GGGRRRR..... Torches!

doch · #1 12-04-2005, 01:57 AM

So is it just me, or are torches a pain in the butt? I've had no problems at all with bubbles, octos, frogspawns, or hammers... but torches... GGGRRRR!!!! I've lost 3 and am now on my 4th which for the record is the nicest of them all. They just never look nearly as good as they did in the store and then slowly deteriorate into.... well... dead. Any tips? For the record my chemistry is pretty good for the most part... little high on the nitrates and a lottle low on the pH but not TOO bad. I'm only running PC's (until I get my halides put together and bulbs in the mail - unless of course anyone knows where to get cheap bulbs locally) could it be a lack of light? Any tips are appreciated... thanks.
Johnny

michika · #2 12-04-2005, 03:45 AM

What are you parameters?
Have any pictures of your torch?

Skip the local shops, order online, the price online can't be beat by the stores.

BT05 · #3 12-04-2005, 05:04 AM

Roughly how long do they last for you? Do you lose a head at a time or do they all kind of disintegrate at the same rate? They don't like too much flow like from a powerhead directly pointed at it so try a lower flow location.

You could try acclimating it to your lighting slowly. Start by placing it in the sand, then ~2 weeks or so (depending on how it's doing) place it higher up on your rockwork. Leave it there for at least a month. By that time the torch should be acclimated to your lighting so you can place it pretty much where you like.

Try to get brood stock from your LFS rather than wild caught ones since these are already acclimated to captive conditions. Sometimes the damage incurred in shipping is irrecoverable especially with LPS.

doch · #4 12-04-2005, 05:01 PM

Well, as I said the parameters are all good... no amonia, no nitrites, good calcium, good alkalinity, BUT pH is usually around 8.0-8.1 and nitrates are pretty pink... can't rmember the scale right now. As for a head at at time... I have only tried frags (with one head) from the lfs that have (I assume) been acclimated to captivity and then fragged so yes I lose one head at a time, but there is only one to lose, so that doesn't say much. I've been told that they like high flow so I've been keeping them in a spot that has a fair amount of flow. Is this not right? Some of them have liked certain spots but not others, and the others seem to have been backwards... I don't get it.

BT05 · #5 12-05-2005, 12:55 AM

If you blast an LPS with too much flow, it will not expand properly and the tissue will recede exposing the skeleton eventually killing the coral. Especially working with 1 head frags, they need to be specially cared for until they are stronger. Then you can move it around.

Since you have been losing these, that should give you a hint about what to do. Stop putting them in the same location, lower the flow and acclimate it to your lighting. ie. try something different next time because what you're currently doing isn't working for this coral.

This is of course assuming that your tank is indeed healthy, no coral predators and the frag is also healthy to begin with. If you absolutely have to buy 1 head frags get ones that are about to split.

KrazyKuch · #6 12-05-2005, 01:50 AM

WOW did you say that your Nitrate Is a Pretty PINK....If that true I know why your LPS Keeps dieing......

Your NITRATE is at 160PPM or HIGHER!!!!!

You best be getting that level down!!!

KrazyKuch · #7 12-05-2005, 01:51 AM

P.S Your Nitrate should be yellow!!!

KrazyKuch · #8 12-05-2005, 01:54 AM

Sorry for so many posts but My Torch has 6 heads now got him with 1 head and he likes low to medium flow so that he can be all stetched out!!

Beverly · #9 12-05-2005, 02:12 AM

You didn't mention what your magnesium is. Whenever I correct the Mg in my tank to ~1300-1325 ppm, my Euphilia spp. perk right up. Beermaster was over here the other day and couldn't keep his eyes off my Euphilia (don't know if it's a torch or hammer, sheesh

).

doch · #10 12-05-2005, 04:53 PM

That's the thinkg though... I've tried all kinds of different spots for them and nothing seems to work. I haven't tested magnesium however, maybe I'll check that out. As for the nitrates I must be using a differnet test kit because mine only has different levels of pinkness. It's up there but not stupidly high... and yes yes, I'm doing more water changes now. I've kind of let that slip for the last little while... but on that note, torches didn't do well even when I had NO Nitrates. I just looked at my test scale and my nitrates are sitting at aoubt 5. The scale I have is 0 - 25. Not sure if that is PPM or what though.