Corals not opening up anymore.

Brandon7878

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I thought I had figured out what was wrong with my corals but since I turned the light down for less hours my pulsating Zenya had been getting worse. My other two are in the same state (hammer and purple coral) and my new addition is the torch and it seems to be doing fine. I am in serious trouble and don't want them to die. Please let me know what you need from me for direction.
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nautical_nathaniel

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Water parameters? I see some diatom-y looking stuff on the sand that may be due to some high nutrient levels.
 

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Water parameters? I see some diatom-y looking stuff on the sand that may be due to some high nutrient levels.
+1 on parameters. Especially ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, and salinity
How old is the tank? Are you using RO or tap water?
You said the torch was new - (and beautiful BTW) did it start then? Do you run carbon to help with coral warfare?
Have you tried several water changes, like 30% each for a couple of days? If there is something in the water that is bothering the corals, including high nitrate, or contaminants, that will usually help.
 

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I suggest a water change. What lighting are you using and of course, what are your water parameters?
Also, the Xenia looks a bit more like cespitularia to me but I may be wrong.
 
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Brandon7878

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+1 on parameters. Especially ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, and salinity
How old is the tank? Are you using RO or tap water?
You said the torch was new - (and beautiful BTW) did it start then? Do you run carbon to help with coral warfare?
Have you tried several water changes, like 30% each for a couple of days? If there is something in the water that is bothering the corals, including high nitrate, or contaminants, that will usually help.
10 gallon tank

Ammonia : 0.50ppm
Nitrate : 0
Nitrite : 0-0.25 more on the 0 side.
Salinity is 1.026
Tank is 2 months old.

Started a week before I got my torch.
I am using ro water. Comes straight from my lfs.
I tweeked with my timer so the lights are now b:6 w:2 used to be b:8 w:4
 
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Brandon7878

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Water parameters? I see some diatom-y looking stuff on the sand that may be due to some high nutrient levels.
10 gallon tank

Ammonia : 0.50ppm
Nitrate : 0
Nitrite : 0-0.25 more on the 0 side.
Salinity is 1.026
Tank is 2 months old.

Started a week before I got my torch.
I am using ro water. Comes straight from my lfs.
I tweeked with my timer so the lights are now b:6 w:2 used to be b:8 w:4
 

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With ammonia and nitrite present your tank isn't fully cycled yet. Ammonia is very bad for corals and your fish.
Cut back on feeding, do a big water change (like 50%) then continue with daily water changes (like 25% or more) to bring ammonia to 0 and keep it there. Don't add anything more for a month to try to get the bacteria stabilized.
You might also want to have your LFS measure your ammonia to be certain. They will usually do it for free.
Nitrate at 0 isn't always the best either (the corals need a little bit) but that should build up as your tank cycles more.

Are you seeing any problems with your clown? Breathing hard? that is also a symptom of ammonia.
 
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Brandon7878

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With ammonia and nitrite present your tank isn't fully cycled yet. Ammonia is very bad for corals and your fish.
Cut back on feeding, do a big water change (like 50%) then continue with daily water changes (like 25% or more) to bring ammonia to 0 and keep it there. Don't add anything more for a month to try to get the bacteria stabilized.
You might also want to have your LFS measure your ammonia to be certain. They will usually do it for free.
Nitrate at 0 isn't always the best either (the corals need a little bit) but that should build up as your tank cycles more.

Are you seeing any problems with your clown? Breathing hard? that is also a symptom of ammonia.
No problems with fish. The tank has ammonia right now because there was left over shrimp from yesterday after I did torch feeding.
 

iemsparticus

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But if the tank has been up for 2 months how can it still be cycling?
Cycling a tank is not a product of time per se... it’s a product of bacteria population. You need enough bacteria to convert your ammonia to nitrites, and you nitrites to nitrates. In a fully cycled tank, the bacteria has enough of a foot hold that the transformation from waste to nitrate happens very very quickly. That’s why we’re saying that ammonia present means the tank isn’t cycled. A cycled tank should have zero ammonia, unless you have massive die off, feed WAY more than normal, etc...
 
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Brandon7878

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Cycling a tank is not a product of time per se... it’s a product of bacteria population. You need enough bacteria to convert your ammonia to nitrites, and you nitrites to nitrates. In a fully cycled tank, the bacteria has enough of a foot hold that the transformation from waste to nitrate happens very very quickly. That’s why we’re saying that ammonia present means the tank isn’t cycled. A cycled tank should have zero ammonia, unless you have massive die off, feed WAY more than normal, etc...
Okay I fully understand now. I am going to do another test because I did a water change yesterday.
 
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Brandon7878

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Cycling a tank is not a product of time per se... it’s a product of bacteria population. You need enough bacteria to convert your ammonia to nitrites, and you nitrites to nitrates. In a fully cycled tank, the bacteria has enough of a foot hold that the transformation from waste to nitrate happens very very quickly. That’s why we’re saying that ammonia present means the tank isn’t cycled. A cycled tank should have zero ammonia, unless you have massive die off, feed WAY more than normal, etc...
Ammonia is .25

My clownfishs are doing heavy breathing now this morning. I am very worried.
 

iemsparticus

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Water changes are your friend right now. You can try dosing Prime to help ammonia levels drop. There are also bottles of bacteria colonies that may help you jump start your tank... Dr Tim’s and Biospira...

I’d do several large water changes over the next few days to get ammonia under control.
 

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Dr Tim's one and only for bacteria and Prime to lower ammonia as well as water changes.
 
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Brandon7878

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Water changes are your friend right now. You can try dosing Prime to help ammonia levels drop. There are also bottles of bacteria colonies that may help you jump start your tank... Dr Tim’s and Biospira...

I’d do several large water changes over the next few days to get ammonia under control.
Little update. Yesterday I did a 50% water change.

I did an ammonia test this morning and I have a rating of 0ppm.
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What should my next step be and what should I be focusing on and looking for.
 

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Get a bottle of Dr Tim's One and Only and add it to the tank, Small bottle will be large enough for your tank I believe. Follow the directions on the bottle to turn off skimmer and remove filter socks/floss. Keep an eye on ammonia, you could get one of the seachem monitors that you stick in the tank.
 

iemsparticus

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Get a bottle of Dr Tim's One and Only and add it to the tank, Small bottle will be large enough for your tank I believe. Follow the directions on the bottle to turn off skimmer and remove filter socks/floss. Keep an eye on ammonia, you could get one of the seachem monitors that you stick in the tank.
To piggy back on this, you want to see that ammonia stays down, and you start getting Nitrates instead. Once you consistently see zero ammonia, and see an increase in Nitrate, your cycle will be complete... but after that, go really slow. I’d wait a month AFTER your cycle is complete to add any more fish, and then, only add 1 or 2 small fish. Your tank will need to increase its bacterial colonies for every new addition, but if you go slowly, you won’t see ammonia spikes or anything.
 
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Brandon7878

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To piggy back on this, you want to see that ammonia stays down, and you start getting Nitrates instead. Once you consistently see zero ammonia, and see an increase in Nitrate, your cycle will be complete... but after that, go really slow. I’d wait a month AFTER your cycle is complete to add any more fish, and then, only add 1 or 2 small fish. Your tank will need to increase its bacterial colonies for every new addition, but if you go slowly, you won’t see ammonia spikes or anything.
So is the bottle thing your suggesting nesscary? I am going to follow the advice and not add anything for awhile.

As for the skimmer/sock thing I only have a canister filter for my tank.

Would it be nesscary to get a power head as well to help the tank?
 

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