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CAndy canes drastically changed

falconut

NJRC Member
Years ago I was growing LPS like crazy, then one day they started to melt like yours. The flesh started shrinking up towards the heads. I lost almost all of them & tried adding 1 here and there, but only to have the same results. If I recall correctly, I posted a photo & somebody told me to try a dip in lugols. It actually started looking better after a few days, so I dipped a few more times & it was getting better. I read up & started adding 4-8 drops every week or two and suddenly I was able to keep LPS again. So, whenever I see an LPS starting to have the tissue pull up, I make sure add a few drops. I still add 4 drops every so often. Not sure if it would help your coral, but if you had a container, maybe try doing a dip of lugols. Good luck, they definitely need help.
 
Years ago I was growing LPS like crazy, then one day they started to melt like yours. The flesh started shrinking up towards the heads. I lost almost all of them & tried adding 1 here and there, but only to have the same results. If I recall correctly, I posted a photo & somebody told me to try a dip in lugols. It actually started looking better after a few days, so I dipped a few more times & it was getting better. I read up & started adding 4-8 drops every week or two and suddenly I was able to keep LPS again. So, whenever I see an LPS starting to have the tissue pull up, I make sure add a few drops. I still add 4 drops every so often. Not sure if it would help your coral, but if you had a container, maybe try doing a dip of lugols. Good luck, they definitely need help.
What is lugols? Sorry I'm not familiar with it
 
What about temp? Is it possible the sudden lack of water changes has caused the temp to either rise or drop?

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Not so much lack of water change as cause it hasn't been the normal period of time since my last change every 2 weeks sometimes sooner but usually I do the water change out of habit as the water stays pretty stable and healthy chemistry wise the temp hasn't fluctuated as far as I can tell I don't have a digital thermometer but the standard mercury or what ever they use instead of mercury thermometer has a green zone for salt and it's been pretty much dead center of the green zone for months
 
Not so much lack of water change as cause it hasn't been the normal period of time since my last change every 2 weeks sometimes sooner but usually I do the water change out of habit as the water stays pretty stable and healthy chemistry wise the temp hasn't fluctuated as far as I can tell I don't have a digital thermometer but the standard mercury or what ever they use instead of mercury thermometer has a green zone for salt and it's been pretty much dead center of the green zone for months
What I meant was if you are suddenly running a protein skimmer that is extracting salt water and needing to add RO/DI water to make up for the loss. Could it be throwing things off the regular routine and causing fluctuations resulting in stress on sensitive creatures? Just a thought from someone else who never heard of Lugol's (but doses Iodide). [emoji382] [emoji451]

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What I meant was if you are suddenly running a protein skimmer that is extracting salt water and needing to add RO/DI water to make up for the loss. Could it be throwing things off the regular routine and causing fluctuations resulting in stress on sensitive creatures? Just a thought from someone else who never heard of Lugol's (but doses Iodide). [emoji382] [emoji451]

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I dose iodide too should I not? as for the idea of fluctuation in the tank that's what I am kinda leaning towards perhaps that coral is sensitive to what ever change the protein skimmer did, I am going to have the water checked at ACC or possible ultimate corals maybe a fresh set of eyes and better testing can give me some clues. I just want to prevent what ever this is from happening to anything else
 
To iodide or not to iodide? It was suggested to me. I like to think it's helping. Please post the test results so dummies like me can learn.

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Trio91

Administrator
Moderator
Red Sea has a colors kit that you can use to dose iodine (A).....which is what I use. I too put in a couple of drops in my tank after I do my weekly water changes. Seems to help but can't confirm.

The protein skimmer shouldn't have a drastic affect on your tank unless the unit is "oversized" which could cause a problem. Oversized meaning something that rated for a 200 gal tank on your 40 breeder. That could strip out too much from your tank in a short period of time.

Try periodically running your skimmer to see if that helps. Like for example only run it on a timer for a few hours of the day.....instead of 24/7
 

Trio91

Administrator
Moderator
What I meant was if you are suddenly running a protein skimmer that is extracting salt water and needing to add RO/DI water to make up for the loss. Could it be throwing things off the regular routine and causing fluctuations resulting in stress on sensitive creatures? Just a thought from someone else who never heard of Lugol's (but doses Iodide). [emoji382] [emoji451]

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Worse case, if it tripped the ato after running, it may have dropped your salinity slightly......but nothing to where it would crash your tank. Test your salinity and see where you are with the protein skimmer on.
 

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
For you Iodine dosers, THIS is a must read. First off, if you're dosing it, you need to be testing for it....but here's the kicker, there are no hobby test kits that are that accurate.....Salifert comes the closest for the inorganic forms of iodine, but doesn't get the iodo-organic forms. So dose with caution.
 

MadReefer

Vice President
Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
My hammer and frogspawn closed up. Once I was able to balance the Alk and Calc the Hammer came back and even sprouted a small head. The Frogspawn is still questionable, one head gone but the other making a slow comeback. Thanks to redfishbluefish for helping me here.
 

Trio91

Administrator
Moderator
Haven't seen any micro bubbles in the main tank the only noticeable difference I can see is my water is extremely clear
the clarity im assuming is because of the skimming. have you checked your N' n P's? the skimmer may have stripped it down very fast which could've caused the coral to react
 
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