angry yellow leather

[somethingphishy]

For the last 3 days my yellow leather has been stressed and has not opened to more than half its normal amount, no polpys showing, loss of color--very dull. I have had this coral for approx 8 months and has grown from 6 to 12 inches when fully open.

i had a leather before that was doing great and then one day crashed and never looked back---only differnece back than was changing the pc bulbs- same company/strenght/intensity

tanks levels, ph 8.1-8-2, salinity 1.023, temp 78-80,am 0, ni 0, na 0-5,alk-4,ca-380,mg-1300

What i feel might be the problem
Has anyone had problems they feel that might be linked between this and feeeding food with garlic and negative responces to soft corals.
OR-
Just changed the bulbs a week ago same company intensity strenght

 

[billsreef]

New bulbs are often brighter than the old ones by a considerable degree. A large part of the reason we change them when they get old I'd suggest raising the lights a few inches or otherwise doing something to reduce the intensity of the lighting till the leather looks better. Leave things that way for few days, than gradually increase the lighting.

 

[MiddletonMark]

I'd follow Bill's advice for sure, change in light bulbs [esp first weeks to month] can cause a greater increase in light to the coral than appears when we look at the tank.

I'd also add that leathers, in my experience, can close up for a period of a few days to most of a week and `shed their skin' on the top where the polyps extend. It might be this - but given it might not, always best to change lighting as Bill suggested.

In my opinion, doing water changes is never a bad thing when the corals act a little weird. I wouldn't go crazy with them, but myself do a very regular schedule when things are `off'.

Got a pic of it before or after?

 

[somethingphishy]

sorry no camera to take any pics

it has been four days and it's back to normal for the most part

i stopped using the food and added some reef carbon to the tank

i've had problems befor with my other leather forming a skin but not this time the polpys just started opening again

guess it probally had to do with the light next time i'll raise them thank for the advice