Hmm, REALLY WORRIED!!!

[Brandon1023]

I've had my tank up and running for about 4 years now, and I thought I was getting a pretty good handle on keeping saltwater fish and corals. I just bought, a couple weeks ago, a new protein skimmer (which is broken in by now), a new 2x96W PC fixture, to add to my 96w I already had, which puts me at more than 6WPG (46 gallon tank). I installed some power heads and ordered some corals from www.liveaquaria.com. A couple of my items are on backorder but I did receive my Bulb Tip Anemone, Colt Coral, Pagoda Coral, and Toadstool Mushroom Leather, and my Blue Linka Star. I acclimated the star via the drip method, and everything else the normal way. Well the star is pretty much DEAD (its like splitting open and its blue and white now...not looking cute!). The pagoda barely comes out, the colt looks OK and the toadstool might as well forget it, it hasn't opened at all since I got it. But heres the kicker...the BTA is looking AWESOME (totally open, bulb tips, freaking huge!)! It found a spot its cozy in, I have fed it twice (I received all these guys on Friday 3/17). I'm especially worried because I tested my water and everything checks out OK except the nitrates are 10ppm. I'm going to do a water change now and hold off feeding these guys for a couple days, and get that star out, I'm sure his decay isn't helping. Any other thoughts? I know I read that after corals ship it might be awhile before they really come out but the toadstool especially had shown no signs of that.

[Bruce]

Ok well...for the star fish....really they are super difficult to take care of...and well...its a dice roll...as for the other corals...im betting they are in shock because of all ur light...the bta is ok because it likes the light but the colt coral and such need to be slowly acclimated to the light...try using less bulbs at less time and slowly adding more

[Brandon1023]

Seriously? That makes sense because the colt and pagoda were doing better yesterday then they are today, and yesterday I recieved and installed a bulb that got broken during shipment. So for a few days they were without one bulb, and now today they have all the light and seem worse off! So that makes sense. But wouldnt I be better off, since I do have the anemone, to maybe move the corals to the bottom of the tank so the anemone doesnt miss out on its much needed light? I have no problem removing my single strip 96W PC for a couple days if the anemone wont suffer. Any thoughts, as always, will be greaty appreciated! THANK YOU!

[Brandon1023]

un-FREAKING-believeable!! I moved the pagoda, colt and toadstool to the bottom of the tank and turned off my single 96W PC strip, and the colt and pagoda looked WAY better in about an hours time! WTF I thought there was no such thing as "too much light" for corals! WOW I'm in total shock! THANKS FOR THE ADVISE! Also I did the water change and will test again tomorrow. The toadstool is, however, still pretty much "blah" but I read some other posts on here and I guess it can take up to 2-3 weeks for it to get comfy? So when should I turn on the single 96W PC strip back on? And how much should I move the corals back up week by week?

[Area 51 Exotics]

Almost all corals, with the exception of acro's need to be acclimated to the light. Start them out on the bottom of the tank & work them up gradually.

[Bruce]

Im glad to be of help

[My2heartboys]

I had heard that softies like toadstools, like to have just a few nitrates in the water (and I have seen this proven in my own tank). I would think that as long as you keep the 'trates no higher than 20 you would be fine and so would your softies. You will have to figure the right balance for your tank and its inhabitants.

Just a thought---hope it helps.

Anne

[Brandon1023]

Well I hope something changes soon, but like I said Im worried my anemone might be missing out on the light it needs, when should I turn back on the one bulb I turned off?

[acenia]

i would wait until your colt and toadstool get acclimated to this lighting if your anemone needs more light i bet it will move higher in your tank.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah leathers can be grumpy acclimators. Give it time.