Trumpet Coral Not Opening

Tristan · Nov 22, 2015

I bought a trumpet coral (1 head) about a month and a half ago. During the day it is never open but the reef shop that I bought it from was open while the lights were on.

I have only seen the trumpet head open at night with its feeders out but during the day it's always closed up. The head is splitting so would that be the cause for it not to be open during the day?

joshkirkland83 · Nov 22, 2015

More info. Parameters? Lights? Flow? how far from the lights is it?

Tristan · Nov 23, 2015

Calcium: 410ppm
Alkalinity: 180ppm
pH: 8.1-8.3
Salinity: 1.024
Temp: 78°F
Nitrate: 0.8
Phosphate: 0.02

Tristan · Nov 23, 2015

joshkirkland83 said:
More info. Parameters? Lights? Flow? how far from the lights is it?

Calcium: 410ppm
Alkalinity: 180ppm
pH: 8.1-8.3
Salinity: 1.024
Temp: 78°F
Nitrate: 0.8
Phosphate: 0.02

Light: Hobbie Bug Led Euphotica 165w actually 122w. At 10% actinic 15% daylight. 13in above

All other corals are doing fine except an acan that has been retracted a little bit for about 2 weeks. Acan is more open at night too.

I used to feed it during the day but stopped so maybe that's it.

During day when feeding my corals I have sprayed a little food into the trumpet. It inflates but doesn't show feeder tentacles. Only shows them when pitch black

Salty0331 · Nov 23, 2015

Parameters don't look too bad, but for starters I would point out the Salinity is a bit low.....I would run no lower than 1.025 for corals, also I would try and get your NO3 under .5

But before you go any further what test kit was used for those readings? That will help with determining the accuracy of those numbers.

Tristan · Nov 23, 2015

Hanna checkers for alk and calcium and phosphate. Salifert for pH and Elos for nitrate. I used a $25 refractometer off of amazon. I kinda keep the salinity lower cause it's a 10g nano reef so it doesn't get too high when evaporation occurs.

joshkirkland83 · Nov 23, 2015

Tristan said:
Hanna checkers for alk and calcium and phosphate. Salifert for pH and Elos for nitrate. I used a $25 refractometer off of amazon. I kinda keep the salinity lower cause it's a 10g nano reef so it doesn't get too high when evaporation occurs.

I think your salinity is fine. I have a 90g and 75g and they are LOADED with coral. I keep mine at 1.023 and they grow like crazy. I personaly dont trust hanna checkers i would check them with another test. Also do you have calibration fluid for the refractometer and have you calibrated it lately?

Tristan · Nov 23, 2015

I calibrated it with 1.026SG calibration fluid from pinpoint

Tristan · Nov 23, 2015

joshkirkland83 said:
I think your salinity is fine. I have a 90g and 75g and they are LOADED with coral. I keep mine at 1.023 and they grow like crazy. I personaly dont trust hanna checkers i would check them with another test. Also do you have calibration fluid for the refractometer and have you calibrated it lately?

I calibrated it last week. I also use an IO hydrometer to double check.

joshkirkland83 · Nov 23, 2015

Tristan said:
I calibrated it last week

I calibrate mine everytime i use it, but thats me. I would get another test besides the hannas. Red sea or salifert. Some good sales are going down this week. Btw, trumpets IME like medium light and medium to low flow. Honestly, you should get up at night and feed it when the tentacles are out. I feed mine this way once a week and i cant keep the heads from splitting.

joshkirkland83 · Nov 23, 2015

Tristan · Nov 23, 2015

joshkirkland83 said:
I calibrate mine everytime i use it, but thats me. I would get another test besides the hannas. Red sea or salifert. Some good sales are going down this week. Btw, trumpets IME like medium light and medium to low flow. Honestly, you should get up at night and feed it when the tentacles are out. I feed mine this way once a week and i cant keep the heads from splitting.

Right after I turn on the actinics the trumpet closes up. I don't have a red flashlight which I should get now that I realized.

Does NYOS have some good test kits for calcium, alk, and phosphate?

joshkirkland83 · Nov 23, 2015

Tristan said:
Right after I turn on the actinics the trumpet closes up. I don't have a red flashlight which I should get now that I realized.

Does NYOS have some good test kits for calcium, alk, and phosphate?

Never tried them. Ive always used red sea.

yarddoctor123 · Nov 24, 2015

joshkirkland83 said:
I calibrate mine everytime i use it, but thats me. I would get another test besides the hannas. Red sea or salifert. Some good sales are going down this week. Btw, trumpets IME like medium light and medium to low flow. Honestly, you should get up at night and feed it when the tentacles are out. I feed mine this way once a week and i cant keep the heads from splitting.

I have chilli corals I feed just before lights on in the a.m. when the candy cane is still extended and fish are hungry. Just an option [emoji57]

joshkirkland83 · Nov 24, 2015

yarddoctor123 said:
I have chilli corals I feed just before lights on in the a.m. when the candy cane is still extended and fish are hungry. Just an option [emoji57]

Good idea too