Softy advice

[cyberwollf]

this softy has lost about 2/3 of fingers since i got it.  You can see the flat spots in the picture were the other 2 branchs used to be.  I have never seen a fish mess with it, does it look like physical damage? It does seem to usually have some kinda slime around it. 

[MechanicalEngineer]

How are your chemicals testing out?  Do you have other softies in the tank?  Have you changed anything recently?  Please give us some more info.

[cyberwollf]

ok back to this issue.

ammonia 0
nitrites 0
nitrates 0
phosphates none that my kit can detect
temp 80
PH 7.9
SG 1.025
alk 6.5 bringing it up
calcium 400
mag 1180 a little low

another topic: how to raise alk with baking soda and raise PH?

Heres some more pics.  Look like it eather dissolving from inside, or being eaten. 2nd picture is dark (it was hard to get the exposure to show the problem area.

[cyberwollf]

Yea all other softes are doing great, only had this one since the BIITB and seems to have gone downhill since i got it.  I hear some folks say they cant keep, mushrooms, GSP etc.  really hardy stuff, what causes that?  Too much light? to much flow?

Ok i probably have 4 topics in this thread now....

[jungliztkruger]

sadly my pom pom xenias are doing about the same thing    im pretty much left with half my mother colony after they were flourishing and multiplying for around 6 months.

[MechanicalEngineer]

Definitely get your Mag and Alk up.  Your pH should probably come up a bit too.  Are you running carbon?  If not, I would definitely start that.  If you aren't, you could have chemical warfare going on. 

GSP is one of those "early warning" corals...they get annoyed easily, but they're hardy.  As far as people not being able to keep certain softies...it's probably a combination of things.  Xenia are a "dirty-water" coral...and some other softies are just completely intolerant of warmer water or other softies.

Here's some reading for you on the whole baking soda discussion.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2004/chem.htm
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

[cyberwollf]

Yep i read all those again the other day.  I did miss the part about baking the baking soda to help increase PH when adding Alk. have to do that. As far as Calcium, is there a local source for driveway heat stuff? or do you buy flake from Bulkreefsupply?

[coral ranch]

you can get the pellets at Robinson's Salt on West Carrollton Farmersville Rd.I do not think it is as safe to use as it was since they have changed it's composition.You can try to find the older bags but I haven't had luck finding them anymore.You have to check lot numbers but I can't remember them.Maybe some one else knows them.

[MechanicalEngineer]

The MagFlake and driveway melt stuff are now both unsafe for aquarium use according to the manufacturers.  One has too much bromide and the other has high levels of ammonia.  BulkReefSupply still has the old formula in stock (when they heard the formula was changing, they stocked up.)