GSP dead overnight!

[Liam's tank]

Tuesday the three colonies of gsp that I have on my back glass were flowing & full. When I came home from work on Wednesday they were all closed up, just the gray base is left on the glass. I hoped that they would be ok on Thursday but no change. Everything else in the tank is fine. What would cause this? It has been growing on the glass for almost a year, & overnight gone!
Only new addition to the tank is 3 small zoa frags & a small chalice frag. All dipped prior to addition.
Temp 78
alk 12
cal 430
nitrate 10
phos .20
ph 8.1
These numbers have been consistent for a good 5 months. I am sending water in today for an icp test today.

 

[Liam's tank]

Tuesday the three colonies of gsp that I have on my back glass were flowing & full. When I came home from work on Wednesday they were all closed up, just the gray base is left on the glass. I hoped that they would be ok on Thursday but no change. Everything else in the tank is fine. What would cause this? It has been growing on the glass for almost a year, & overnight gone!
Only new addition to the tank is 3 small zoa frags & a small chalice frag. All dipped prior to addition.
Temp 78
alk 12
cal 430
nitrate 10
phos .20
ph 8.1
These numbers have been consistent for a good 5 months. I am sending water in today for an icp test today.

Also SG is 1.026

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Any recent changes to your tank besides the addition of those frags?

 

[Nate Chalk]

Sometimes it closes, to clean itself, for awhile. I have some in my sump that's almost dark.

When I open the door it reopens

It's really hardy.

Send a picture to confirm if you want

 

[kevgib67]

^ Ya, I’ve had mine for over two and a half years and it sometimes just closes for a while for no apparent reason to just open back up again.

 

[Liam's tank]

^ Ya, I’ve had mine for over two and a half years and it sometimes just closes for a while for no apparent reason to just open back up a

^ Ya, I’ve had mine for over two and a half years and it sometimes just closes for a while for no apparent reason to just open back up again.

I hope you are right, it's day three and no change

 

[Liam's tank]

Any recent changes to your tank besides the addition of those frags?

No, it's day three and no change. It's really strange, I started off with a frag the size of a quarter, as it grew I cut off two sections and glued them to separate parts of the back wall. For all three to close up at the same time? It's got me scratching my head. I sent off an icp test this morning and am hoping the results will shed some light. Thank you for responding.
P.S. I enjoy your daily posts!

 

[kevgib67]

No, it's day three and no change. It's really strange, I started off with a frag the size of a quarter, as it grew I cut off two sections and glued them to separate parts of the back wall. For all three to close up at the same time? It's got me scratching my head. I sent off an icp test this morning and am hoping the results will shed some light. Thank you for responding.
P.S. I enjoy your daily posts!

The only thing that comes to mind is bottomed out nutrients. What are your phosphate and nitrate levels?

 

[blecki]

No, it's day three and no change. It's really strange, I started off with a frag the size of a quarter, as it grew I cut off two sections and glued them to separate parts of the back wall. For all three to close up at the same time? It's got me scratching my head. I sent off an icp test this morning and am hoping the results will shed some light. Thank you for responding.
P.S. I enjoy your daily posts!

Yeah that sounds like GSP. It can close for weeks at a time.

 

[Liam's tank]

The only thing that comes to mind is bottomed out nutrients. What are your phosphate and nitrate levels?

They have been consistent for over 5 months at least; Phos is .20 & nitrate is 10. I know there are some that will say that phosphate at .20 is too high, but that's just where my tank lives. I was chasing that number for about 6 weeks before I took the advice of countless others on this forum, "Don't chase numbers!" Once I stopped trying to achieve the so-called ultimate phosphate number and let things be, my tank flourished. I really am stumped as to why a coral that was the first one introduced into my tank has just closed up. Not one other coral in my tank is showing signs of stress.

 

[blecki]

Your GSP isn't necessarily showing signs of stress either. It just does that sometimes.

If all your numbers are coming back good then change nothing. Let it be. It will open back up in a few days.

 

[Liam's tank]

Yeah that sounds like GSP. It can close for weeks at a time.

Wow really? Never heard of that, sure hope you're right!

 

[crazyfishmom]

Alkalinity at 12 can be problematic unless you have a tank, lights, and flow that can handle it. Swings at that high level can be extremely problematic. Do you know how long it’s been that high?

 

[Liam's tank]

Alkalinity at 12 can be problematic unless you have a tank, lights, and flow that can handle it. Swings at that high level can be extremely problematic. Do you know how long it’s been that high?

It lives at 10 almost all of the time, it spiked to 12 for reasons that have been addressed, but it was at 12 for two days and that was prior to all this.

 

[crazyfishmom]

It lives at 10 almost all of the time, it spiked to 12 for reasons that have been addressed, but it was at 12 for two days and that was prior to all this.

I think your GSP will likely be just fine. As others have said it’s a very resilient coral but GSP is like a canary in a coal mine. If your GSP closes up normally it means there’s been a change in water quality. Most of the time the change is inconsequential and everything in the tank will be fine. Same with Duncans. Super hardy but they always tell you when something has slightly changed. Give the GSP time. It’ll open back up. Mine recently told me that my salinity had gone up slightly by closing up for two days even post correction. It’s back to open and happy today.

 

[Liam's tank]

I think your GSP will likely be just fine. As others have said it’s a very resilient coral but GSP is like a canary in a coal mine. If your GSP closes up normally it means there’s been a change in water quality. Most of the time the change is inconsequential and everything in the tank will be fine. Same with Duncans. Super hardy but they always tell you when something has slightly changed. Give the GSP time. It’ll open back up. Mine recently told me that my salinity had gone up slightly by closing up for two days even post correction. It’s back to open and happy today.

Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to help. I do have a Duncan that is doing incredibly well and had read that they are a good indicator as to when something is wrong.
I'm sure you don't remember, but quite a while ago I was trying to identify a coral that hitchhiked in on my live rock. No one was able to identify it except you. Oculina Robusta, LOL Any time I see a response from you, I pay attention, thanks!

 

[crazyfishmom]

Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to help. I do have a Duncan that is doing incredibly well and had read that they are a good indicator as to when something is wrong.
I'm sure you don't remember, but quite a while ago I was trying to identify a coral that hitchhiked in on my live rock. No one was able to identify it except you. Oculina Robusta, LOL Any time I see a response from you, I pay attention, thanks!

I wish I could take the credit for that identification but maybe it was someone else on the thread. I think I remember the conversation though! Just looked up oculina robusta, that looks pretty cool. Do you still have it?

 

[Liam's tank]

I wish I could take the credit for that identification but maybe it was someone else on the thread. I think I remember the conversation though! Just looked up oculina robusta, that looks pretty cool. Do you still have it?

Yes! Doing great! Supposed to be difficult coral to keep, or so I've been told. Sorry, you are correct, I went back through my posts, and it was someone else that ID the Robusta. But I'm certain that you have helped me in the past, be it directly, or through reading your responses to other threads. I recognize crazyfishmom as someone who's advice I have learned from in the past.

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

Any updates? Has it come back out?

 

[Liam's tank]

Any updates? Has it come back out?

I just got home from work and noticed that there are 7 polyps out. Hopefully the start of a return to its normal self!