Seriously, what's up with my corals?

[SallyWho]

I picked up my first corals a couple of weeks ago. They've been looking worse and worse ever since then. I did a Bayer dip on day 1, matched salinity, temp, and pH, and put them in QT with a small powerhead and a light that I bought off another user here (maybe one of those Par 38 types?). The mixed zoas had some bubble algae sharing the plug, which I removed, and then dipped in lugol's. I've moved them up, I've moved them down, I've moved them into more direct flow, I've moved them out into more indirect flow, I've done water changes....what am I doing wrong?? I don't want to kill my first corals! See below a screenshot of recent parameters, and pics of the corals when I first bought them vs. now. Please help!

 

[pelphrey]

What kits are you using to test? Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I think nitrite should be at zero? What are you using to bring some of the levels down, I noticed that nitrates and phosphates had a decline in the test results.

I've noticed often times corals will do fine for a few weeks with limited light, at a certain point the corals just kind of give up. I wonder if that light simply isn't good enough.

 

[Hemmdog]

I picked up my first corals a couple of weeks ago. They've been looking worse and worse ever since then. I did a Bayer dip on day 1, matched salinity, temp, and pH, and put them in QT with a small powerhead and a light that I bought off another user here (maybe one of those Par 38 types?). The mixed zoas had some bubble algae sharing the plug, which I removed, and then dipped in lugol's. I've moved them up, I've moved them down, I've moved them into more direct flow, I've moved them out into more indirect flow, I've done water changes....what am I doing wrong?? I don't want to kill my first corals! See below a screenshot of recent parameters, and pics of the corals when I first bought them vs. now. Please help!

How long did you dip them for in the Bayer and Lugol’s and how many days apart from each other?

 

[SallyWho]

What kits are you using to test? Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I think nitrite should be at zero? What are you using to bring some of the levels down, I noticed that nitrates and phosphates had a decline in the test results.

I've noticed often times corals will do fine for a few weeks with limited light, at a certain point the corals just kind of give up. I wonder if that light simply isn't good enough.

I used Red Sea for the basics, Hanna for phosphates and alkalinity, and Salifert for calcium and mg. I used water changes to bring down the nitrates and phosphates. So you think maybe they need more light? After the lugol's dip, the zoas shut up tight and haven't opened at all, so I thought maybe they were feeling harshed. Move them back up closer to the light, maybe? Another few water changes a few days apart to get nitrites back down to zero?

 

[Hemmdog]

I used Red Sea for the basics, Hanna for phosphates and alkalinity, and Salifert for calcium and mg. I used water changes to bring down the nitrates and phosphates. So you think maybe they need more light? After the lugol's dip, the zoas shut up tight and haven't opened at all, so I thought maybe they were feeling harshed. Move them back up closer to the light, maybe? Another few water changes a few days apart to get nitrites back down to zero?

Explain your lugols dipping process if you could.

 

[SallyWho]

How long did you dip them for in the Bayer and Lugol’s and how many days apart from each other?

Bayer dip was 15 minutes, then a 15 min soak in clean saltwater, one final rinse, and then into the tank. The Lugol's dip was 11 days later, and was a little too long probably. I put the zoa plug in the solution, and then my dog starting getting sick and I had a lot of cleanup to do. The zoas were probably in Lugol's for about 30-40 minutes. I put them in clean saltwater as a quick rinse, and then back in the tank. They've been closed up tight since then. :/ I did some googling on lugol's dips but couldn't seem to find any hard and fast dosing rules that I could scale down for one little frag. I eyeballed the amount- enough to make it look like really strong tea, but it was by no means so dark that I couldn't see the frag.

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

Stop moving the corals around. From the OP, they've been in the tank a couple of weeks and moved 5(?) times?

 

[SallyWho]

Stop moving the corals around. From the OP, they've been in the tank a couple of weeks and moved 5(?) times?

They've just never really looked happy. If I find their sweet spot, how long should it take for them to perk up? I waited a few days between each little move and it hasn't made any difference.

 

[sfin52]

They've just never really looked happy. If I find their sweet spot, how long should it take for them to perk up? I waited a few days between each little move and it hasn't made any difference.

Mine took a good two weeks after I moved them a couple of times. They are opening more and more. The more you mess with the more upset they get

 

[Hemmdog]

Bayer dip was 15 minutes, then a 15 min soak in clean saltwater, one final rinse, and then into the tank. The Lugol's dip was 11 days later, and was a little too long probably. I put the zoa plug in the solution, and then my dog starting getting sick and I had a lot of cleanup to do. The zoas were probably in Lugol's for about 30-40 minutes. I put them in clean saltwater as a quick rinse, and then back in the tank. They've been closed up tight since then. :/ I did some googling on lugol's dips but couldn't seem to find any hard and fast dosing rules that I could scale down for one little frag. I eyeballed the amount- enough to make it look like really strong tea, but it was by no means so dark that I couldn't see the frag.

Oh wow. Yea that would be the reason lol. Just leave them be hopefully they will come back. The zoas look toast though.

 

[SallyWho]

Oh wow. Yea that would be the reason lol. Just leave them be hopefully they will come back. The zoas look toast though.

Shucks. Well, I'll bring them a little closer to the light- the shriveling trumpet may still bounce back. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Agree with others that tell you to stop moving them. Can take weeks for them to acclimate if not months sometimes. Lack of patience is the ruin of many a reefer.