jehazlet
11/26/2006, 09:32 PM
Fellow Reefers,
Just returned from a great vacation to find some challenges with my reef tank and was wondering if anyone had some similar experiences or thoughts?
We were on vacation for 1 week (7 days). We had a friend come by to feed the fish (brine and Mysis shrimp) and to top off the water. NO suppliments were added during this time for the corals (hammers, xenia, colt, brain, polyps, etc.)...
Upon our return...I immediately noticed that a patch of xenia (we have several patches) was decomposing. This patch was one of our most prominent and highest towards the top of the tank. There appears to be no other casualties from our break from life! :), however the tanks salinity is quite low (1.018 compared to a usual 1.024).
Before we left on vacation I did numerous water changes (fresh/salt water mix) to 'fix' a nitrate issue. Looking back, the freshwater was more prominent then the salt.
Questions:
1.) Might the lack of feeding the fish force them to snack on a single patch of xenia? What about crabs/shrimp?
2.) Would the drastic drop in salinity cause the destruction to this single xenia?
3.) I routinely nourish the corals with nutrients including live phytoplankton, calcium, stroteum, etc......would a drastic stop in feeding cause a self-distruct on this single xenia patch?
Just returned from a great vacation to find some challenges with my reef tank and was wondering if anyone had some similar experiences or thoughts?
We were on vacation for 1 week (7 days). We had a friend come by to feed the fish (brine and Mysis shrimp) and to top off the water. NO suppliments were added during this time for the corals (hammers, xenia, colt, brain, polyps, etc.)...
Upon our return...I immediately noticed that a patch of xenia (we have several patches) was decomposing. This patch was one of our most prominent and highest towards the top of the tank. There appears to be no other casualties from our break from life! :), however the tanks salinity is quite low (1.018 compared to a usual 1.024).
Before we left on vacation I did numerous water changes (fresh/salt water mix) to 'fix' a nitrate issue. Looking back, the freshwater was more prominent then the salt.
Questions:
1.) Might the lack of feeding the fish force them to snack on a single patch of xenia? What about crabs/shrimp?
2.) Would the drastic drop in salinity cause the destruction to this single xenia?
3.) I routinely nourish the corals with nutrients including live phytoplankton, calcium, stroteum, etc......would a drastic stop in feeding cause a self-distruct on this single xenia patch?