Could use help figuring out what’s wrong.

[TD1260]

Hey to start this thread I’ll be honest. I have made a few mistakes and I’m just hoping it’s not too late for my first ever coral. It’s a long thread, but I could really use help:/ the coral in question is a green toadstool.

I have a 75 gallon rimmed tank with a glass lid on it and two reef LED 160s (set to 11hr blue 75%, 15% white… This is a complete guest (I could really use some suggestions, and I do not have a par reader). My tank has a fair amount of live rock, a well established copepod population about six fish all of which are on the smaller side, a good cleanup, crew and one very happy bubble tip anenome. My flow across the tank is about 50 gph per gallon, and none of my heads point directly at the coral, but it is getting good flow. I have a fair diatoms outbreak after the addition of a sand sifting Gobi. But none of it seems to be growing on the coral itself. I have been turkey basting the coral a couple times a day and have not noticed any chunks coming off, but to be honest, I’m not exactly sure what I’m looking for outside of a legitimate chunk falling off. The temperature has always been within 75 to 77°, and I do have a controller on it to keep it pretty steady. I’ll post my parameters below, but the problematic ones: when I first put in the coral, I tested that 1ppm nitrates, but after a test a day or two later, it had completely bottomed out( (likely due to nopox which I have temporarily suspended). I added some neo nitro and I have worked to bring it back up to about 3ppm over the week. I know I have high phosphates as last time it was tested at the lfs was last weekend and it was .3, I have since added phosguard and GFO but it is testing above the limit of my kit, which is .16 right now. I also did not properly calibrate my refractor and realized that the salinity has likely been stable at around 1.029. I have been working to bring this back down to 1.025 but it likely was in the salinity for over a week.

I did slowly acclimate to the temperature and water parameters when I brought the coral home and did a coral dip following the directions the best I could using old tank water that I pulled out for that exact purpose. The coral partially opened one time and then has not opened since I am lost as to what to do:(

I have the coral placed off to the side and not directly under a light, and about halfway down the water.

None of my taken inhabitant seem to be irritating it either.

Ph:9.2
Ammonia:.1
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 3ppm
Phostephate: likely .3 or near that
Calcium: 450
Magnesium: 1340
Alkalinity: 9.5
Salinity. Now 1.027 and bringing back down to 1.025.

 

[Mark Goode]

How long has it been in the tank? Toadstools can sulk for weeks.

 

[JaaxReef]

Agreed. Looks healthy, just closed. I have one too and it still randomly closes for a couple days and sometimes sheds afterwards.

Give it time and it will come out.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Agree with above, it looks fine, give it time. But make sure it has flow, it needs flow to help it stand up and to shed.

 

[Rocks reef]

Above statements are correct. My toadstool closes for a few days while it's shedding. How long have you had it? Again, as previously stated, they can and will sulk. Sometimes a few days, sometimes longer. You will know if it's dieing if the stalk starts bending and becomes soft.

 

[Rocks reef]

Agree with above, it looks fine, give it time. But make sure it has flow, it needs flow to help it stand up and to shed.

I've noticed my toadstools like a little higher flow. Enough to move the polyps

 

[Rocks reef]

Agreed. Looks healthy, just closed. I have one too and it still randomly closes for a couple days and sometimes sheds afterwards.

Give it time and it will come out.

Mine just shed, I help the process by increasing flow and gently brush off the crown with a soft toothbrush.

 

[TD1260]

A week today

How long has it been in the tank? Toadstools can sulk for weeks.

 

[TD1260]

I've noticed my toadstools like a little higher flow. Enough to move the polyps

Hard to tell when they won’t extend:/

 

[TD1260]

Above statements are correct. My toadstool closes for a few days while it's shedding. How long have you had it? Again, as previously stated, they can and will sulk. Sometimes a few days, sometimes longer. You will know if it's dieing if the stalk starts bending and becomes soft.

