Unhappy coral?

[cessnabird]

Hey all, I am new here and I need some advice. I have a frag (zoa?) that I added to our 20 gal reef tank a week or so ago. There are three on the plug and from the beginning, one has always not wanted to fully open no matter where I placed it. I came home yesterday and all 3 were shriveled and closed. I moved it to the sandbed to get it away from the powerhead and to reduce light, and even today they are all closed and appear unhappy. The mushroom, other zoas, and the star polyps in the tank are all happy and open. Could it be a sick coral? I do not see bleaching or anything. What could becausing this issue? I am having a brown algae issue since adding new live rock rubble recently, but I see no brown algae on the coral itself, only on the plug. Should I remove it from the tank to keep the other corals and fish safe? Here are the tank parameters, and the tank is of course fully cycled and is appx 2 1/2 months old.

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Salinity: 1.025/35ppt
pH: 8.29
1 Jabeo wavemaker running on wave cycles, ramping up and down on flow.
Light: Kessil A160 tuna blue
Fish: 4- 2 clowns, 2 Talbot Damsels

Attached are the before and after shots. Sorry for the blue color, the light is not adjusted that blue even though the iPhone captures it that way.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.
Jeremy

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Have you tried giving them more light?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

And Welcome!

 

[cessnabird]

Thanks for the welcome! I have not attempted to tune the light higher, as the other corals are very happy and I like the light setting. I could try that, or even move this frag to the top of the tank. I have a piece of rock pretty high up and center of tank.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I'd try that. Corals like a lot more light than we think. And Zoas are from much shallower waters than people believe.
Kinda like the kessel
Wasn't super impressed by the lack of info.

 

[jetmaker]

Yeah cyno not good for zoas need get that in check you run lite for what the coral needs not what you like. I agree with salty

 

[mniemann]

Do you have anything in the tank that may pick at it?

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Welcome. What's your cal ALK and mag levels

 

[cessnabird]

I'd try that. Corals like a lot more light than we think. And Zoas are from much shallower waters than people believe.
Kinda like the kessel
Wasn't super impressed by the lack of info.

Lack of info from me?

 

[cessnabird]

I have not observed any of the fish picking at it.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

No

Lack of info from me?

kessel. I dint find any par info on the site. I may have missed it

 

[cessnabird]

Yeah cyno not good for zoas need get that in check you run lite for what the coral needs not what you like. I agree with salty

Cynobacteria? I do not have issues with that as far as I know. Just brown algae, which from what I read is common in a young tank.

 

[cessnabird]

Welcome. What's your cal ALK and mag levels

I do not a reef test kit yet (I know, I should have one already), so I have not tested those parameters. I have been dosing Aquavitro Calcification weekly for calcium supplement.

 

[jetmaker]

Cynobacteria? I do not have issues with that as far as I know. Just brown algae, which from what I read is common in a young tank.

If it's brown it's cyno. What's your wc schedule. Cyno is not bacteria it's algae.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Well sorry to say but it will be very hard to help without knowing your levels. You should always buy a test kit before you add corals so you know what's going on in the before you add corals.

 

[jetmaker]

If that's all the coral you have in a 20 gallon tank I don't think you need a test kit yet or dose for that matter just get stuff in check and adjust lights.

 

[cessnabird]

I am still new to all this, but I guess I don't follow concerning cyno. After talking with my LFS and scouring the forums, brown algae (diatoms) is what I have going on right now. What exactly is cyno?

I perform small weekly pwc's, about 15%. RODI water, never tap.

 

[cessnabird]

No

kessel. I dint find any par info on the site. I may have missed it

I cannot find much on par ratings regarding the A160 either. I know guys can keep healthy SPS with this light, so I would think it has the intensity to keep the softies pretty easily. When turned all the way up, it is utterly blinding, which is why I mentioned I like where the light is set now. The spectrum is definitely solid, as that is what Kessil is known for.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

If that's all the coral you have in a 20 gallon tank I don't think you need a test kit yet or dose for that matter just get stuff in check and adjust lights.

Why would you tell the op that they don't need to test ALK cal and mag ? The amount of corals have nothing to do with it he or she needs to know if the levels in the tank is enough for the corals to be happy.

Telling someone they don't need a test kit is wrong.

 

[jetmaker]

Lights are fine I'd add a little more white and cut wc to once a month.