Corals don’t like new tank

[spiraling]

I can start testing for phosphates. Can phosphates be added to the water? Is there a non-dosing remedy for low-no phosphates?

There are several options for dosing. I use seachem phosphorous. There are several DIY solutions. Feeding more can also work. Go over to the chemistry forum for many, many discussions about low phosphates. if your nitrates are 5+ I would think you also have phosphates, but just a guess.
If you get a test kit i really recommend one of the hanna checkers over the kits. Its much easier for phosphates. I have the ULR phosphorous but there are a couple of different ones now.

 

[BeckyW]

I'm not sure what you mean by "not confident with lighting," but a day in my experience is not enough to acclimate corals to higher light levels if that is, in fact, a contributing factor. It can't hurt to move them back to the sand. Then figure out what your phosphate level is like living_tribunal noted. Assuming your cycle is complete at 3 months, it may just take some time for them to get comfortable.

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By not confident I mean I'm using presets for now. One suggestion from the reef experts at BRS was to bring them up in case they were not getting enough light. Maybe just waiting a while longer to let the water get dirty would be best.

 

[BeckyW]

There are several options for dosing. I use seachem phosphorous. There are several DIY solutions. Feeding more can also work. Go over to the chemistry forum for many, many discussions about low phosphates. if your nitrates are 5+ I would think you also have phosphates, but just a guess.
If you get a test kit i really recommend one of the hanna checkers over the kits. Its much easier for phosphates. I have the ULR phosphorous but there are a couple of different ones now.

You are very helpful! Where do I want my phosphates to be before adding a coral?

 

[BeckyW]

There are several options for dosing. I use seachem phosphorous. There are several DIY solutions. Feeding more can also work. Go over to the chemistry forum for many, many discussions about low phosphates. if your nitrates are 5+ I would think you also have phosphates, but just a guess.
If you get a test kit i really recommend one of the hanna checkers over the kits. Its much easier for phosphates. I have the ULR phosphorous but there are a couple of different ones now.

Also, would you advise moving my coral back to the small tank until phosphates are up?

 

[kmwcane]

By not confident I mean I'm using presets for now. One suggestion from the reef experts at BRS was to bring them up in case they were not getting enough light. Maybe just waiting a while longer to let the water get dirty would be best.

I assume you are running the preset light program at 100%, right? I have the RedSea LED90s on a Reefer 250 and when I was running the preset 20k program at 100%, it was way too stong lighting for most of my LPS and soft corals.

I would reccomend buying/renting a PAR meter to test your lighting.

 

[spiraling]

If parameters so not matter, what am I looking for then to start adding a coral or two?

When I move coral from one tank to another and they don't immediately do well, or decline over a week, I know the tanks are off from each other in parameters. But both tanks are established.
I move the coral back. Then test ALL parameters I can on BOTH tanks
(alk, ca, nitrate, phosphate, iodine). Then I do a larger water change and retest a day later, adjusting as needed.
When you try with the coral again start it low on the sand unless you know your lighting is identical.

 

[spiraling]

You are very helpful! Where do I want my phosphates to be before adding a coral?

This is good information

Reef Care Recipes - Red Sea

Red Sea's recipes for easy & successful Reef-Keeping, Our Reef Care Recipes offer easy-to-understand and simple-to-implement instructions for reef maintenance, tailored to each type of aquarium.

www.redseafish.com

Also, would you advise moving my coral back to the small tank until phosphates are up?

yes. If its been a few days and you know you have a place it likes then put it back.

 

[bobby.w.hodges]

If parameters do not matter, what am I looking for then to start adding a coral or two?

Honestly, time & stability. I would say 2-3 months after cycle completes and coraline algae starts to populate.

 

[spiraling]

Honestly, time & stability. I would say 2-3 months after cycle completes and coraline algae starts to populate.

True, if you have no coraline you can't grow corals. Its a great indicator.

 

[Brew12]

I am going to agree that it is likely your tank just isn't quite ready yet. There is much more to getting a tank ready for coral than just making sure it is cycled, especially when using dry rock.
Just because dry rock appears clean and it comes from a quality source does not mean it can be used in a tank to support coral immediately. There could be all sorts of stuff other than calcium carbonate in the rock. It could have heavy metals, phosphates, dried organics, and who knows what else in it. When you add it to your tank some of this stuff will dissolve. I may go quickly, and it may take months.
If what you are experiencing is because your tank is new you can mitigate some of the impact by more frequent water changes and by running activated carbon filtration. It may be better to just wait another month or two.

A quick comment on phosphates and rock.... phosphates will form an equilibrium between your rock and water. If your phosphates try to rise, the rock will absorb some of it. Likewise, if you try to lower phosphates, some of the phosphates bound in the rock will be released to try and replace it. Just something to be aware of if you feel like an additive isn't giving you the expected results or if you aren't getting the drop you expect from a water change.

 

[Tired]

If the coral was doing well in the small tank, and doing badly in this, then yes you should put it back in the small tank.

 

[LeftyReefer]

Zoas don't need a lot of light. when I added my first zoa, I was told to place in in the bottom 2/3rds of my tank....
I placed the plug on a small rock and set the rock down on my substrate.... within hours, it was open and has seemed happy since.

I'd start by moving your zoa's lower, back down onto the sand bed. you might even want to place it in a partially shaded spot until it has acclimated. Especially considering the new light. It may be putting out more PAR than the old light, coupled with moving this zoa colony up to the top of the tank, might be too much light too quickly.

If all else fails, put the colony back in the old tank and frag off a polyp or two. Move the frags over to the new tank and when they are happy, you can then move the whole colony over knowing the new tank can support them.

 

[reefluvrr]

I thought Zoa's don't mind higher NO3 and PO4.

I wonder since this is a new tank if you have higher tin or other metals from glass in tank and or PVC from your plumbing or other equipment.

My corals were not happy when I had too high metals such as tin in my water until I changed out my water.

Maybe an ICP test would help?

 

[nano_ryan]

I wouldn't run your refugium, as chaeto eliminates phosphates and no3.

 

[Tired]

Zoas like high nutrients, yes. A sudden increase in nutrients could be a minor issue, but wouldn't likely do anything serious. Low nutrients will harm them much more.

 

[BeckyW]

Thank you all for the information. Moved the Zoas back, one is open and beautiful, the other is still thinking about it.
Here are numbers today. Last water change was last week.
Old 15 gallon / New Reefer 350
PH8.2 Red Sea Tester / 8.2
Ammonia 0 RS / 0
Nitrite 0 RS / 0
Nitrate 2-5 RS / 5
Phos >0.2 Seachem / >0.05
Cal 440 API / 460
Salinity 1.025 / 1.024
Temp 78 / 77.8

Refugium light is on a timer 6 hours at night (down from 12hours)
RedSea 90LEDS are both at 60%blue, 40%white
I'm planning on waiting a few weeks to try again-Not sure I will try zoas...I'd take suggestions on a better started coral. Still turkey basting the sand and rocks to stir up the diatom bloom-skimmer seems really effective on cleaning it up afterwards. Your thought on adding Coraline algae additive? Scraping from the old tank? My fish are very happy! At least I can enjoy them while I wait!
Thank you again for your responses!

 

[Scubafrog]

I had the same problem with my new Reefer 350 with ReefLED 90 lights. I put zoas in on the bottom of the aquarium and they retracted and some lost color so I moved then back to my small cube aquarium. I now have my lights turned way down (about 40% blue less on the whites) and I set the acclimation program on the lights to start at 15% or 25% when I reintroduced my zoas. So far they are doing much better.

The ReefLED light are pretty powerful.