Is my chile coral okay?
- Thread starter liadb
- Start date
lmforbis
Well-Known Member
Chili corals are non photosynthetic so they must be fed regularly. They prefer low lighting so should be placed in a low light part of the tank. They should expand at night and put out fuzzy white polyps. I spot feed mine reef frenzy when the polyps are out.
Yours is covered in hair algae which is not good. It takes a long time for them to die they kind of shrink and eventually aren't there anymore. If you want to save it you need to start feeding it daily with an appropriate coral food.
Yours is covered in hair algae which is not good. It takes a long time for them to die they kind of shrink and eventually aren't there anymore. If you want to save it you need to start feeding it daily with an appropriate coral food.
liadb
New Member
How do I get rid of the hair algae? It really isn't under the lights directly, there is a live rock ledge above it that shades it. I've had it in several different places in the tank and it seems happiest with the flow where it is. It has been growing new shoots. I put in some fresh green algae two weeks ago from my algae traps in the sump for the fish & shrimp & crabs. Do you think it attached to the chile? Do I pull it off?
liadb
New Member
So - I did a check and believe
1. I was crazy to put the live green algae in for a clownfish and shrimp. Tangs yes - don't have them.
2. My phosphates were a little higher than normal, so I put in some phosban.
3. I cleaned up my chili with surgical tweezers and a soft brush.
4. I turned the day lights off for all but two hours for the next two days.
5. I put two turbo snails right on chili and they are going to town.
This is the only place I have the GHA, which is near where the fresh algae I put in the tank from my algae scrubbers a few weeks ago. Won't EVER do that again in my reef tank.
flower
Well-Known Member
Hi... Chili coral needs really strong water flow to keep it free of algae. Also it needs to be under a ledge, or in an open ended cave with a nano power head directed at it, so water can flow over it. Completely out of the light. You have high phosphates and nitrates, test show the wrong readings as low to nothing because the algae feeds on it. Do lots of water changes to try and starve the GHA, the stuff grows fast, and it won't be long before it's out of control.
liadb
New Member
My nitrates are always very low- I don't see any other GHA other than the remnants on chili.
flower
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Phosphates and nitrates are needed to feed the GHA, if you keep it under control, the GHA should go away completely. It does look much better....
Algae (not just GHA, but any algae, which is a natural thing in a reef) will choke it out and it won't be able to bloom, then it will starve. It isn't in a good place if it's under the lights, it needs to be moved to a darker place in the tank, under a ledge or build a cave. It must be getting enough flow because it is blooming and seems happy in that spot. The coral itself doesn't care if it's under the light or not, it's non-photosynthetic... algae is it's enemy.
Phosphates and nitrates are needed to feed the GHA, if you keep it under control, the GHA should go away completely. It does look much better....
Algae (not just GHA, but any algae, which is a natural thing in a reef) will choke it out and it won't be able to bloom, then it will starve. It isn't in a good place if it's under the lights, it needs to be moved to a darker place in the tank, under a ledge or build a cave. It must be getting enough flow because it is blooming and seems happy in that spot. The coral itself doesn't care if it's under the light or not, it's non-photosynthetic... algae is it's enemy.