So new I can’t even grow GSP right- what’s with him?

[ZzyzxRiver]

Nice and bushy until two days ago, my GSP has suddenly become dramatic. Things I’ve noticed:

1) while fully retracted, a couple flea sized critters crawling around in between the sheaths (is there a technical name for that?). Possibly amphipods, possibly GSP murdering jerks?

2) a dwarf brittle star has taken up residence on the underside of the plug, but I haven’t seen it move besides waving its arms around occasionally.

3) on the other side of the tank (16g biocube) inside a clump of blue hypnea, a Medusa worm has taken up residence but has not to my knowledge been near the GSP, and there’s a zoa eating nudibranch on that frag in the background (I’m working on that) but I’ve only seen it on those zoas.

It’s got enough flow to wave the polyps around but not too much, nitrates are under 10 since I last checked 5 days ago, and it had been happily growing in the same spot for a few weeks now.

Any ideas?

 

[DrkNMighty]

The flea size things could be amphipods or copepods, either one would likely not be an issue. GSP is generally pretty hardy. What are the rest of your parameters?

 

[Jekyl]

Tank is new so nothing really grows, it just survives. In no time you'll be cursing that you added it in the first place.

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

I’m new to the hobby and only have those 9-in-1 tester strips and a Hanna nitrate checker. What parameters are important for me to get reliable tester kits for?

 

[exnisstech]

Main things most folks test are alkalynity, phosphate, nitrate and calcium. I use Hanna for the first 3 and salifert for calcium.
GSP has been weird for me for the first few years I couldn't keep it alive. Now it does well. Try to keep it from spreading off of that rock if you don't want it everywhere. I like gsp but many do not.

 

[Jekyl]

I’m new to the hobby and only have those 9-in-1 tester strips and a Hanna nitrate checker. What parameters are important for me to get reliable tester kits for?

Salinity, nitrate, phosphate, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

I am doing a soft coral only tank- do I still need alk/cal/mag?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I am doing a soft coral only tank- do I still need alk/cal/mag?

leather corals build a sort of skeleton which helps them stand up straight called - sclerites (I was going to say sterilites but I checked myself first) so yes, alk and calcium are important for soft corals... if you want leathers anyway, which include a variety of corals.

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

OK, here’re the parameters I’m currently able to test with my strips:

General hardness: 300+
Total alk 300
Carbonate hardness 40+
PH 8-8.4

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

Bump with fresh pic, you can see brittle star legs poking out as well.

 

[sharkbait-uhaha]

Ditch the strips and get yourself some real testing kits, Hanna makes good and easy to use
Alk/nitrate/phosphate and then go with salifert or so for calcium and mag

OK, here’re the parameters I’m currently able to test with my strips:

General hardness: 300+
Total alk 300
Carbonate hardness 40+
PH 8-8.4

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

Good news! The polyps are back out. I realized my filter was in backwards, so I swapped it around, and the next morning: back in business. I don’t know if it’s the actual reason, but I was having a mini phyto bloom that the filter also cleared up overnight, so maybe? If not, I’m slowly learning the main reefing lesson: patience!