GSP closing up . . . why?

DRC Archive General Saltwater Discussion
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I added a small frag of Green Star Polyp to an unpopulated section of my tank, hoping it would spread up the back. I added it about 1 1/2 monthh ago. It has been thriving and spreading slowly, up until about 3 days ago. It has suddenly retreated, and hasn’t come out since. My other corals are doing fine, parameters haven’t changed (test for Ca, Mg, dKh, Amm, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH, Salinity) . . . the only thing I can’t/didn’t test for was phosphates and Strotnium. Lighting schedule hasn’t changed, and I haven’t added any livestock to the tank in 2-3 weeks.

Also, I have a pulsing xenia that has closed up about 2 days before this happened.
I added a reactor with phosguard last night, and they’re still closed up as of this morning.

I suspect that one of my critters is bugging it. I have a coral beauty and a sleeper goby that are possible culprits, but that’s just guessing.

Oh mighty forum, in your infinite experience and wisdom, do you have any suggestions as to what can be happening?

My tank has been running for 6 months, parameters are as follows:

2 ATI Aquablue +
1 ATI Actinic
1 14,000K

15G sump w/:
Mini-G skimmer
500gph pump
3 1/2 gal refugium w/ cheato

29gal tank w/:
1 - 240 gph powerhead
35lbs live rock
2 in sand bed
Pulsing xenia, GSP, 3 colonies of zoas, Candy Cane Caulestrea, Clove polyps, 2 purple tip anenome, 2 head hammer, 2 maxi-mini carpet anenomes, torch
More snails/crabs than I can count, 2 emerald crabs, 2 pepperment shrimp, 1 coral banded shrimp
1 sleeper gobie, coral beauty, yellow clown gobie, 2 percula clowns

pH: 8.0
sal: ~ 1.024 Swing arm, average of 3 measurements, all around 1.024 w/ no big deviation
temp: 81 F
dKh: 8
Ca: ~ 440
Mg: 1350
Amm, Nitrate/ite: 0
Reef crystals salt mix
I get my RODI from DPA, and have yet to have a problem with their water.

Your help will be greatly appreciated!

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Just to add a quick :TWOCENTS, sometimes my gsp gets pissy and stays closed for a day or two, this happens every other month for no apparent reason? . Xenia, never closes much.

Everything you listed looks fine to me…
but i am concerned about the swing arm hydrometer, they have inconsistent readings at best, and hardly accurate. If you’re gonna keep using it, at least check it against a properly calibrated refractometer (swing arms are usually at least .03 off IME. But IMO a refractometer should come before any coral… (Bad Boy Dave) slap-stick
Especially in a smaller system like yours… speaking of which, how about water top-offs? any idea how much your salinity is swinging? and whats your w/c schedule, and how close are you getting the params to the tank water? they’re all important, but IME the time i didn’t match salinity or temp was when things got upset…
thats all i’ve got for now Dave…
never had a coral beauty btw, so i don’t know about that

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I match the WC salinity to the tank salinity during weekly water changes of a little under 10% (I have a 2.5 gal bucket I use for water changes). The salt mix I use keeps most of the parameters up except for alk, I use a little buffer solution every 3-4 weeks to keep pH/Alk in check. Ca and Mg seem to be holding steady without need for suppliments. Also, I have been dosing about 2mL of Brightwells Iodide soloution about every 2 weeks.
I have a heater in my salt mix tank, along with a powerhead. I pre-mix for about 2 days prior to my changes. I top off with RODI every day due to the small size of my sump . . . I’m planning on upgrading to a larger sump sometime in the near future and installing an ATO to avoid this hassle. Water level drops about a quart per day, making the salinity swing negligible.

DPA just got in the refractometers I’ve been waiting for (I’ve been waiting over a month now, but I’m a loyal customer so . . . .). I’ll be stopping in after work today and picking one up.

I think that it’s funny that your gsp throws hissy fits . . . maybe it’s going through that “adolescent stage” . . . lmao

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[quote=“saltcreep, post:2, topic:4297”]
Just to add a quick :TWOCENTS, sometimes my gsp gets pissy and stays closed for a day or two, this happens every other month for no apparent reason? . Xenia, never closes much.[/quote]

+1 my GSP does the same crap. Maybe it’s the moon or something.

