Well this looks weird

[Seachelle]

I just bought my first corals last week, and I don't know if they're happy or not. Last night, 2 of the polyps had this brown string (poop?) coming out of them. Today, two polyps have mouths that look puckered. I'm not sure if they are the same polyps that pooped. Are they hungry? Water parameters are:

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 3.9
Phosphate .25
Calcium 510
Magnesium 1600
Alkalinity 9.4

Tank has been running for about 5 months.

 

[shwareefer]

LPS will often do this in response to a lighting increase. Most will say it's poop, but I think it's zooxanthellae that the coral is ejecting as an adjustment to the more intense light. No proof, just what I have always thought since the coral is usally fine afterwards and "gee the lights are brighter, I think I'll poop" just doesn't connect.

 

[Seachelle]

LPS will often do this in response to a lighting increase. Most will say it's poop, but I think it's zooxanthellae that the coral is ejecting as an adjustment to the more intense light. No proof, just what I have always thought since the coral is usally fine afterwards and "gee the lights are brighter, I think I'll poop" just doesn't connect.

Should I turn the lights down? I'm struggling to figure out how they are liking the lighting/flow. Thanks!

 

[shwareefer]

They don't look bad but it's almost impossible to hurt corals with not enough light as opposed to too much. Turning your lights down for a few weeks and observing would probably be a good idea. They should plump up in response.

You should think about renting a par meter. Barring that, you could research what other people have your particular fixture set at for LPS corals. Generally speaking LPS prefer low to medium intensity lighting. What that means for you will depend on what light you are using and how deep your aquarium is.