more problems with green star polyps

[douggiestyle]

my green star polyps have ceased opening. it has been two days now. there are some diatoms all over them. my water flow is moderate apx 400-600 gph flowing throughout the tank. if you check my tank stats youll see that the water quality is very good. any help would be great.

im all ears

thanks doug

 

[Hara]

you say alkalinity is high....what is high?

 

[captivereefs]

Do you have any xenia? My polyps died slowly after I put my xenia into the tank.Chemial warfare I am sure!

 

[douggiestyle]

you say alkalinity is high....what is high?

apx 10.0 meq/l

Do you have any xenia?

no xenia.
ive been observing this polyp covered rock at the lfs for three weeks +, and its looked very healthy.

 

[reefrunner69]

apx 10.0 meq/l

1) Why approximately?

2) 10 meq/L might do some interesting things to human skin

I uspect that is either DKH or you kit requires you to divide the number of drops of titration by 2.

 

[douggiestyle]

it is a red sea kit and it requires me to multiply the amt of titrant used by 4 and the amount of titrant i used was betwen .65 and .75 because i was not a hundred percent sure of when the color changed. oh wait..... i am such an idiot

the alkalinty level is 2.6 to 3.0. thats better

these directions are terrible.

 

[jks1]

i have a 5" grn star polyp rock myself. I experimented with placement in my tank. I have 150W HQI MH on my 29. Started him low in the tank, then moved him to the middle, and finally he is halfway up under the lip of the skimmer output and he has opened up twice as big as before. Move it around and see! Good luck!

 

[douggiestyle]

hes about 8" below the surface with 130 w of 10k pc and ditto of actinic. same placement and lighting as at the lfs

 

[douggiestyle]

how long could this go for til they die assuming that they havent died already?

they where huge for five days or so. i mean huge. the rock appeared to double in size it looked as if it was covered with hair. good size rock too. about the size of a softball or larger. with no space uncovered save the bottom. the rock had large holes throughit also and my royal dotty would swim thru them, so cool.

im really bummed.

 

[ReefLady]

there are some diatoms all over them.

Blow them off with a turkey baster, and do this as often as possible to keep them free of detritus. They won't open as long as anything is "on" them.

how long could this go for til they die assuming that they havent died already?

GSP's are extremely hardy -- as long as the current problem is resolved, I'm sure they'll bounce back.

Good luck!

 

[douggiestyle]

Blow them off with a turkey baster, and do this as often as possible to keep them free of detritus.

did that yesterday

 

[douggiestyle]

Blow them off with a turkey baster

its funny but i think ive used a turkey baster for a hundred different things but never for basting a turkey

 

[douggiestyle]

still no success with green star polyps. i havent updated my profile lately but nitrate levels have been at o.o for apx 2 wks. polyps havent opened (except for 5-6 literally) in three days. about a dozen opened after basting them but now basting has no effect. there is turf algae starting to grow on them and im pretty depressed.
ive been having some turf algae problems in general. could this be causing my problem.
turf algae? is this what its called? light green and definitely not hair algae. can sometimes get slimy looking with air bubbles trapped in it.

 

[douggiestyle]

after such a long time are these things dead?

 

[steve-s]

after such a long time are these things dead?

Not dead but most likely dormant unless there is necrosis. GSP will not really die but rather shrink in mass until it's gone. Almost as if consuming itself. Any amount of algae on them will keep them from opening. The type of algae may not allow the turkey baster to do much. Instead I would go purchase a new very soft bristle toothbrush and very gentley remove the algae on the GSP.

I would also move it to about midway in the tank and in a flow area that will gentely blow the top of the polyp area. You will not really know it's right until they open and you may need to move it every few days until you find the right spot. Don't be too quick to move it though, give it at least 2-3 days after each move.

When was the last water change? It could also be a trace element deficiencey.

Cheers
Steve

 

[douggiestyle]

thanks steve. i am using a trace element suppliment. i also do 5 gal water changes each week. did try tooth brush a few times and it didnt seem to help at all. i also have moved it down lower in the tank to apx 12" below the surface. ten or so of the small ones will open each day and they are very small. there are a few small feather worms on the rock and they open each day also. :? will try tooth brush again.

 

[steve-s]

there are a few small feather worms on the rock and they open each day also. :?

Are you refering to small dusters with soft tubes? If so, remove them from the coral. They are most likely part of the irritation that could be keeping them from opening up. These guys can sometimes reach plague proportions which can hamper coral health. Keep an eye on them.

Also keep removing the algae until it stops coming back. As long as there is algae on the coral it will continue to stay closed, even if partially. I would increase the water change to 10 gal weekly as well. It will correct issues with chem a little better provided the salt is also up to par. Ease off the trace element additions. They will fuel algaes as much as anything, especially iodine. Half the recommended dosage ½ as often.

As jks1 and others have said, it may just be a matter of finding the right spot. Water flow being at the top of the list....


Cheers
Steve

 

[douggiestyle]

Are you refering to small dusters with soft tubes?

these things are very small when open they are less than the diameter of a pencil eraser (2mm) and when closed i am unable to detect them. also they likely number fewer than ten on a rock the size of a softball. also, with the slightest movement there gone. remove them?

 

[steve-s]

remove them?

Nope. They are simple sedentary polychaetes and will not really bother the GSP. They will move around some but do not reproduce all that quickly.

Cheers
Seve

 

[douggiestyle]

WOW, readjusted water flow in tank and found about ten times as many open the following day. am going to add a power head and see what happens next. will keep posted