[quote=“saltcreep, post:2, topic:4297”]
Everything you listed looks fine to me…
but i am concerned about the swing arm hydrometer, they have inconsistent readings at best, and hardly accurate. If you’re gonna keep using it, at least check it against a properly calibrated refractometer (swing arms are usually at least .03 off IME. But IMO a refractometer should come before any coral… (Bad Boy Dave) slap-stick
Especially in a smaller system like yours… speaking of which, how about water top-offs? any idea how much your salinity is swinging? and whats your w/c schedule, and how close are you getting the params to the tank water? they’re all important, but IME the time i didn’t match salinity or temp was when things got upset…
thats all i’ve got for now Dave…[/quote]
+10 a refractometer should be #2 on the buying list for a reefer.

[quote=“saltcreep, post:2, topic:4297”]
never had a coral beauty btw, so i don’t know about that[/quote]
No coral beauty in with GSP, but that will change tonight YahoO

5

::rofl:: Sounds good Dave, and Pat, i’ll stop mooning my tank, if you do >LOCO<

The only other thing Dave is the iodide. I’ve never added it, and a good rule is don’t add what you can’t test accurately !!!
Maybe one of our chemistry experts can speak more on the iodide and the amount being used. I don’t know much about it, but seems like a lot to me… just a thought.

6

Dave, sounds like your tank is doing too good ::thumbsup:: ::thumbsup:: ::thumbsup::
Zenia and GSP like higher nutrient tank. I noticed that the better SPS(colors increase in low nutrient system) do the worth soft corals do. My zenia melted away 6 month ago ( no signs of it left)and GSP stoped spreading like it used to, and will not open like it used to. Both are good signs IF this is what you looking for.

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Little known fact. GSP is a strictly female coral. Not just a gene but a menopausal, hot flash inclined, miserably b!tch of a woman at that!!! Proof? Find me 1 person that has GSP that hasn’t had an issue with it closing up for no reason, not reacting to any TLC, refusing to do what you want it to until IT is ready to do it!!!

Seriously though. Sometimes.es it will close up for a week at a time. Usually right before it has a serious growth explosion.

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Rosti may be on to something with it not growing well during to nutrients. I don’t keep either Xenia or GSP in the same tank with my stony corals because they grow so fast and take over, but neither would likely do well in that system anyways because the tank is so tight as far as free nutrients. If that is the case the Phosban may be the opposite of what you want if you really want your GSP.
It can be a difficult balance to keep some soft corals healthy and not have hair algae and cyano. I actually think maintaining Xenia is much harder then keeping Acropora.

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jon says "I actually think maintaining Xenia is much harder then keeping Acropora. "
wanna buy some? as you know i have xenia all over the tank, but can’t keep acros to save my life.

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Little known fact. GSP is a strictly female coral. Not just a gene but a menopausal, hot flash inclined, miserably (puppy) of a woman at that!!!! Proof? Find me 1 person that has GSP that hasn't had an issue with it closing up for no reason, not reacting to any TLC, refusing to do what you want it to until IT is ready to do it!!!!
Its only a miserable (puppy) of a woman because the surrounding corals wont take out the freakin trash or clean up after themselves!!!!! slap-stick ::rofl:: Really though- mine are closed up right now because my cleaner shrimp was bothering them so I moved them to the other side of the tank where the shrimp never seems to venture to see how that works. Haven't seen an improvement yet but I only moved them 2 days ago.
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You guys are great, love the advice! I made NO CHANGES by listening to you, and true to your word the GSP has returned in full strength. Must have been that time of the month . . . ::rofl::

The xenia, however, has been reduced to a blob. I’m assuming it’s due to the lack of nutrients that I have my system on right now. Everything else is doing VERY well, and I’m not sure if I want to alter anything just for the sake of one frag.

I took the xenia out of the water, and it smelled bad . . . I’ve heard that you can leave it in the tank, and it may decide to grow back . . . is this true? Should I remove it completely and call it off as a loss?

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Unless it’s a HUGE colony that may crash your tank if it goes - and it’s not and won’t - I’d leave it be. I’ve had xenia melt away and then show up again 6 month later.