Why Are My Start Polyps Dying?

[sothoth]

I have a 30gal tank, live sand/rock, a CPR skimmer, and a hang-on refugium.

I have an Anthelia, Xenia, many types of Zoanthids, a fanworm, and three fish (6-line wrasse, firefish, and a goby), and the normal compliment of snails and hermit crabs.

All are doing splendidly, the tank has been up for about a year.

Lately I've had trouble with my start polyps. I have a rock with green start polyps that did GREAT when I first got them but for the last month or two they're not very happy. They don't come out that often and when they do, only about 60% are showing themselves.

I bought more green start polyps about a month ago and equilibrated them slowly. They never came out and eventually died. I tried another rock but the same thing.

Suggestions? I've tested salinity, pH, iodine/iodide, calcium, ammonia, and nitrate. All is spot on. Nitrate is 10ppm or less depending on when I test. Usually it's not detectible.

I feed enriched brine and mysis 2x/day with no food left over after a minute or two. I suppliment with chromaplex for the filter feeders, 1tsp every other day.

I'm having a hard time knowing what I'm doing wrong but apparently I'm doing something I shouldn't be.

I've tried changing to new bulbs (130W 50/50 compact fluorescents), putting them in high current and medium current, near the top, in the middle, near the bottom, etc, but they just aren't happy whatever I do.

I love my little start polyps and don't like killing them by doing something wrong. The newest set I put in about a week ago also haven't come out. I'm very sad.

Anyone have any suggestions about salinity? I'm around 1.024 and keep it pretty stable there. But obviously a small tank like mine is hard to keep perfectly stable but I do my best.

Any other suggestions?? Even if you don't know what I'm doing wrong per se, any experiences about how you care for yours is helpful.

Thanks!
Keith

 

[SkiFletch]

At the risk of sounding high and mighty, are you sure they're star polyps cause mine grow like WEEDS . Any way you can post a pic of them even if they are closed up?

I'd first have an LFS verify your chemistry readings just to make sure. You could have a bad test kit and be fooled into thinking your chemistry is OK when its really not. The parameters to be most concerned with are specific gravity, alkalinity, pH, temp, calcium, nitrate, and phosphate. Have those verified and report back

Another possibility, coral eating flatworms, bugs, or nudibranchs. Have you inspected them really closely for anything eating them or another coral touching them? Star polyps are generally out-stung by most LPS. They are pretty neutral with softies and star polyps out-sting SPS.

 

[sothoth]

They're star polyps for sure. I don't have a camera handy. Soo... I'm not offended by the question because I'm as perplexed as you since these are highly recommended for even beginners and it seems very odd that they're not doing well.

They look like these: http/www.aquariumarts.com/greenstarpolyp.html

I'll take your recommendation about the water test, I'll do that in the next day or two.

 

[sothoth]

Anyone have any experiences with how tolerant they are for salinity range and changes? ie: do they drop dead if it's a little too salty, etc., or do they commit hary kary if you change it from 1.023 to 1.024 in a few hours?

 

[SkiFletch]

They should be OK from 1.023-1.027 anywhere in that range. Above 1.027 and they'll close up for sure. Below 1.023 and they'd prolly discolor and wither away, not close up.

 

[sothoth]

They should be OK from 1.023-1.027 anywhere in that range. Above 1.027 and they'll close up for sure. Below 1.023 and they'd prolly discolor and wither away, not close up.

Your suggestion about the 3rd party water test was quite apt. I took some water to the store I frequent and they got the same results as me for everything but salinity. Turns out my floating hydrometer was WAY off. My salinity was measuring 1.024 using my device and they got 1.032!!!!!!!! Bought a new hydrometer that agrees with theirs (so it's correct now) and I'm going to REALLY SLOWLY get the salinity where it should be.

Thanks for the suggestion. The last thing I suspected was a hydrometer.

 

[SkiFletch]

Glad I said something Hydrometers are notorious for drifting high, especially if they are not rinsed thoroughly in freshwater after each use.