Is this new growth or dying?

[Dburr1014]

Are these white tips new growth or signs of death in this birdsnest?

I got down to 10 responses so forgive me but, I'm going against what others said.

Sorry OP, but the photo you posted suggests it's dying.
Growth tips *normally* are on the top. You have them scattered top to bottom. They also don't form along the center stalk like this. If it were a new branch let's say, it would grow a bump, then start to have a white tip.

Edit: another thing about growth tips, they are never a sheer line of color then white like your photo. They blend from coral color to white.
Does that make sense?

Here is are photos of growth tips.


This guy had some die off but it's recovering nicely, see the white ring?

This is a leather coral, blue ridge, even that has blending white tips of growth.

 

[Dburr1014]

Lights are off currently, so I'll send a better picture tomorrow.
Stability is currently questionable, as I recently began dosing nopox due to nitrate being 16, and phosphate being 0.1. After doing that, my GSP seemed to not appreciate it. could have been due to a lighting change I did, but I assumed it was due to the nutrients decreasing quickly. So I stopped the dosing, skipped a weekly water change and fed heavier, if it is dying this might be why - I have resumed dosing the nopox and the GSP is coming back slowly anyway

Yikes.
PO4 @ 0.1 is fine as is NO3 @ 16.
Then also a lighting change, then a feed change, then stop dosing change, then a stop water change change, ect... See where I'm going? To many changes.

I say stop the nopox. You seriously don't need it right now. If you think nutrients are too high, which is not, slight less feeding. To low, more feeding.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Yikes.
PO4 @ 0.1 is fine as is NO3 @ 16.
Then also a lighting change, then a feed change, then stop dosing change, then a stop water change change, ect... See where I'm going? To many changes.

I say stop the nopox. You seriously don't need it right now. If you think nutrients are too high, which is not, slight less feeding. To low, more feeding.

Thanks for the info, appreaciate it. My LFS are going to run some tests tomorrow so I can double check that they allign with my results

Here are some better pictures

 

[Biff0rz]

Thanks for the info, appreaciate it. My LFS are going to run some tests tomorrow so I can double check that they allign with my results

Here are some better pictures

You made a ton of changes (and swings). The last picture makes it not look like growth. Are you able to take a clear picture under whites and one with lights out? A night shot will be pretty telling, you can really see stn/rtn/growth easily because a growing tip will still have some brown tint to it and just the very tip will be white. Similarly, dying coral will be very white and pretty clear to see any issues.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

You made a ton of changes (and swings). The last picture makes it not look like growth. Are you able to take a clear picture under whites and one with lights out? A night shot will be pretty telling, you can really see stn/rtn/growth easily because a growing tip will still have some brown tint to it and just the very tip will be white. Similarly, dying coral will be very white and pretty clear to see any issues.

Lights currently out

 

[Dburr1014]

Things not looking so good.
I don't like what I see.
This looks dead, completly.


I've circled problem areas on these 2 pics.

Please re-test again everything and report the numbers here.

Also, lighting, it may not be enough. Do you have par numbers? If not list your lights, and settings.

How is your flow?

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Things not looking so good.
I don't like what I see.
This looks dead, completly.


I've circled problem areas on these 2 pics.

Please re-test again everything and report the numbers here.

Also, lighting, it may not be enough. Do you have par numbers? If not list your lights, and settings.

How is your flow?

Right ok, I'll run some tests shortly.

The stellata that you circled on the first image does seem to be growing quite quick, so it may still be alive, and the smaller digi on the right I cut off from a large frag that was dying, I can admit that one seems to be going downhill

 

[Dburr1014]

The stellata that you circled on the first image does seem to be growing quite quick, so it may still be alive,

That is growing?
Maybe the lighting in the pic. It looks bone white.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

That is growing?
Maybe the lighting in the pic. It looks bone white.

Yeah likely.
I'll run some tests in a few hours. Also worth mentioning, that stellata is currently being outgrown by a plating monti, it is starting to grow onto it and almosy bind with it. I am certain the plating monti will grow quicker, what should I do?

 

[Rappa]

Something seems off. By these pics, seems there's no Coraline algae on the rocks, they mostly look green algae infested. What are your lights, running percentage, and schedule? I would rip that coral out and toss it. I've been there... it sucks. I had problems similar when I would change my lighting intensity or programs frequently, and didn't have much luck with SPS until my tank was growing coraline algae consistantly... and that didn't happen until I stopped playing around with my lights. I started with the basic AB+ at 30% with a ramp up and ramp down, and then dialed them in/ ramped them up slowly. Only then did things start to turn around for sps in my tank. The monti is doing ok because they don't need too much light. I've smoked Monti's by ramping lights up/ making changes too quickly.

 

[Biff0rz]

Lights currently out

1st pic -
Main coral in question - I see some very white spots on the stalk, not tips. This is not a good sign.
coral to the right of it -- this is looking quite faded, I would expect to see it a bit darker brown. It's either almost dead or it was shaded and needs coloring up
3rd coral to the right of the main coral -- there is some clear white area near the base, not looking good.

