Please Help My Brain!

mac1025

New Member
Yesterday I posted a thread about my 3 different types of brains that seemed to be dieing on me. Today when I got home from work the brain was showing half it's skeleton. Yesterday it was just showing a small portion. can anyone help me with this problem. I am going to go check the paramaters right now and will post them shortly. Thanks for any advice in andvance!
 

nordy

Active Member
Sorry to see that-I fear your brain is not long for this world. I have heard, and follow the advice that brain corals should be kept on the sand bed so as not to damage/irrititate their soft tissue.
What about your tank parameters? actual test results including temps can help pinpoint other causes of the dying brains. Lighting?
 

mr_x

Active Member
Originally Posted by Mr_X
http:///forum/post/2659838
yep..what are your water parameters, and what lighting?
ok, just checked out the other thread.
this is just a shot in the dark, but could it be possible that they are not getting enough light?
i ask this because i used to have a 30 cube which had an odessy 250 watt halide over it with actinic suppliment, and everything starved for light. the zoos grew to over an inch tall trying to reach light.
my guess is, those ballasts are sub-par and are not pushing those lamps to their capacity.
 

nycbob

Active Member
yeah need to know what kind of light u hv, and water parameters. with fast response like better conditions, brain corals can recover.
 

mac1025

New Member
Ok just rechecked the paramaters at 930 pm 6/23/08 and they are as follows
PH -8.3
IRON - 0
KH - 130 mg/l
NITRITE - 0.1 mg/l
NITRATE - 10
AMMONIA - 0
CALCIUM - 420
PHOSPHATE - 0
TEMP - 81 DEG.
SALT - 1.24
Lighting is as follows:
ODYSSEA
Metal Halide 48"
HQI 175 W x 2 20,000k
CF 96 W Actinic Blue x 2
Blue Moon x 6 LED
Tank is 110 gallon and is 30" tall
I am putting in a pic of the overall tank so ya'll can get a idea of what the tank looks like! Thanks again for any advice in advance
 

mr_x

Active Member
well, the nitrate could be from the dying corals.
meanwhile, i think the tank looks dim. does it look like the picture, when you are there in person? i still think those ballasts might not be pushing those bulbs enough.
 

mac1025

New Member
The bulbs were installed in Nov. of 07 was told that the get 10 months or so, so I guess I'm due for some new bulbs
 

candycane

Active Member
I'm still going with this:
It appears as if you have little if no water flow from what I can see, just some filters on the tank. This alone will create a multitude of dead spots. Then if you look around the tank, you can see the algae forming all over the substrate and the walls to an extent. If you look at the brain corals, you can actually see the algae growing on the brain corals. A powerhead may save the corals.
They are stationary corals, similar to SPS, and most don't have the ability to just "get rid" of algae if it begins to take over their fleshy parts. They will instead just shed their flesh. Other corals with certain tentacles, have the ability to somewhat "shock" the algae spores and get rid of them - obviously these don't. A prime example is the pink one that has the green spots all over it.
Getting rid of the what is causing the algae to thrive is a number two priority cause it can take a little bit. Getting the algae off of and away from the corals is probably the #1 priority if you want to keep them.
 

mac1025

New Member
As far as the powerhead goes I think I am fine in that department. Presently I am using a Ecotech Marine Vortec propeller powerhead/pump. This thing will kick out 300 to 3,000 gph. I have it set about 1/3 of the setting dial so I estimate i am pushing 1,000 gph in my 110 gallon tank. As far as the algee goes there is purple coralin algee all over the tank and I was told that was a good thing if you see that growing. I do have green algee growing on the front of my tank and about every other day I have to get it off with a algee magnet. But, I am not an expert and I appreciate all the imput thus far. My green open brain is completly showing his skeleton today so it is a loss i guess. the other to i put down in the sand bed for the time being as to figure out if it lack of light or the direct light itself. I am going to purchase some new light bulbs today and maybe then that will help out the remaining coral in the tank. any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
 

mac1025

New Member
If I turn it up much more it starts to turn the sand up from the bottom of the tank....like a cyclone!
 

candycane

Active Member
It's because you have one GIANT pump pushing water in one GIANT direction. I personally would rather have 47 (just kidding) smaller pumps going all the way around my tank then one large one. My favorites are actually the little RIO pumps for tanks where things need a lot of flow. I just suction cup the little things to the wall and use the little nozzle that spreads the flow out.
 

mr_x

Active Member
i have a closed loop with a 3600gph pump powering it, a 2400gph return from sump, and 2 koralia 4's in my tank and it's not enough.
 
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