Newbie mistake....please help

Michelesreef · Nov 16, 2019

So i have this 3.5 gallon nano that has 3 coral frags. Recently, i lost a clown to brooks and my clown goby that was also in there came down with ich. Nikko, the goby, is in qt now so it's just the 3 coral frags. Anyway, yesterday i decided to do a big water change because i thought it was so dirty and smelly however me being inexperienced i didn't realize the smell was from the phytoplankton we recently put in the refugium. I did probably an 80% water change knowing my nitrates were at 7 and my alk was at 8. I still went ahead with the water change. Bad idea, i know. I got a lot of nasty stuff out, some of which i probably should have left and only did maybe a 10% wc. I know i messed up. Now the issue...i put my 3 frags in a bucket WITH NO HEATER as i was running late to work and wasn't thinking properly, i was doing so many things at once. So...i think the temp lowered maybe 10-15 degrees before my bf got home and started resuscitation. The heater finally managed to heat the tank and he acclimated then to the temperature and put them back in. The mushroom looks great, my hammer coral isn't fully extended like normal and my daisies (someone please tell me the proper name, pics below) look like they need a Viagra. Help??

-here is my ghetto blue light set-up. Let me also say that the daises are always out during the day. Fully extended, looking beautiful. One or two have been out all night and never went back inside their...whatever you call it. I'm very worried for them they are my favorite.

Desmond · Nov 16, 2019

I would give the corals a little time they most likely are stress and should recover fine. Your all is fine and 7 for nitrates is not the worst. Salinity is important remember it’s a salt water tank people seem to forget this.

Michelesreef · Nov 16, 2019

Desmond said:
I would give the corals a little time they most likely are stress and should recover fine. Your all is fine and 7 for nitrates is not the worst. Salinity is important remember it’s a salt water tank people seem to forget this.

Okay i will update in a little bit when i go get my water tested today. The nitrates were at 7 BEFORE i did the wc which was another mistake. I should have just left it.