Help with a coral

[Bleigh]

I got what I think is a mushroom coral from my lfs the other day. It doesn’t look anything like it did when I first got it. Most of my corals have gone through a “crappy” phase, but then started improving. Wondered if anyone could let me know if theway it looks is normal or if I may be doing something incorrectly resulting in its poor appearance.

Before:


After:

 

[Flippers4pups]

I got what I think is a mushroom coral from my lfs the other day. It doesn’t look anything like it did when I first got it. Most of my corals have gone through a “crappy” phase, but then started improving. Wondered if anyone could let me know if theway it looks is normal or if I may be doing something incorrectly resulting in its poor appearance.

Before:


After:

Looks bleached. Possible to much light. Can you move it or is it attached?

 

[Bleigh]

Looks bleached. Possible to much light. Can you move it or is it attached?

It’s a 29 gallon biocube. I could probably move it, but not sure how much lower it could go. The bulb is really old too. I didn’t change it out cause I had another that started bleaching when I first put it in, but it didn’t stay that way. I figured the light can’t be bad if it’s still too bright. And I can’t imagine what a new bulb would be doing.

 

[Flippers4pups]

It’s a 29 gallon biocube. I could probably move it, but not sure how much lower it could go. The bulb is really old too. I didn’t change it out cause I had another that started bleaching when I first put it in, but it didn’t stay that way. I figured the light can’t be bad if it’s still too bright. And I can’t imagine what a new bulb would be doing.

What's doesn't seem bright to us, can be too bright for coral.

What's your water pramameters?

 

[Bleigh]

What's doesn't seem bright to us, can be too bright for coral.

What's your water pramameters?

NH3/4 - 0
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 15 (working on getting this lower with weekly water changes)
KH - 7
PH - 8.2
Salt -1.025

I think that’s all the things I currently have test kits for. If there’s something else I should be testing, I welcome the advice.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

What's doesn't seem bright to us, can be too bright for coral.

What's your water pramameters?

Hi. Flipper4pups is right on. Spectrum also changes with age. Is the mushroom in a high or low flow area. I find flow affects mine a lot more than my light schedule.

 

[Flippers4pups]

NH3/4 - 0
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 15 (working on getting this lower with weekly water changes)
KH - 7
PH - 8.2
Salt -1.025

I think that’s all the things I currently have test kits for. If there’s something else I should be testing, I welcome the advice.

Phosphate. Hannah ulr.

Having some N03 and P04 is needed. I recommend 5-10 ppm N03 and trace P04 at 0.02 is a good for most corals. 0 of any of those isn't good.

What kind of light are you using? T5? How many bulbs? What color combination?
What size tank and how far away from the water line is the light fixture?

 

[Bleigh]

Hi. Flipper4pups is right on. Spectrum also changes with age. Is the mushroom in a high or low flow area. I find flow affects mine a lot more than my light schedule.

How can you tell how much flow it’s getting? When I put my hand where it was originally at, I can feel the fan a little to the right of where it was. Do they need more or less flow usually? And will then start to get accustomed to the flow?

I went ahead and moved it down some in case it was the light.

 

[Bleigh]

Phosphate. Hannah ulr.

Having some N03 and P04 is needed. I recommend 5-10 ppm N03 and trace P04 at 0.02 is a good for most corals. 0 of any of those isn't good.

What kind of light are you using? T5? How many bulbs? What color combination?
What size tank and how far away from the water line is the light fixture?

So I need to get a phosphate kit. I have no clue what it’s at. I’m not really sure how to answer the light questions. I’m using the lights that came with the Biocube. I have the white come on at sunrise, UV comes on an hour later. Then they both go off and moonlight comes on a sundown and moonlight turns off about 4 hours later with no light on until sunrise. Right now, that’s about 10 hours of no lights. I did the lights intuitively an based off no research.

It’s a 29 gallon biocube and lights are a standard distance from surface. If that’s not useful information, I could go measure the actual distance.

 

[Flippers4pups]

So I need to get a phosphate kit. I have no clue what it’s at. I’m not really sure how to answer the light questions. I’m using the lights that came with the Biocube. I have the white come on at sunrise, UV comes on an hour later. Then they both go off and moonlight comes on a sundown and moonlight turns off about 4 hours later with no light on until sunrise. Right now, that’s about 10 hours of no lights. I did the lights intuitively an based off no research.

It’s a 29 gallon biocube and lights are a standard distance from surface. If that’s not useful information, I could go measure the actual distance.

