Plate Coral not Extending Tentacles

rong · May 22, 2013

I have a plate coral that hasn't extended tentacles for a week, I moved it up in the tank, but still not opening. Suggestions? Same time I have a chili coral that died, I have about 30 ppm nitrate most of the time, I do water changes and not able to get any lower. Do you think I need a bigger skimmer? The one I have isn't filling up very quickly, so I assume it is working fine.

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

Squishie89 · May 22, 2013

Can you tell us your other water parameters? When did you get the plate? You say the skimmer is filling up quickly, how quickly is quickly? What size tank do you have and what kind of skimmer?

rong · May 22, 2013

It isn't filling up quickly, it goes a week or so and I clean it and it isn't full. Other parameters: ph 7.8, nitrite 0, ammonia 0, nitrate 30, Ca 440, KH 5.3

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

46gReef · May 23, 2013

Chili corals are NPS(non photosynthetic) & very tough to keep in a reef so unless you were feeding multiple times a day it never had a chance, 30ppm nitrates doesn't help either. Do you have a sump or refugium? Adding macroalgae would help to export some of those nutrients. What type of lights do you have? Plate corals prefer to be on substrate not on rocks & IME do best in low light....what size tank do you have & what is your H2O change regimen?

ritter6788 · May 23, 2013

KH of 5.3? Is that dkh or meq/l? Either way it's too low or too high.

rong · May 23, 2013

dKH

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

ritter6788 · May 23, 2013

rong said:
dKH

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

Try to bump that up to at least 7 dkh but no more than 11. Just make sure to do it slowly and not raise more than 1 dkh per day.

rong · May 24, 2013

I do have a sump with 4" dsb and chaeto that grows well. I take a softball sized piece of it out every couple weeks. How do I change KH? I'm not a fan of chemicals, is that the only way?

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP