Birds nest not doing well

[Robert Boukari]

I got this birds nest about a week ago and it's just not doing well. Everything else is doing just fine.

[Danny_15]

Did you dip it? Looks feasted on.

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[Robert Boukari]

Originally Posted by Danny_15

Did you dip it? Looks feasted on.

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No dip. What do you mean feasted on?


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[jda]

That rock looks sterile. Is your tank newer?

[Danny_15]

Originally Posted by Robert Boukari

No dip. What do you mean feasted on?


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Feasted as in eaten on

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[Robert Boukari]

Originally Posted by jda

That rock looks sterile. Is your tank newer?

6 months I flipped that rock upside down recently


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[Robert Boukari]

Originally Posted by Danny_15

Feasted as in eaten on

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Do I need to dip it


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[Danny_15]

Originally Posted by Robert Boukari

Do I need to dip it


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I have no experience but could be flat worms. Dont have many sps sorry bro. Maybe someone else can help.

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[Robert Boukari]

Originally Posted by Danny_15

I have no experience but could be flat worms. Dont have many sps sorry bro. Maybe someone else can help.

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I appreciate your input


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[Diana A]

What are your water parameters? What are you using for lights? Are there any corals located near this one?

[Robert Boukari]

Originally Posted by Diana A

What are your water parameters? What are you using for lights?

Salinity is .25
Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, all 0 and ph at 8.3
I use a galaxy hydro led light, my tank is a 32 biocube


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[ReefsandGeeks]

IME, birdsnests have a particularly hard time recovering from injury. For mine, I've had problems with algea growing on the dead spots which limits their ability to grow back flesh. So be aware of that. What exactly is wrong with your birdsnest and did it look the same when you got it? Has it's color faded? flesh over skeleton damaged? The tips along the back look pretty blunt, have they been broken off? normally birdsnest tips are pretty sharp looking with new growth, and it's odd to see a frag that has the tips cut off.

[Robert Boukari]

Originally Posted by devastator007

IME, birdsnests have a particularly hard time recovering from injury. For mine, I've had problems with algea growing on the dead spots which limits their ability to grow back flesh. So be aware of that. What exactly is wrong with your birdsnest and did it look the same when you got it? Has it's color faded? flesh over skeleton damaged? The tips along the back look pretty blunt, have they been broken off? normally birdsnest tips are pretty sharp looking with new growth, and it's odd to see a frag that has the tips cut off.

It looked healthy when I got it. The color has severely faded. I'm not sure about the tips though.


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[nereefpat]

Originally Posted by Robert Boukari

Salinity is .25
Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, all 0 and ph at 8.3
I use a galaxy hydro led light, my tank is a 32 biocube


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Salinity is 25ppt or specific gravity is 1.025?

Nitrates shouldn't be zero. Should be 5-10 ppm.

Should be testing for alk, Ca, and Mg.

[Robert Boukari]

Originally Posted by nereefpat

Salinity is 25ppt or specific gravity is 1.025?



Nitrates shouldn't be zero. Should be 5-10 ppm.



Should be testing for alk, Ca, and Mg.

Specific gravity


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[Robert Boukari]

Originally Posted by nereefpat

Salinity is 25ppt or specific gravity is 1.025?



Nitrates shouldn't be zero. Should be 5-10 ppm.



Should be testing for alk, Ca, and Mg.

Which company's test should I be using? I'm new to the hobby and 15 years old so I'm still very far behind of what I need to know.


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[Mishri]

SPS needs stable water parameters... no temperature swings. you also need to check phosphate, using a hannah checker. They also need a lot of flow..

which test kit gets argued quite a bit.. salifert is/was frequently recommended, but you'll find a lot of people using the inexpensive red sea test kits just fine.

-if you are new I'd avoid all SPS corals for a couple of years.

this should give you an idea of flow/polyp extension...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEC3erJxGW4

you'll know things are wrong when the polyps aren't out like that.

