Does anyone else have troubles keeping Efflos?

broke1 · #1 12/31/2007, 09:49 PM

I purchased a large frag of a purple tipped, greenish bodied efflo. It has since grown slowly but consistantly. It has actually started to grow a second tier and is spreading out. It's hard to really see any growth on these because of the solid plating nature.

My issues are that is has since turned brown with no green left and the purple tip are just slightly visable. From the research I have found the like high light and high flow. It is right in between to powerheads and arouns 6" down in tank, around 12 inches from the lights.

checkinhawk · #2 12/31/2007, 09:59 PM

what are your phosphates and nitrates at?i have 3 efflos and all of them have lost or are losing color due to high phosphates.i have been able to get my numbers to start falling so hopefully they color back up.

broke1 · #3 01/01/2008, 01:12 PM

Unfortunately my test kit always shows zero or I should say undetectable. Although I always went by the test kit, this coral may be a better test of the test kit, I guess it's time to invest in a better form or testers.

Nitrates are also undectable, but that test kit I trust.

I run GFO all the time, changed every two weeks. My fuge has finely started to grow in nice, so hopefully it will help if this is a phosphate problem

All the other corals in the tank look good and are nicely colored(the red bugs look pretty too). I guess the efflos are a little more picky than everything else I have.

I will test everything when I get home tonight and post up the parameters.

trueblackpercula · #4 01/01/2008, 01:21 PM

Have you added anything new fish, crabs ETC? try mediumd flow and lots of light.
Michael

Atomikk · #5 01/01/2008, 01:23 PM

what color of spectrum are you lights? and what type of bulb is it?

broke1 · #6 01/01/2008, 01:25 PM

I haven't added a fish in six months.

Unfortunately I would have to crack this off the rock to move it, it encrusts fast and repairs itself quickly. The pink/purple spot in the bottom left of the top photo and the bottom middle of the bottom photo was a quarter size scar from another coral falling into it about a month ago.

I guess I will try the easier solution first and go for water quality improvement.

broke1 · #7 01/01/2008, 01:28 PM

Quote:

what color of spectrum are you lights? and what type of bulb is it?

2x250w 10K on Icecaps, 4x54w T5 on Icecaps (super Actinic, Blue Plus, 6500 and Aqua Blue). Those are the lights on that half of the tank.

checkinhawk · #8 01/01/2008, 01:33 PM

i dont think it is a lighting or flow issue,im really thinking its is PO4.my efflos seem to be the first to change when PO4 goes up.plus i have all my efflos low in my tank,id say they are all 6-8" off the bottom of the tank and they all had great color when the PO4 was low.if it is possible get your water tested for PO4 on a hanna meter,maybe your LFS or a local reefer has one.

93Foxstang · #9 01/01/2008, 03:17 PM

I keep mine in high flow but it is at the bottom of the tank mine was brown until i changed to 400 watt halides and now it is getting purple rim. If it is a wild colony they need alot of flow.

Flint&Eric · #10 01/01/2008, 03:55 PM

post a fts so we can see other corals.

what test are you using for po4? my initial guess would be a nutrient problem...jmo.

broke1 · #11 01/01/2008, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flint&Eric
post a fts so we can see other corals.

what test are you using for po4? my initial guess would be a nutrient problem...jmo.

It's an API test kit. I know it's a cheap kit, but I have Salifert tests for almost anything else and I have been less than happy with their results so spending the money to buy anything else has seemed stupid to me.

I just tested for phosphates again and the results aren't even on the graph. It's not to say the test is inacurrate or not, it's all that I have to go by right now. I'm not ruling out a water qulaity problem.

I can take a full tank shot, but it's an eight foot long tank so I need to take the picture from around twelve feet away. All I really have is a bunch of frags right now so all you would see is 200lbs of rock with freckles. I will post a few pictures of the frags.

gcarroll · #12 01/02/2008, 01:10 AM

It took me 3 years to color up my efflo. I feel that efflos are the last to color up and the first to go brown if there is a problem. At least that is how it is in my tank. I also have found that best color has come as the coral increased size to over 3" in diameter.