So I am very new to Corals, I only started adding them the last few weeks. I have been to my LFS, as well as a coral specialty store in my area. When speaking to both places, they gave me almost the exact same information, and since the LFS matched the coral specialty people, I figured it was trustworthy info. I only have soft corals in my tank and both places told me not to mess with any alkalinity or calcium or any of that, just to make sure my lights are super super low and do regular water changes. I have 2 XR15 Radeons for my 75 gallon tank (48 in wide) and I have them set to the number 1 recommended setting, AB+. I have their intensity set to 15% in the total intensity mode, with acclimation mode on where it increases gradually over a month, which means their actual intensity is lower than 15%. I even went into the settings to reduce the white intensity to about 5%, as was recommended from both stores, since new LED's are super powerful, and none of them were opening up much so I was worried they were getting too much light. I do not know the names of all my coral(because I'm a rookie) however I placed them in the tank as was recommended, either on the very bottom, very top, or middle based on the specialty stores recommendations. So far, 2 of my 6 corals seem to be dead. All the polyps are basically gone from the frag. One of them, which happens to be the largest one I have seems to be doing well, my second largest one seems to be alive, however it hardly "blooms." Its mostly barely blooming, meaning I can see the bright colors, but its not extending itself. The rest either seem dead or just wont open.
Both stores told me not to worry about alk and calcium and all that for now, and both also said that renting a par meter isnt really that crucial, and just told me where to place them in the tank with what settings to use for lighting. I have fed them all twice so far, and they do move around when I feed them, so they are still alive, but most of them just look terrible. I am wondering if there is anything I should be doing different (Im sure there is, I just dont know what).
I do not currently have a picture as I am at work but if a picture matters for advice I can get them tonight when I get home.
Both stores told me not to worry about alk and calcium and all that for now, and both also said that renting a par meter isnt really that crucial, and just told me where to place them in the tank with what settings to use for lighting. I have fed them all twice so far, and they do move around when I feed them, so they are still alive, but most of them just look terrible. I am wondering if there is anything I should be doing different (Im sure there is, I just dont know what).
I do not currently have a picture as I am at work but if a picture matters for advice I can get them tonight when I get home.