Help with first Coral

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum, but I have been slugging through the posts the last few weeks. I bought my first coral after the guy at the LFS assured me that I could handle it. I bought a small frag of a green brain coral. I have had it for about 6 days now and my water levels are great. I do weekly 20% water changes. The only problem that I think I have is I have LED lights that are blue and white 60mW LEDs, 600 Lumens. The guy at the LFS said they were not great for coral (I had no intention of starting coral for at least another year), but this brain coral was lower light dependent. I plan on switching to T5's in a few weeks. But I started to notice a small patch of whitening on the edge of the coral about the size of half a dime. I attached a picture on where it is located. Is this normal and if not how can I fix it? I have a tall 60 gallon tank with one coral and 3 fish so it is not over crowded at all.

 

I can not speak to the LED lighting. It sounds like tissue regression though, when this happens you start to see exposed skeleton.

I would move the coral to the sand bed, if the T5 and LED lighting is sufficient in that tall of tank. If you could post an image with a full tank shot that would help identify proper placement.

Make sure you do not have swings in Alkalinity, please list all the parameter values you have.

Attempt to feed the coral when you see a feeding response at night and train it to eat during the day if possible.

Welcome to 3reef.

Moved to ------ LPS.

 

]I do not have the T5 yet. I had the frag sitting about 16" from the LEDs. I just moved it to the live sand about 24" below the LEDs.

The Red circle is where it was located.


It just started to have some stringy tissue stuff coming off of it too.



My these are the my water conditions as of 10 minutes ago

salinity: 1.024
PH: 8.3 (has been this level for the past 2 months)
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: was 10 ppm before 20% water change
Phosphate: was 0.25 ppm before water change.

I have not feed it. I was under the impression that it gets its nutrients from the water. At least that is what the guy at the LFS told me.

Thanks for the help and continued help this is all new to me.

 

Phosphates are high but I do not think that is your problem.

It get it's nutrition from symbiotic Zooxanthellae (they require the intense lighting) that live within the issue and from direct feedings.

Please post the LED fixtures brand name. I have a feeling that is very possibly part of the coral's issue.

These corals can make a remarkable recovery, although yours looks pretty bad right now. I would move it to a shaded area until you can identify the specific fixture and commence with feeding the coral as soon as able.

 

I have the Marineland Single bright LED. 102 0.06 watt white LEDs, 6 0.06 watt blue LEDs, and 600 lumens. It very well could be that I have not been feeding it. I asked the guy at the store and he told me I did not need to do anything special.

 

Sometime (always) you have to take the LFS word with a grain of salt. While there are many respectable LFS, many employ those that have little experiences with SW or are full of incorrect advice.

Seeking assistance here will help you a lot.

Let me find a member with specific knowledge regarding LED lighting types and I will asking them to take a look at this thread.

 

Thank you. I have moved it and put some mysis and krill near its mouth as I sat for about an hour with no hint of any feeding tentacles.

Also, I'm pretty sure it is an*Aussie Green Goblin Favia, but if anyone can confirm this I would appreciate it.

 

I believe it's a open brain.

Please look at link below.

Drs. Foster and Smith Diver's Den® - Trachyphyllia geoffroyi

 

I am not sure if its an issue or not but that lighting system is not meant for corals. They makes a single brightm, double brightm, and reef LED light with the reef one using more powerful LEDs of the appropriate types while the single and doublebright use very weak LEDs not meant to sustain coral growth.

 

That light is not enough to keep photosynthetic corals at any kind of depth, the deeper the water the higher par rating needed. I suggest you read through the lighting forum here and take everything you LFS says with a grain of salt.