Coral doesn't look good - more info added!

[kimberly]

We have a coral that has been doing great until recently. It was purchased April/May 2005 and put in our 92 [acronym:01cb4061d3="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:01cb4061d3]. We purchased a dual aquarium system in October and this coral was put in that aquarium in November and continued to do really well. I am attaching pictures of its current condition in hopes to find out what is wrong and how we can help it. Also, there are some white growths on the coral that we are wondering about.

It is in the top aquarium (details in sig). Current parameters are:

salinity: 1.0225
Temp: 79 degrees
Ph: 8.5
[acronym:01cb4061d3="Nitrite"]NO2[/acronym:01cb4061d3]: 0
[acronym:01cb4061d3="Alkalinity"]Alk[/acronym:01cb4061d3]: high (that is what the gives us- a range of low to high)
Nitrate: 10 [acronym:01cb4061d3="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:01cb4061d3]
Ammonia: trace (between 0 adn .25, closer to 0)

The kit we have is the Red Sea Marine Lab.

The coral looks fine when all the lights are on, but as soon as the [acronym:01cb4061d3="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:01cb4061d3] go off it starts to really shrivel.

Thanks.

[kimberly]

Here is the coral when it is looking bad. I included the picture coral 3 above b/c we have another of the same coral right next to this one and it doesn't have the same problems.

[melosu58]

They are supposed to shrivel up when the lights go off. But if they are back to looking good when lights are on then you are OK. Mine do the same. You`re OK Kim.

[kimberly]

When it was in the 92 gallon tank (no [acronym:5bb52654c8="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:5bb52654c8]) it would send up tentacles when the lights went out and stay puffed up. Typically I would feed it then. I am wondering that now that it is under [acronym:5bb52654c8="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:5bb52654c8] it does not need to feed? Also, some of the heads that really shrivel, seem to be slowly decaying.

Any ideas on those white spheroid shapes?

Also, could it be low calcium?

It is actually very normal for this species of coral to retract when the light goes from intense to dim. I would suggest you keep it lower in the tank though if it is not already. It does not really appreciate high intensity and will do much better closer to the substrate. As far as you chemstry is concerned, you need to get a more accurate test kit to keep corals successfully. Low/High readings won't tell you what you need to know. I would suggest either Salifert or Seachem.

Low [acronym:6c28850091="Calcium"]Ca[/acronym:6c28850091] is definately an issue as is high [acronym:6c28850091="Calcium"]Ca[/acronym:6c28850091]. I would suggest getting some accurate test kits as soon as possible and post those results.

RE: [acronym:6c28850091="Specific gravity"]SG[/acronym:6c28850091] 1.0225, too low for marine invertebrates to prosper long term. Please allow that to climb to 1.024-1.025 or if using a refractometer, 35 [acronym:6c28850091="Parts per Thousand"]ppt[/acronym:6c28850091]. Easiest means of increase is allow the tank to evaporate down and top of with the desired salinity water. It will not shock the inhabitants. You want to avoid increases more than 0.001/day.

Cheers
Steve