Coral not open
- Thread starter skoogie
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
S
steve-s
Guest
Welcome to AquariumAdvice.com 
What type of coral?
Also need to know the alk, how long you've had the coral, what's near it, what type of light you have, age of set up, fish and inverts, any recent addition or changes...
Cheers
Steve
What type of coral?
Also need to know the alk, how long you've had the coral, what's near it, what type of light you have, age of set up, fish and inverts, any recent addition or changes...
Cheers
Steve
Bearfan
Aquarium Advice Addict
Including changes to rock placement or water flow. I know my star polyps close up for a couple of days every time I change the flow around them.
4 frogspawn, galaxia, 2 hammer, torch. meat leather coral
about 3 month
alk I don't have a test kit but will tomorrow
840 watt pl ho
no fish
4 cleaner shrimp
1 coral banded
3 sally lightfoot crabs
tank set up for about 5 month
nothing changed that I know of
did a 15% water change yesterday hoping it would help
about 3 month
alk I don't have a test kit but will tomorrow
840 watt pl ho
no fish
4 cleaner shrimp
1 coral banded
3 sally lightfoot crabs
tank set up for about 5 month
nothing changed that I know of
did a 15% water change yesterday hoping it would help
S
steve-s
Guest
Still need to know what actual coral we're dealing with here 
It will also help to know what's the next closest coral. Once you have your alk reading please post that as well.
A pic of the coral and the immediate area around it would help if you can post one.
Cheers
Steve
It will also help to know what's the next closest coral. Once you have your alk reading please post that as well.
A pic of the coral and the immediate area around it would help if you can post one.
Cheers
Steve
S
steve-s
Guest
Nothing is standing out as a specific problem but there are a few "general" correction you should try.
Most of your issue seems to be with the LPS corals. They do not need highly intense light and with your amount, they are too highly elevated. All can be moved midway or preferabley lower. Except for the branching species, all of the other should be moved to the sandbed directly, including the goni. None of the non branching species will appreciate being placed within the rock work. It can cause irritation and possible necrosis. The branching one must be carefully placed so as no crown if too close to or touching rock.
The proximity of each isn't that bad but be sure to keep a good 4-5" space between them. More for the frog and anchora. Be sure to run your tank with carbon as often as possible and ensure the skimmer is running efficiently. All of these coral species have pretty good nematocysts and cause severe distress if allowed to build up.
Also be wary of excessive or directed water flow. These kinds of corals appreciate gentle flow and will recede or worse if there's too much.
The chemistry is not bad (although the salinity could go up a point or two) but I would allow the alk to fall a bit closer to 3 mEq/l and the Ca down to 425 ppm. You don't appear to have a low Mg problem so do not dose anything for that. On the subject of dosing, what have you been using to get the levels that high and how often?
One last thought, what salt have you been using and is it always the same salt each time?
Cheers
Steve
Most of your issue seems to be with the LPS corals. They do not need highly intense light and with your amount, they are too highly elevated. All can be moved midway or preferabley lower. Except for the branching species, all of the other should be moved to the sandbed directly, including the goni. None of the non branching species will appreciate being placed within the rock work. It can cause irritation and possible necrosis. The branching one must be carefully placed so as no crown if too close to or touching rock.
The proximity of each isn't that bad but be sure to keep a good 4-5" space between them. More for the frog and anchora. Be sure to run your tank with carbon as often as possible and ensure the skimmer is running efficiently. All of these coral species have pretty good nematocysts and cause severe distress if allowed to build up.
Also be wary of excessive or directed water flow. These kinds of corals appreciate gentle flow and will recede or worse if there's too much.
The chemistry is not bad (although the salinity could go up a point or two) but I would allow the alk to fall a bit closer to 3 mEq/l and the Ca down to 425 ppm. You don't appear to have a low Mg problem so do not dose anything for that. On the subject of dosing, what have you been using to get the levels that high and how often?
One last thought, what salt have you been using and is it always the same salt each time?
Cheers
Steve
I have been using Kent for salt and all my additives. I use Essential elements and coral accel weekly, liquid calcium to maintain 450 ppm, I just got today strontium & molybdenum, pro buffer and tech-m. I try to be consistent about adding chemical and weekly water changes. The leather coral has a white all most powerly look to it. should this be a concern? I pick up kent reef carbon today and running it now. Why would the corals look good then close up in 1 day after being in the same spot for a peorid of time? I would agree with you about moving then if this occurance happened over time.
Thanks Skoogie
Thanks Skoogie
IMHO you really need to slow down on the additives. Regular water changes (10% weekly or 20%-25% twice a month; preferably 10% weekly), good skimming, and a 2 part supplement of CA and Alk are all you really need.
What is the water temp? Day/night?
What is the water temp? Day/night?
S
steve-s
Guest
Agreed on Smo's post. There is no benefit to your extra additives, only potential harm. You can severely stress corals with that alone if levels get far beyond NSW. Same goes for your alk/Ca levels. Neither have any benefit to the system if elevated beyond NSW, only potential harm.
As far as your corals looking healthy and then all of a sudden they look poor, it is more commonly environmental or chemical. Something has changed or "built up" to the point where the corals are distressed. See how the carbon does over the next few days and change it every day for the first while to be sure it's effectively sorbing anything nastey. The hard part here is not what you can test for but what you can't detect conventionally. The carbon will help with that if it's there. Water changes will also help.
As far as coral placement, that was not to help in terms of this situation but long term health. They will not will not do well in the years to come if left as they are.
Cheers
Steve
As far as your corals looking healthy and then all of a sudden they look poor, it is more commonly environmental or chemical. Something has changed or "built up" to the point where the corals are distressed. See how the carbon does over the next few days and change it every day for the first while to be sure it's effectively sorbing anything nastey. The hard part here is not what you can test for but what you can't detect conventionally. The carbon will help with that if it's there. Water changes will also help.
As far as coral placement, that was not to help in terms of this situation but long term health. They will not will not do well in the years to come if left as they are.
This does not sound good. If you could post a clear "up close and personal" pic it would help. Sounds like it may be necrosing. Have you seen any small or large debris falling free from it? Try fanning it gentley with your hand.skoogie said:
Cheers
Steve
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