you using RO/DI water? I think kent makes a silica busting DI cartridge. Could your silicates be coming from somewhere else?

EvilTwin · 03-21-2006, 10:25 AM

Took some pics today. The gorg is doing badly but the Digi seems quite happy (I swear I see new growth

) and my yellow polyps are really coming around

FragOutpost · 03-21-2006, 12:47 PM

The digi is looking great. Sorry to hear that the gorgonian is not doing as well.

EvilTwin · 03-22-2006, 07:29 AM

Well, I guess it has got so bad that the vultures have moved in. I cought a hermit climbing up and down on the stalks this morning and the skeleton has become more exposed at the top. I am wondering if the polyps near the bottom somehow survive, will is eventually grow back?

FragOutpost · 03-22-2006, 07:33 AM

If the gorgonian doesn't completely shed all of it's flesh then there is a possibility that it could grow back, but it would be a long, uphill battle for it to recover to what it once was.