Help, corals closing up

[Natashamarie]

my frogspawn and hammer coral are almost completely closed! I have no idea what's going on. This has progressively gotten worse over the course of a couple weeks.

Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates are barely over 0 if at all
Ph 8.0
Calcium 380
Temp 79

I tried moving them around but they look unhappy everywhere!

 

[litenyaup]

How's your alk?

 

[keddre]

New or old?
Phosphates?
What about other corals in the tank?
Was nitrates always low?

 

[Ty Hamatake]

What lights are you using? Also, I'd stop moving them as it is probably just stressing them out more.

 

[Natashamarie]

How's your alk?

I never tested my alk... I didn't even know that was a thing until I just googled it. Im still learning! I'll have to grab a testing kit.

 

[Natashamarie]

New or old?
Phosphates?
What about other corals in the tank?
Was nitrates always low?

Started my tank in february, got the corals a month ago. Nitrates have been low for a long time. Not sure about phosphates. I don't have that kit either.... so I know I need two kits? Alk and phosphates?

 

[Natashamarie]

What lights are you using? Also, I'd stop moving them as it is probably just stressing them out more.

16" sb reef lights. Whites are on 10, blues between 30-40

 

[Ty Hamatake]

Started my tank in february, got the corals a month ago. Nitrates have been low for a long time. Not sure about phosphates. I don't have that kit either.... so I know I need two kits? Alk and phosphates?

I'd get and alk kit before one for PO4 (unless you're ok with getting both). If I could only test one parameter for the rest of my life, it would honestly probably be alkalinity. If you haven't already, BRS has a great series on YouTube that really teaches most of what you'd ever need to know to start and maintain a reef tank. It's the BRS 160 52 weeks of reefing series. I highly suggest watching :)

 

[keddre]

I'd get and alk kit before one for PO4

Ditto, alk will be more urgent

I'd stop moving them as it is probably just stressing them out more.

Same, I'd also put that back where they were opened before as they like that spot

When was your last water change?

 

[Natashamarie]

Ditto, alk will be more urgent


Same, I'd also put that back where they were opened before as they like that spot

When was your last water change?

Last week, that's actually when I noticed them start closing up more.

 

[Ty Hamatake]

16" sb reef lights. Whites are on 10, blues between 30-40

What's your photoperiod (how long are your lights on)? The intensities seem fine and SBs are good lights. If you do move them again I would put them somewhere with lower flow/light and let them recover/adjust from whatever it is that's making them unhappy.

 

[Todd31]

did they look good for a while and then only recently started to get worse? What kind of flow in the tank?

 

[Natashamarie]

What's your photoperiod (how long are your lights on)? The intensities seem fine and SBs are good lights. If you do move them again I would put them somewhere with lower flow/light and let them recover/adjust from whatever it is that's making them unhappy.

I leave my lights on from 7:30am until maybe 9pm?

 

[Natashamarie]

did they look good for a while and then only recently started to get worse? What kind of flow in the tank?

Yes they looked really good when I got them. I have one wave maker on the opposite side of them pointing up. Their tentacles bounce slightly in the current it creates.

 

[Todd31]

I leave my lights on from 7:30am until maybe 9pm?

thats a pretty long photo-period... do the lights ramp up to their max intensity?

 

[Natashamarie]

thats a pretty long photo-period... do the lights ramp up to their max intensity?

I'm not sure what that means, I just keep them on the same levels all day.

 

[keddre]

I'm not sure what that means, I just keep them on the same levels all day.

Some lights go through a cycle during there period where they may start at x% when they turn on then slowly raise up to y% then slowly decrease back down to x% to mimic the sun rising and setting. I think this is what he was asking.

 

[Todd31]

are there other corals in the tank that are happy?

 

[Natashamarie]

are there other corals in the tank that are happy?

No other corals, just these two.

 

[Natashamarie]

Some lights go through a cycle during there period where they may start at x% when they turn on then slowly raise up to y% then slowly decrease back down to x% to mimic the sun rising and setting. I think this is what he was asking.

Ooh okay! No mine just turn on and off.