Yellow Scroll Coral

[bearwolf46]

Help

55 gallon tank brought used 3 months ago. Listed below are the tank's stock. My Yellow Scroll Coral is laying on it's side. It does not look good. The rest of the stock is doing well. Water is as follows:

PH 7.8
Temp 78.4
SG 1.022
Amm 0
Nirite 20
Nitrate 0
dKH 300

Food:

Kent Marine
ZooPlex
Liquid Clcium
Strontium & Molybdenum
Ocean Nutition
Prime Reef flacks

55 Gallon Saltwater Tank
50 lbs Live Rock
Coralife Digital Power Center
Coralife 30 Inch Aqualight W/ 2-65W Straight Pin Base And 2-3/4W Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow
LED Lamps Coralife Digital Thermometer
Hagen Fluval 405 Canister Filter
Prizm Skimmer PS90
Marineland Penguin 1140 Power Head 300 GPH

1 Black and White Percula Clownfish
1 Six Line Wrasse
1 Emerald Crab
6 Turbo snails
1 Acrozoanthus Stick Polyps
1 Actinodiscus Mushroom Corals
1 Green & Red Favia
1 Pulsing Xenia
1 Starburst Green Polyp
1 Yellow Scroll Coral

[jdieck]

Can you verify the level of Nitrite? Is it really Nitrite or Nitrates?
Also your Alkalinity, is it 300 ppm? If it is so, it is high, the normal upper limit is 200 ppm

I would also recommend increasing your salinity to full strenght natural sea water or 1.026

[bearwolf46]

jdieck

Just did a check here are the results:

Jungle Test Strips

Nirate 40
Nirite 0
Alkalinitiy 300 or better
PH 7.8
SG 1.022.5


Gene

[jdieck]

What units is the alkalinity stated on? 300 ppm is 6 meq/lt which is 2 meq/lt too high.

[bearwolf46]

It's ppm.

[bearwolf46]

I uploaded a picture of my Yellow Scroll Coral in my galley.

[bearwolf46]

I do have a 10 gallon quarantine tank that is up and running.

Ammonia 0
Nirate 20
Nitrite 0
Alkalinity 300
PH 7.8
SG 1.022

[jgoodrich71]

That is a yellow leather, and they tend to be one of the more difficult soft corals. How long have you had this coral? How long has it been in this location? Does is get good water flow? Also, it is one of the more light demanding soft corals.

My first impression is that it is not getting enough light nor water flow. That in conjuntion with the high nitrates could be what is causing this.

On a side note, I would recommend another type of test kits. The ones where you put the strip in the water are pretty inaccurate.

[jdieck]

It does not seem bad as it is extending its polyps, Assuming the alkalinity test is accurate I would make a couple of water changes to lower it a bit and the rest let it drop by itself. Try to use higher salinity on the water changes to start increasing the salinity in the tank. Those chenges will also help to lower Nitrates a bit.
Do you have any idea how the alkalinity got that high? Have you tried using a PH supplement? Those increase Alkalinity a lot and usually not that effective in increasing PH if you do not get rid of the excess CO2 dissolved in the water. To increase PH try aereating the tank a bit more, if you have a skimmer try to pull air from the outside for it and open your windows once in a while to lower the CO2 level in your inside air.
Have you measured your Calcium and Magnesium?

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8283252#post8283252 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bearwolf46
I do have a 10 gallon quarantine tank that is up and running.

Ammonia 0
Nirate 20
Nitrite 0
Alkalinity 300
PH 7.8
SG 1.022

Are those the measurements of your Q tank? If so it is very unlikely the alkalinity is the same as the main so I would start doubting the test as jgoodrich mentions. Double check your alkalinity test with a different kit or take a sample to the LFS and have it tested.

[bearwolf46]

jgoorich71

Water flow is medium as is the lite. I thought is was causing some of my problems. I have turned off the white and left the blue running.

Do you have a brand test kit you would recommend?

jdieck

Lower the alkalinity to what level?

Not using a PH supplement at this time. I will increase the air flow on the skimmer.

Not measuring Cal or Mag at this time. Recommendation on brand of test kit.

Thanks All
Gene

[jdieck]

Try getting Salifert Test kits.

The yellow can live with medium flow but needs all the light you can give it.
If you are not using any PH or Alkalinity supplement there is no reazon for the Alkalinity to be that high. Have your water tested.
The recommended ranges for:
Alkalinity is 2.5 to 4 meq/lt (125 to 200 ppm)
Calcium 380 to 450 ppm 420ppm preferred
Magnesium 1250 to 1350 ppm
Salinity I would recommend 1.025 to 1.027

[bearwolf46]

Will that high of an salinity have a bad effect on the rest of the stock?

[jdieck]

That is not high salinity, that is normal salinity. The actual low level of salinity you are using is used basically in fish only tanks to reduce the propensity of parasites on fish but it is too low for coral tanks.
While increasing salinity do it a little at a time, you can increase by 0.001 per day.

[bearwolf46]

Got it...

Thanks

[bearwolf46]

What test kits should I get?

Alkalinity
Calcium
Magnesium
Ammonia
Nirate
Nitrite
PH

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8283773#post8283773 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bearwolf46
What test kits should I get?

Alkalinity
Calcium
Magnesium
Ammonia
Nirate
Nitrite
PH

The basic set would be Ammonia, Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium. For PH you also need a kit but if you have the money I would use a PH monitor (Pin Point) otherwise a PH test kit shall do.

Nitrate and Phosphate are nice to have although later on as the tank matures you will need them also, Nitrite is not needed IMO. A good thermometer is also required to track the tank temperature.

[bearwolf46]

Thanks, I got a digtial thermoneter.

[jdieck]

:thumbsup: