Finicky coral

[Brandy Hiller]

I have this leather coral that I swear to god hates me. No matter where I move it, Its not happy. Yet when I went on vacation for 3 weeks and left the tank alone... It finally opened and grew 3 times bigger!!

Is it the light? The food I feed the fish ? (I used a 2-week vacation

feeder when we left) Maybe it hates my face ?

It opens from time to time, seemingly randomly, and then the next second (after I look at it) Its closed and smaller. I don't get it.

 

[nemo1017]

Post parameters, please.

 

[Brandy Hiller]

Parameters don't matter. Because nothing changes. Just the coral.

NH: 0
N03: 0
PO4: .25
Cal: 520
dKH: 10
pH: 8.2
Temp 74

Did I miss anything? None of this changes I test almost everyday. Yet the coral opens sometimes and closes sometimes. During the night or day it doesn't matter. It is RANDOM. Except when I was on vacay. It seemed the happiest.

 

[Brandy Hiller]

And salinity 1.024

 

[nemo1017]

...That's a tough one. What kind of lights you got? I would say just leave it be for a while and see what happens. Sometimes doing nothing at all can be the best approach.

 

[Brandy Hiller]

I know tell me about it. It has to be the light. Its a 165w LED full spectrum light from Amazon (awesome btw)

When I went on vacay I turned on only the blue lights and dimmed them a bit. I've tried moving it out of the bright light but it doesnt help... Sigh... I will figure this out one day

 

[rabbithazen]

Po4 is high

 

[nemo1017]

I do know that leds can be hard to fine tune. Maybe too much light is the culprit., You mentioned it was fine when you went on vacation.

 

[Brandy Hiller]

I can't seem to get PO4 any lower than that it is always at a steady .25. And thank you it is a fine tune issue. My green clove loves the light so I leave it cranked all day, turning it on moon setting at night. Has to be the light!

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

What test are you running p04 with?
I keep my cabbage and toadstool at the top of the tank high lighting. Seems to work for me.

 

[Joshua Hurst]

How often are you moving it? I had a Kenya tree for while, and it did the exact same thing, and I just kept moving it maybe once a week. Long story short I left him alone for about a month, and now hes so large that I may need to get rid of him soon. Try this^ find a spot where you like him and it meets its requirements and leave him there. test water peramters when he looks bad, and wait for progress. Good luck brotha!

 

[Brandy Hiller]

I use the API reef master test kit. And high lighting you say.... Interesting. This coral does not like intense light.

I've only moved it maybe 4 times now. Last night I moved it again. No change. (Sigh) it seemed to do the best when just the blue lights were on, slightly dimmed. Weird coral. Just weird

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

I also only run 90 watts worth of led's for my total tank. Api test .25 is the lowest right I have noticed with Api that if you have .01 of anything it shows on there test get the sali test it's better

 

[Brandy Hiller]

Ok thanks We are making a big move and the tank will be revamped (light adjusted etc) I will also get a better test kit (I thought API was sufficient but I guess not)