Okay, looking at the picture, it looks non attached as well. I would reduce your total photo period to max 8 hours for awhile. See if you can wedge it between some rocks. Give it some time with the reduced lighting to see if it helps.

Get a phosphate test kit and test where your at.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Hi. For flow just look at the coral, just like you would trees on a windy day. If flow is to high the mushroom will most likely shrivel. They like moderate flow.

My Mushroom react more to flow than light but they are acclimated to my tank. I would move it down, if the lights too low the coral may not open or stretch to try and reach the light.

PO4 , phosphates is good to know, but I run .5 to 1 and mine are fine.

Take time, watch how it reacts to changes. They are hardy so you should be fine.

 

[Bleigh]

Okay, looking at the picture, it looks non attached as well. I would reduce your total photo period to max 8 hours for awhile. See if you can wedge it between some rocks. Give it some time with the reduced lighting to see if it helps.

Get a phosphate test kit and test where your at.

Best of luck to you.

It was attached to a small price of rock when I bought it. The store owner told me to just wedge it between two rocks. So I just moved that piece of rock down. Should I also reduce the photoperiod? Is there a benefitnof one type of light over another or are all the lights I have pretty much the same?

 

[Flippers4pups]

It was attached to a small price of rock when I bought it. The store owner told me to just wedge it between two rocks. So I just moved that piece of rock down. Should I also reduce the photoperiod? Is there a benefitnof one type of light over another or are all the lights I have pretty much the same?

The total amount of light in one day. If your saying that there is no light for 10 hours a day, that means your running 14 hours of light. 24 hour day. That's a lot of light.

8-9 hours with main lights on, not counting moons, total. Max.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Reduce the lighting period and let's see if it turns around. Pulling for you! :)

 

[sfairtx]

Ricordea Florida Mushrooms (which that appears to be) are pretty accepting of a few "off parameters." I would second the idea it's the flow as a possible main issue followed by light as a secondary. If you can find where your return pump or circulation pumps flow, try to put this little guy behind a rock that is blocking the flow. If light options are limited also place this guy at the bottom and reduce total light time to see if that helps. If you can run different specs and intensity with your lights try playing with that as well. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Bleigh]

The total amount of light in one day. If your saying that there is no light for 10 hours a day, that means your running 14 hours of light. 24 hour day. That's a lot of light.

8-9 hours with main lights on, not counting moons, total. Max.

Working on changing the settings now.

Ricordea Florida Mushrooms (which that appears to be) are pretty accepting of a few "off parameters." I would second the idea it's the flow as a possible main issue followed by light as a secondary. If you can find where your return pump or circulation pumps flow, try to put this little guy behind a rock that is blocking the flow. If light options are limited also place this guy at the bottom and reduce total light time to see if that helps. If you can run different specs and intensity with your lights try playing with that as well. Good luck and keep us posted!

The lower spot I put it in will definitely get less flow. So helpfully that will fix two birds with one stone.

Here's a crazy-ish idea. I had it in the original place because it looked a little barren. If it does turn around, would it acclimate if I slowly moved it back to the original place? If not, what is something that can handle a little more flow and/or light?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Working on changing the settings now.



The lower spot I put it in will definitely get less flow. So helpfully that will fix two birds with one stone.

Here's a crazy-ish idea. I had it in the original place because it looked a little barren. If it does turn around, would it acclimate if I slowly moved it back to the original place? If not, what is something that can handle a little more flow and/or light?

Maybe. It's lost a great deal of zooxanthellae at this point. Once happy, it will attach and it will be harder to move.

 

[TexasTodd]

Flow won't bleach them. It's light. Move it down, and/or move it further from the center of your light's focus. And, you can change photo period as Flippers has recommended.

 

[kichimark]

That is a ricordia yuma and as mentioned earlier, bleached. I have one just like that and it expands to about my fist during the day. I have it in lower light with low/medium flow. I agree with the photoperiod being too long. I tend to keep mine for about 9 hours.

If it is very loose you can place it in a cup with some rubble in the tank. This will keep it in place.

 

[Bleigh]

That is a ricordia yuma and as mentioned earlier, bleached. I have one just like that and it expands to about my fist during the day. I have it in lower light with low/medium flow. I agree with the photoperiod being too long. I tend to keep mine for about 9 hours.

If it is very loose you can place it in a cup with some rubble in the tank. This will keep it in place.

Is that 9 hours including the moon lights or 9 hours of just the day lights?