Coral Newbie

[Stackbundles]

Newbie here! A few days ago I purchased a branching Frogspawn coral. At the LFS all three branches were blooming. Since I brought it home only one of the three braches is blooming. The other two are completly closed. Any advice would help.

Stack

 

[KathyC]

It could be anything..flow, water quality, lighting.
Can you post your parameters, a little about your tank (age, gallons, lighting, Sg, temp), and a pic would be very helpful.

 

[Stackbundles]

My tank is 8 months old. It's 75 gallons. Just got into the reef aspect of this hobby. I bought the lighting used. It's a current compact fluorecent light fixture. 130 watts. I know I need to purchase a new lighting system. Any advice on that would help too. I try to keep the corals high on the rock to be closer to the light. My hammer and torch corals are doing great. Water quailty is: salinity 1.024, PH 8.4, ammonia 0, nitrite, 0, nitrate 80, calcium 460, alkalinity 12, phosphate 2

Stack

 

[rkaragozler]

i think between your nitrate at 80, and phosphate at 2, you have a problem. What test kits are you using

 

[noelskii]

where is it located in the tank? frogspawns usually like medium flow and medium light.

 

[KathyC]

You might want to knock that Nitrate number down Do you do water changes often and what percentage do you change?
Keep in mind, you hammer & torch may have lived through the slow rising of the nitrate number, but a new coral may not be as forgiving as they are.

Is the new coral placed in the same type area as the hammer & torch flow wise? (hope that makes sense)
I will assume you know not to place these 3 type corals near each other so they don't reach out & sting each other

As for the lighting..a 6 bulb T 5 fixture would be a solid addition to a 75g and enable you to grow whatever type coral you want.

 

[Stackbundles]

I use the API test kits. The coral is midway high and in medium flow area. I always had a nitrate problem from day 1. Never got it below 80. My nitrate levels have been between 80 and 160. I used the instant ocean nitrate reducer but for me it doesnt help much. I do a 20% water change every two weeks with RO/DI water. I'm going to start weekly water changes this weekend. Yes I been reading alot about corals and how they can fight with each other so I'm being wise where to place them. I was thinking about a T5 fixture as well. Thanks for reconfirming that.

 

[KathyC]

Did you originally purchase your live rock 'used'..it could have been in a tank with high nitrate readings and may still be leeching nitrates...or overfeeding might be an issue, or an old sand bed...
Probably best to increase your water changes to weekly and try and get that under control. Unfortunately, nothing out of a bottle will clear that up for ya. Knocking it down will only do great things for your tank
Do you have any chaeto in your sump?
Are you running a reactor with GFO or a carbon reactor?

 

[SaltyFlip]

Did you acclimate them correctly?

 

[Stackbundles]

I bought the LR new but the substrate was from the previous owner of the tank. I have caulerpa in my sump. I don't have a reactor and never used carbon in my tank. Can you use carbon in a netted bag without the reactor?

 

[dherrera83]

Yes you can. But keep and eye out for reactors. People on here are always selling them for cheap. You can run GFO on one and cardon on the other using one small pump. Or you can just use one for the GFO and run carbon in a netted bag.

 

[basiab]

How old are the bulbs, may need replacing.
But if your other Euphyllia are doing ok it is more likely an acclimation issue. It is usually best to put new Euphyllia in lower light and slowly move them up. Same goes for water flow start with low flow.
In my own experience I have had instances where I lost some heads of Euphyllia while others just bloomed with no problem. In general I have not had much luck with torches.

 

[Stackbundles]

I just bought new bulbs last week. I moved the coral to a new lcoation in the tank yesterday to see if it helps.