how to kill a birdsnest

[outdrsyguy1]

If you trust the test kits, you might double check your refractometer to make sure you're not mixing at a higher salinity causing higher concentrations.

 

[bcavalli]

I'll mix up a batch tonight and test the alkalinity tomorrow with a Hanna checker. I maybe remembering incorrectly. Rusty that's a great point and maybe the answer to the issue.

 

[russ-iv]

Bcavalli;1039599 wrote: I use the box as well. Do you mix an entire bag at one time? Or partial bags? I've read about instances with buckets and partial bags that the elements had settled at the bottom and given off the chart readings or the opposite as well.

partial for 35g. 1 bag is 50 gal. however it is only 10% of total volume. settling would have to be severe. when i had my mini substrate crash a few weeks ago i did a 65% wc and alk was 12. i used full bags.

 

[russ-iv]

outdrsyguy1;1039601 wrote: If you trust the test kits, you might double check your refractometer to make sure you're not mixing at a higher salinity causing higher concentrations.

i am 100% positive im at a lower salinity. i actually test lfs waters lightly before i determine how i acclimate if i need to at all. swing arm states im at 1.022 at 78 degrees which is approximately 1.024 which is where my salinity bounces to and from 1.025.

i also got the calibration solution this past weekend to see if my "tap" calibration was off. (it wasnt)

If you want to double check my numbers... use this as a calculator.

 

[bcavalli]

Why don't you just pickup a refractometer with ATC? Save yourself the headache and conversions. In the grand scheme of things it's a very small investment and worth every penny.

 

[russ-iv]

Bcavalli;1039608 wrote: Why don't you just pickup a refractometer with ATC? Save yourself the headache and conversions. In the grand scheme of things it's a very small investment and worth every penny.

i have one. but i do sanity checks with my hydrometer. I never go off one without the other to confirm. Most others would just use a "calibration fluid" to offset their damaged refractometers that were dropped once too often.

 

[russ-iv]

72 hours in...

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dont die on me baby! lol

 

[bcavalli]

Russ-IV;1039610 wrote: i have one. but i do sanity checks with my hydrometer. I never go off one without the other to confirm. Most others would just use a "calibration fluid" to offset their damaged refractometers that were dropped once too often.

Nothing personal but, I used a hydrometer back in the 80s during my first run with salt water aquariums. It wasn't very accurate back then and I doubt they have improved their accuracy since then. To each their own I guess.

 

[russ-iv]

Bcavalli;1039688 wrote: Nothing personal but, I used a hydrometer back in the 80s during my first run with salt water aquariums. It wasn't very accurate back then and I doubt they have improved their accuracy since then. To each their own I guess.

i disagree. but i can understand your experience.

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[madcanary]

ive had a birdsnest a few months last week ive had about 4 new "arms" grow I have mine under radion pro next to a mp40. now stopping my fish dying is another story.

 

[russ-iv]

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birdsnest wasnt looking too good today. noticeable polyp retraction. very angry nest. (or sad)

so i spot fed him.....

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i wont hold my breath... but i think they are starving in my tank. anyway i did the same to all the corals and will check back tomorrow

photos were all taken within 30 minutes

 

[outdrsyguy1]

You have something else going on, I have starved Birdsnest corals before with zero nitrates and zero phosphates. It's more like weeks to a month, not days. And even then they just start to lose color.

 

[russ-iv]

outdrsyguy1;1039831 wrote: You have something else going on, I have starved Birdsnest corals before with zero nitrates and zero phosphates. It's more like weeks to a month, not days. And even then they just start to lose color.

im all ears for suggestions. just posting what i saw and what i did. maybe its a fake extension of polyps? idk.

 

[outdrsyguy1]

I spent almost a year killing corals and chasing ghosts. Mostly trying to figure out what was wrong with my water parameters when everything tested fine. Finally I figured out I had stagnant water from pumps turning on and off and once I corrected that everything fell into place. I think you're getting little blasts of ammonia from somewhere, whether it be stagnant water or a mini cycle from a new tank. Tough to say but that's my two cents. I've had high alkalinity, low alkalinity, even accidentally ran my calcium at 260 ppm for a month and corals just start to look bad over the course of a month. The only time I ever had things die as fast as you are describing is with ammonia or some other chemical.

 

[russ-iv]

outdrsyguy1;1039835 wrote: I spent almost a year killing corals and chasing ghosts. Mostly trying to figure out what was wrong with my water parameters when everything tested fine. Finally I figured out I had stagnant water from pumps turning on and off and once I corrected that everything fell into place. I think you're getting little blasts of ammonia from somewhere, whether it be stagnant water or a mini cycle from a new tank. Tough to say but that's my two cents. I've had high alkalinity, low alkalinity, even accidentally ran my calcium at 260 ppm for a month and corals just start to look bad over the course of a month. The only time I ever had things die as fast as you are describing is with ammonia or some other chemical.

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sorry. took 15 min

 

[bcavalli]

+1 If I remember correctly you cycled your tank with a cup of windex and your also running skimmer less. I Suspect Rusty is on point that maybe you have some unknown chemicals still in your system. There is also another explanation and that is your system simply is not mature enough to sustain sps corals. Your only two months in, give it some time and things will come around when your system is ready.

 

[russ-iv]

Bcavalli;1039837 wrote: +1 If I remember correctly you cycled your tank with a cup of windex and your also running skimmer less. I Suspect Rusty is on point that maybe you have some unknown chemicals still in your system. There is also another explanation and that is your system simply is not mature enough to sustain sps corals. Your only two months in, give it some time and things will come around when your system is ready.

i really hate the young tank theory. it basically tells me there is a special sauce my tank doesnt produce yet naturally.

forgive me but people say wait a year for a mandarin, wait 3 months for softies, 6 months for sps. admittedly i am a newb when it comes to sps. i was hoping i could cut corners like i always have.

i have a ton of water, not much changes, nice flow, lights are overkill. coralline growing.

man this frustrates the crap out of me. i can wait. i just dislike waiting for a sps fairy to magically touch my tank and say "you're good to go on sps now". especially since my acro wont die.

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i will say this though. i kept a birdsnest for 2 weeks until i messed with the substrate.which is far longer than the decline im observing

 

[bcavalli]

Don't feel bad. I struggled with sps trying to jump in too quick and just about every time I lost the piece. Unfortunately, this hobby doesn't allow us to take shortcuts. Coral and fish have very intricate survival funtions that allow it to not only survive but flourish. if we don't meet their basic needs of survival they will perish. Unfortunately, at the present time we don't have the capabilities of knowledge to rush it more than we know how to.

 

[russ-iv]

thanks brett. still sucks. anyway... 2 hours after feeding

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almost hastened his demise. ill wait til tomorrow if there is a conclusion but they always end up like this.

alk 9.5
ph 8.0

 

[russ-iv]

Amant;1039886 wrote: I have a birds nest in my 33 long and I do weekly water changes and it's done great so far.

how old is your system?
parameters?

i do biweekly 10% changes due to the weak bio load

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i think this guy is just ticking me off. ill find out when i get home.