It hasn’t opened in 6 days, has shriveled the head up a bit at times and has folded over several times:/

 

[Mark Goode]

A week today

It's unlikely to have opened up yet anyway. It looks okay. It could still die mind, they're like that.

 

[BryanM]

Toadstools are pretty hardy. mine stayed closed for a week or more after my tank migration, and are back to being happy again. If it just looks smooth and closed I'd be inclined to wait it out, even though thats hard to do.

 

[TD1260]

Toadstools are pretty hardy. mine stayed closed for a week or more after my tank migration, and are back to being happy again. If it just looks smooth and closed I'd be inclined to wait it out, even though thats hard to do.

If you don’t mind me asking, what were your parameters in line with some of the stuff I talked about above?

One of my concerns is since I’m so new to coral that I may not have the light settings right either

 

[BryanM]

If you don’t mind me asking, what were your parameters in line with some of the stuff I talked about above?

One of my concerns is since I’m so new to coral that I may not have the light settings right either

Personally I think nitrates are a little low. but people run nutrients all over the map, its certainly not a standout issue.

These are my current parameters:

Salinity 35 ppt
PH 8.19
Alk 7.65 (slowly raising to 9)
Tmp 78.3
Nitrate 20 ppm
Phosphate .24

And your light settings seem fine.

 

[TD1260]

Yeah, I don’t want to have zero nitrates, but I didn’t realize I had bought them out, but thankfully, I probably caught it within a few days. Not ideal by any means but life events made it so I couldn’t test as often as I wanted the last two weeks

Settings for my dual reef LED 160s below. There are spread on the tank is about 16 inches above and 10 inches from the edge and 10 inches from each other edge to edge

 

[Mark Goode]

Yeah, I don’t want to have zero nitrates, but I didn’t realize I had bought them out, but thankfully, I probably caught it within a few days. Not ideal by any means but life events made it so I couldn’t test as often as I wanted the last two weeks

Settings for my dual reef LED 160s below. There are spread on the tank is about 16 inches above and 10 inches from the edge and 10 inches from each other edge to edge

Mine is thriving under less light than that - though your glass lid may even things out a bit. In the distant past I kept one under just a couple of flourescent tubes (and a glass lid) - that one thrived too. I've also had one shrivel and die for no obvious reason. I think you're doing everything right, the rest is up to the coral.

 

[TD1260]

Mine is thriving under less light than that - though your glass lid may even things out a bit. In the distant past I kept one under just a couple of flourescent tubes (and a glass lid) - that one thrived too. I've also had one shrivel and die for no obvious reason. I think you're doing everything right, the rest is up to the coral.

As an avid scuba diver, and aquarium enthusiast, it’s just so frustrating to feel like you are part of the reason something might die:(

 

[Craigsin]

If it makes you feel any better, I got a toadstool recently from my LFS, and it stayed closed and looked just like yours for a solid 12 days, then decided to start opening up. It was completely fine and has been happy ever since!

 

[TD1260]

If it makes you feel any better, I got a toadstool recently from my LFS, and it stayed closed and looked just like yours for a solid 12 days, then decided to start opening up. It was completely fine and has been happy ever since!

Current picks and parameters below. Thoughts anyone? I can’t tell if this is signs of shedding or signs of dying:/ I have been turkey basting it once in a while and gently scrubbed it once, but that was a few days ago, and I was very gentle. I have three cleaner shrimp in the tank and they don’t seem to be bothering it:/

Ph:9.2
Ammonia: 0.1
Nitrite: 0.05
Nitrate: 10-15 ppm
Phostephate: 0.8
Calcium: 450
Magnesium: 1360
Alkalinity: 9.5
Salinity: Now 1.025
Temp: 77.9

Additives:
- 3 ml Nopox in the AM
- 3 ml neonitro every other day PM
- 3 ml microbacter every other day

I changed the coral’s location to about 3/4 of the way down the tank to the front middle based on recommendations from the lfs and I’m getting a par reader tomorrow.

 

[TD1260]

I’ll add that it’s head is turned away from light now:/