Blue ridge receeding

[JMM744]

I have a very nice piece that has started to go downhill. There have been a few days when the polyps have opened but not recently. There seems to be a constant film coming off it. I also have some montipora , one green that seems to be doing well and darkening up finally but the red is very pale and starting to dissolve. All have been in that tank for a couple months now. T5 lighting. And dosing nitrates and trying to keep alk. up around 10. Mostly easy stuff in the tank. Phos. is around .12 and have lots of chaeto and Devils breath in the sump. Good flow in tank. I can get pictures and will have current water quality tomorrow. Bulbs in t5 probably need changed but unsure if that would affect the corals. Starting to see good growth of coralline algae. Calc and mag have been in acceptable ranges. Alk was low and Nitrates where 0 when this started. Just started trying to get some nitrates in the tank and get alk up some from around 6.5-7. Let me know what you think please. Thank you, Jim

 

[Bunnee911]

Lighting that needs new bulbs can definitely affect coral. I change mine at 8 months as I can't tell when they go dim.

 

[JMM744]

I have new bulbs and will change this week.

 

[TRPlacek]

Blue ridge coral is a pretty hardy coral. I've had mine for two years and is pretty common for it to release slime and it can go weeks without polyp extension and then polyps are out for weeks at a time. But it has lived through the roughest of times in my tank.

 

[JMM744]

Maybe the light are the problem. It was under led when I got it. It has lost size and the blue edges are gone now. Thank you for your input. Still listening.

 

[TRPlacek]

Any pics?

 

[JMM744]

Here is a shot from early Nov.

 

[JMM744]

Here is a shot from early Nov.

and a month later. Will get a pic once the lights come on tomorrow.

 

[JMM744]

OK, got a picture of the piece this afternoon. Things are a bit stirred up due to some water work and adding some corals to the tank. Changed all 4 bulbs too. Moved the ridge back some in the tank. Noticed that I can see where the polyps are but no extension. There are holes in the skeleton of the coral too. Time will tell if the lights help.

 

[TRPlacek]

OK, got a picture of the piece this afternoon. Things are a bit stirred up due to some water work and adding some corals to the tank. Changed all 4 bulbs too. Moved the ridge back some in the tank. Noticed that I can see where the polyps are but no extension. There are holes in the skeleton of the coral too. Time will tell if the lights help.

It looks pretty healthy to me. Mine will still grow whether the polyps are out or not. It's a strange coral but like I said before it is a very hardy coral. I have been told that when it turns all blue is when you have to worry as when it dies the skeleton is blue. Like yours mine looks like a drab purple but it's blue on the underside.

Here's an old pic of mine. Notice the blue underneath.

 

[JMM744]

Just a follow up, since changing the bulbs the coral has shown good polyp extension every day. I also have started to work at getting a bit more cal, mag and alk in the system. It's the best I have seen it since getting it. Thanks and have a great New Years.
Jim