Can I do anything to help?

[AMG63Addison]

Hello everyone, got my first 2 corals a month or so ago. They are Aussie Toadstool mushroom leather. It had no life in it for a few weeks now is starting to show a little color again but is bent over. Is there anything I can do? the other one is doing great. Thanks!

 

[Dom]

Be patient. If you are seeing an improvement, let it be.

 

[Jekyl]

List parameters please

 

[AMG63Addison]

Thanks for the reply guys.
Temp 78
ph 8
nitrites .05
nitrates 30-40 (doing water change tomorrow)
ammonia .2ish possibly
Tests were done with red sea test kit
Haven't really ever tested anything else as of yet. Tank is about 8 months old

 

[Dom]

Thanks for the reply guys.
Temp 78
ph 8
nitrites .05
nitrates 30-40 (doing water change tomorrow)
ammonia .2ish possibly
Tests were done with red sea test kit
Haven't really ever tested anything else as of yet. Tank is about 8 months old

You should have ZERO nitrites and ZERO ammonia. To me, this suggests that your tank hasn't completely cycled. How old is this tank?

 

[AMG63Addison]

You should have ZERO nitrites and ZERO ammonia. To me, this suggests that your tank hasn't completely cycled. How old is this tank?

tank Is about 8 months old

 

[Dom]

tank Is about 8 months old

I would test those numbers again to confirm they are present. An 8 month old tank should not have nitrites and ammonia.

 

[AMG63Addison]

Ok guys, coral was doing a little better and opening up some but not fully but does not seem to be able to stand up straight and his trunk looks wierd. He is not fully bent over resting on rock. Just retested Water and nitrites and ammonia are at zero. Has been about 2 month since it has been completely open. I will attach picture of it full open as well.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

You should have ZERO nitrites and ZERO ammonia.

Not for coral

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Ok guys, coral was doing a little better and opening up some but not fully but does not seem to be able to stand up straight and his trunk looks wierd. He is not fully bent over resting on rock. Just retested Water and nitrites and ammonia are at zero. Has been about 2 month since it has been completely open. I will attach picture of it full open as well.

They just do that sometimes. It will eventually find a position it likes.

 

[Dom]

Not for coral

??

The present of Nitrites and Ammonia are indicators of an uncycled tank.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

??

The present of Nitrites and Ammonia are indicators of an uncycled tank.

 

[Jekyl]

Unnecessary argument over false readings from an API test kit.

 

[Dom]

I'm not understanding your point. Are you saying that the presence of Ammonia and Nitrites are acceptable?

 

[Dom]

Again, I'm not understanding your point. Are you saying that the presence of Nitrites and Ammonia are NOT indicators of an unicycle tank?

 

[The_Skrimp]

@Dom
Not the person you’re responding to but it’s my understanding that coral in general have a much higher tolerance for ammonia than fish or other inverts do. They don’t have blood so ammonia doesn’t destroy oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in them affecting their ability to process oxygen.
It’s part of the logic behind insta-cycling a tank by putting coral in on day one or coral only frag tanks and nano tanks that skip cycling all together. They will go through a cycle eventually but since coral don’t add a heavy bioload, have algae living inside them that helps to process waste, and ammonia doesn’t hurt them like it does other animals, putting some hardy coral in a cycling tank can actually help speed things along.
I wouldn't try this with high end acropora or anything but soft corals like zoas or leathers should have no problem living in the levels of ammonia that OP listed.

Jake Adams has a few good write up on this worth looking into

 

[Dom]

@Dom
Not the person you’re responding to but it’s my understanding that coral in general have a much higher tolerance for ammonia than fish or other inverts do. They don’t have blood so ammonia doesn’t destroy oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in them affecting their ability to process oxygen.
It’s part of the logic behind insta-cycling a tank by putting coral in on day one or coral only frag tanks and nano tanks that skip cycling all together. They will go through a cycle eventually but since coral don’t add a heavy bioload, have algae living inside them that helps to process waste, and ammonia doesn’t hurt them like it does other animals, putting some hardy coral in a cycling tank can actually help speed things along.
I wouldn't try this with high end acropora or anything but soft corals like zoas or leathers should have no problem living in the levels of ammonia that OP listed.

Jake Adams has a few good write up on this worth looking into

Thank you for the intelligent response.

 

[AMG63Addison]

ok guys, got coral to start staying open and it's trunk is starting to look alot better and growing. But between were its glued to rock and were the new healthy growth looks there's an area were the trunk is really thin. Will it fix this or do I need to cut and reglue to a rock? thanks in advance.

 

[AMG63Addison]

tank parameters
salinity is a little low at 30ppt, so bringing up slowly
ph 7.9
temp 78
nitrites 0
ammonia 0
nitrates 40
and have cyano starting in tank, using Dr. Tim's re-fresh and waste away

 

[NoohpyT]

Toadstool leather corals will do this once a month or so, it's when they "shed" meaning they're growing