[mcgyvr]

And please try to turn down/off any blue/purple lights..
That picture is too "purply" for me to see anything useful really..

Looks like all the tissue is gone from here..

But yes.. I would suggest staying away from corals until you are aware of how to properly take care of them.. specifically SPS corals... even though thats an easy one..

You need to be monitoring alk/cal/mag/salinity/temp at the very least and keeping them very stable..
They also need to be acclimated to your light.. LEDs can be very powerful and can cause problems.. Typically you would start corals out on the sandbed and move them up over time..

And yes someone hacked the heck out of that..
You sure its not a pocillopora too?

[Mishri]

yeah, I usually expect birds nest to look like this:



I found several images that looked like OP's though labelled as birds nest.. i'm not a coral identification expert.

-and +1 to the light acclimation.

[DivingTheWorld]

First, it's great to see the younger generation getting into Reefing. Take your time, expect failures and learn from them. Many of us have years of failures we've learned from.

Start here:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1179702

Once you get all your parameters in check and stable, you can try some sps. Birdsnest are one of the easiest sps, but still sps so more difficult than softies.

Everyone has their own recipe, but here's what I shoot for which seems to be working well for me:

Salinity 1.0264
Magnesium 1450
Alkalinity 7.5
Calcium 450
Phosphate 0.01
Nitrate 5

Ammonia and Nitrite should always be 0. Don't worry about pH unless it's super out of wack and it will fluctuate wildly depending on time of year, lights on or off, etc.

For test kits, here are my go-tos:

Salifert:

Mag
Cal

Hanna:

Alk
Phosphorous (Phosphate)

Nyos:

Nitrate

Red Sea:

Ammonia
Nitrite
pH

I hope that helps. Good luck and continue to ask lots of questions on this site!

[alton]

I would agree with bringing up the Nitrates slowly to at least 2.

[Robert Boukari]

Originally Posted by alton

I would agree with bringing up the Nitrates slowly to at least 2.

How would I go about bringing them up?


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[jda]

Nitrates are not your issue. You don't have zero. .05 is OK in the ocean.

If your tank is not growing coralline, pods and crypic sponges in the dark areas, then it is not likely mature enough for SPS... even a weed-type SPS like birdsnest. Rock in a tank that is ready for SPS does not look that sterile, even if you turn it over.

That does look more like a monti to me... maybe stellata.

[Robert Boukari]

Originally Posted by jda

Nitrates are not your issue. You don't have zero. .05 is OK in the ocean.

If your tank is not growing coralline, pods and crypic sponges in the dark areas, then it is not likely mature enough for SPS... even a weed-type SPS like birdsnest. Rock in a tank that is ready for SPS does not look that sterile, even if you turn it over.

That does look more like a monti to me... maybe stellata.

I plan on upgrading my tank in the next week from my 32 BC to a tank within the 55-90 gallon area. Will this set back the maturity of my tank?


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[Lsufan]

I thought the same as mcgyver when I saw the pic. It almost looks like a pocillipora that is in bad shape. Kinda hard to tell with the pic though. It doesn't really matter because it's inbad shape eighther way & u would do the same to try & save it.

U got a bunch of good advise & really need to hold of on hard corals until u can get the chemistry down. As far as tests, most people use salifert but I use Red Sea. I like how Red Sea comes in a kit with alk, calcium & magnesium so I don't have to by them all seperate. I have always had good, consistent results with the Red Sea tests.

By the tests that u listed I would guess that I are using a API test kit. Once u get past your cycle u really need to put it on the shelf & get eighther the salifert or red sea & test for alk, calcium & magnesium constantly until u get it figured out. Once u learn how to keep your params stable & learn the uptake of your tank u won't have to test as often. My tanks have been stable for a couple of years but I still test alk once a week. Calcium & mag I test monthly.

I wouldn't go try to mess with the nitrate in the tank if u are using a API test kit. U will only cause more issues. I wouldn't worry much about nitrate unless it gets really high, I would focus on alk,mag & calcium & once u get that down worry about nitrate.