Gorgonian troubles - Frag Outpost Forums - Coral Propagation and Reef Aquarium Forums

EvilTwin · 03-17-2006, 08:56 PM

She was just adding makeup water. Everything else in the tank appears to be doing well. The small SPS frag even appears to have more polyp extension. It's just the gorg is looking like it has problems.

FragOutpost · 03-17-2006, 09:01 PM

Hopefully the water change will help. Good luck with it and let us know how it does.

EvilTwin · 03-17-2006, 09:50 PM

Surprisingly, I found an ebay auction with pictures of a sea whip gorgonian that looks very similar to the way mine does now

http://cgi.ebay.com/PURPLE-SEA-WHIP-...cmdZVie wItem

When I first got it, the polyps were very white in color as seen in some of my first pictures. The polyps now look darker, like those in the picture from the auction. I don't know if this is good, bad or otherwise.

EvilTwin · 03-21-2006, 07:32 AM

Well, the gorg has appeared to take a turn for the worse. The purple "flshy" parts have started to deteriorate and I can even see the round skeleton base in some areas. I'm going to consider this a lost cause, but I did get some poly reaction when touching it, so something is still hanging on. I'm at a loss for what to do at this point. Suggestions?

EvilTwin · 03-21-2006, 11:23 AM

Latest pic:

EvilTwin · 03-21-2006, 11:41 AM

Allright. Something I discovered while poking around. On Liveaquaria, they advertise these for sale. I went to look at the list of parameters and one thing I noticed is that they say these gorgs like temps 72-78 degrees. When I set up this new tank I moved the heater over and left it set the same. The temp of the tank hovered around 78, 2 degrees lower than the old hex tank. I figured the size and additional volume probably made the tank cool faster. Sometime about two weeks ago, or so, I began raising the tanks temp to 80, which is where is sits now, very constantly. Could the temp be too warm for the gorg? If I bring it back down, how will that affect my other inhabitants?

FragOutpost · 03-21-2006, 01:45 PM

I'm no expert on gorgonians but the temp should be fine. Most reef inhabitants can handle temps in the low 80's without problem. Being in FL my tank is in the low 80's almost year round. I would suspect a calcium or alkalinity imbalance or high nutrients like phosphates, nitrates, nitrites, or ammonia. Temps between 76-82 should have very little effect on most corals.

D12monkey · 03-22-2006, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvilTwin

I figured the size and additional volume probably made the tank cool faster.

This is a common misconception. Water is one of the most stable elements known to man. It actually can reatain its temperature better then most other stuff. The more volume of water that you have the more stable and the slower a change in temperature will occur. You HEX tank had a lower total volume hence the higher temperature it ran at (due to the heat from you lighting and other equipment) I can almost gaurantee that it also ran colder than your current tank. The Temperature swing will be greater in a tank with lower volume of water then one with a higher volume.