2nd pic - you can clearly see very white spots that are not growth tips on top and under side of some of the branches. It's probably a goner but you can keep it in there to see if it recovers assuming you bring stability.

 

[Biff0rz]

Something seems off. By these pics, seems there's no Coraline algae on the rocks, they mostly look green algae infested. What are your lights, running percentage, and schedule? I would rip that coral out and toss it. I've been there... it sucks. I had problems similar when I would change my lighting intensity or programs frequently, and didn't have much luck with SPS until my tank was growing coraline algae consistantly... and that didn't happen until I stopped playing around with my lights. I started with the basic AB+ at 30% with a ramp up and ramp down, and then dialed them in/ ramped them up slowly. Only then did things start to turn around for sps in my tank. The monti is doing ok because they don't need too much light. I've smoked Monti's by ramping lights up/ making changes too quickly.

while the lack of coraline is worrying, I wouldn't say it's a leading indicator of success - stability is (both leading and trailing). My tank doesn't grow it on the glass or overflow, just the rocks. It's being outcompeted by other algea. As you mentioned, you provided stability and you started to see success. OP is having a similar issue, he's tinkering with things a lot and causing instability/swings.

 

[Biff0rz]

Yeah likely.
I'll run some tests in a few hours. Also worth mentioning, that stellata is currently being outgrown by a plating monti, it is starting to grow onto it and almosy bind with it. I am certain the plating monti will grow quicker, what should I do?

Move it and hope it recovers -or- cut the monti back (over and over lol)

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Move it and hope it recovers -or- cut the monti back (over and over lol)

Probably would be awkward to cut the monti, as it's touching the stellata and growing on it, might move the stellata

 

[Brad Coughlan]

while the lack of coraline is worrying, I wouldn't say it's a leading indicator of success - stability is (both leading and trailing). My tank doesn't grow it on the glass or overflow, just the rocks. It's being outcompeted by other algea. As you mentioned, you provided stability and you started to see success. OP is having a similar issue, he's tinkering with things a lot and causing instability/swings.

Used to have some coralline on the back wall, seems to have mostly gone, now replaced with GHA on it

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Something seems off. By these pics, seems there's no Coraline algae on the rocks, they mostly look green algae infested. What are your lights, running percentage, and schedule? I would rip that coral out and toss it. I've been there... it sucks. I had problems similar when I would change my lighting intensity or programs frequently, and didn't have much luck with SPS until my tank was growing coraline algae consistantly... and that didn't happen until I stopped playing around with my lights. I started with the basic AB+ at 30% with a ramp up and ramp down, and then dialed them in/ ramped them up slowly. Only then did things start to turn around for sps in my tank. The monti is doing ok because they don't need too much light. I've smoked Monti's by ramping lights up/ making changes too quickly.

Light is the stock one which came with my tank:

TMC Reef Ion 30 LED aquaticsrevolution.com

Slimline Full Spectrum Reef Ready LED Built-in Bluetooth, for easy control and programming via the TMC Link app 4 individually adjustable channels using the latest LEDs Natural reef pre-sets via geolocation Silent operation – no fans Includ .... £169.99.Free P & P.

www.aquaticsrevolution.com

I've just put the intensity to 85%, it was around that mark before I believe.

Schedule is 10AM, ramps up to 12PM full intensity until 11PM and off at 12AM ramping down

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Things not looking so good.
I don't like what I see.
This looks dead, completly.


I've circled problem areas on these 2 pics.

Please re-test again everything and report the numbers here.

Also, lighting, it may not be enough. Do you have par numbers? If not list your lights, and settings.

How is your flow?

Just tested alk and cal

Alk 7 - 7.5
Cal 430 - 450

Lfs are doing tests tomorrow anyway, so I will list nitrate and phos tomorrow

Mag is around 1400 also

 

[Dburr1014]

Light is the stock one which came with my tank:

TMC Reef Ion 30 LED aquaticsrevolution.com

Slimline Full Spectrum Reef Ready LED Built-in Bluetooth, for easy control and programming via the TMC Link app 4 individually adjustable channels using the latest LEDs Natural reef pre-sets via geolocation Silent operation – no fans Includ .... £169.99.Free P & P.

www.aquaticsrevolution.com

I've just put the intensity to 85%, it was around that mark before I believe.

Schedule is 10AM, ramps up to 12PM full intensity until 11PM and off at 12AM ramping down

Not going to get much from 18 watt light. I think they tested par in open air not in water so the numbers go down.

 

[Dburr1014]

Anything that plates has a large surface to collect light.
Sticks do not so they need more par.

The coral as a collective needs xx amount of light. A larger surface is easier to collect than a stick.

Does this make sense?

 

[Rappa]

Maybe turn the whites down and run blues 100%. Ramp it up to 100%. That light does 250 par at 100% and drops pretty dramatically down the water column from what it looks like on the website. It's a tiny bit underwhelming for SPS, but I'm sure you can find some things that will do fine. LPS might do nicely with that light. Turning the whites down should help with GHA too.