I think my lighting was inadequate for this coral and they all closed up

[TheGrapeApe]

I think my lighting was inadequate for this coral and they all closed up. I just replaced my light will it come back.

 

[00youknowit00]

What's your lighting system?

 

[TheGrapeApe]

It's metal halide and fluorescent

 

[00youknowit00]

When did you get the zoas/palys? And how high in the tank are they? What's the flow like? And do you know your parameters?

Sorry for so many questions lol

 

[TheGrapeApe]

It's ok my nitrates are a bit high my flow is good I got a bigger protein skimmer to handle the big load

 

[TheGrapeApe]

I got the coral when I bought the used love rock about 6 months ago

 

[00youknowit00]

Please define a bit high. And how high are they in the tank? Zoas/palys don't need a ton of light, and metal halides are pretty intense.

 

[TheGrapeApe]

The lights are only 150watts it's under a black darker area under my hood and it's halfway to the top

 

[00youknowit00]

What's the tank size?

 

[TheGrapeApe]

75 gallon and a 30 Gallon sump

 

[00youknowit00]

Are the rest of your coral doing okay? Did they open before and you changed something and now the don't open?

And can I have the actual numbers of your parameters?

 

[TheGrapeApe]

That's my only one I never felt my light was adequate enough almost as soon as I put it in in closed. Ammonia is 0, high range ph is 8, nitrites are 0 and nitrates are 80 - 100.

 

[TheGrapeApe]

I'm currently doing 3 water changes a week to lower my nitrates

 

[00youknowit00]

Oh wow, nitrates are definitely an issue, that's a lot more than a bit high.. I thought you were talking like 20ppm. That's extremely high.

You need to get them down asap, I would do daily or every other day 25% or larger water changes until their <20.

 

[00youknowit00]

One hailed over a 75 isn't much.. What are your florescents? T5HO? How many bulbs and how long? Exact specs please

 

[TheGrapeApe]

150 watt hqi metal halide 2 if them and moon lights. 96 watt fluorescent t5 acitinics 4 in total. In the last week I had to change my heater, my protein skimmer and then yesterday my light

 

[00youknowit00]

Just to clarify:
2x hqi 150W
4 x 96W actinics

With the new heater the tank is still at ~78? some heaters are way off calibration. All the changes are good.

I see only see one big problem, and that's the nitrates.. that's your problem right there.

 

[TheGrapeApe]

Yup I keep it around 78 - 79 I have a digital thermometer. I think my old lights and insufficient protein skimmer and a broken water mover made my nitrates sky rocket

 

[00youknowit00]

Generally the main cause of high nitrates is insufficient water changes.

 

[TheGrapeApe]

Yup I neglected it but I'm not going to be in that boat ever again. Once this is in check every week water changes.