Green buttons closed for months

[cuddyk]

Hi gang, new to the forum and I hope you can help. I'm stumped by what's happening in my nano (8 gal). My small colony of green button palys were open, thriving and eating voraciously for three months. One day they stopped opening. That was two months ago. They haven't melted and there's no slime. The stalks look a little pale, but are still rigid. The tops are tucked in tight. Did a dip, checked for snails / pests but none there. Everything else is thriving. Nothing new was added, nothing changed. Stock nuvo 8 with LED skyye light. Last week I upgraded to an ai nano light, but no effect on the GBPs. Water chemistry is normal for all elements. I do a 20% wc each week using boxed seawater. Salinity is .025 and kept constant with an ATO (distiller water). Running purigen, phosgard and poly filter. Will try to post a pic tomorrow. In the meantime, any thought appreciated. Thanks!

 

[A. Grandis]

Remove the Purigen and the Phosgard.
I like very much SeaChem products, but those could be the mistake in your tank today.
Just try removing them and do a 5% water change.
Please keep us posted.

Garndis.

 

[cuddyk]

Thanks Grandis. I removed the purigen and phosgard. Still no change. here's a pic. the "stumpy closed" palys are in the foreground. They've looked that way for at least two months.

 

[A. Grandis]

They're not going to open right at this second!! LOL!!
You'll need to wait…
It takes time…
When they open you should try to offer some coral food pellets or something like Reef Chili or Coral Frenzy.

Grandis.

 

[cuddyk]

Cool. I'm usually pretty patient with all things reef, but these guys have me stumped.

Are they in some sort of hibernation? Or are the animals getting enough light through their stalks? So interesting that they could still be alive after all this time in that state.

 

[Mxman38]

Mine did the same thing, i did a large water change n added a brs dual reactor, they opened about three days later. What are ur phosphates at?

 

[A. Grandis]

Yeah, that would be my first bet to the situation.
Would be interesting to know the numbers for the tested:
Mg, alk, Ca, PO4, NO3, pH,…

Grandis.

 

[cuddyk]

Will test everything tomorrow and post. Thanks!

 

[cuddyk]

OK guys, here's where my params are:

SG =.025
PH - 8.1
CA = 480
MG = 1240
PO4 = .03
DKH= 7
NO3 < 10
NO2 = 0
NH3 = 0

I see that my alk is a bit low and the phosphates are a bit high. I'll (slowly) address these, but it doesn't seem as if my params are that out of whack...especially for Zoas, no?

 

[A. Grandis]

No, not too bad!
Alk could come a little higher, yeah, but around 9 - 10 is already fine.
Mg could be a bit higher, like 1350.
Undetectable nitrates/phosphates would be good. Try to cut down the food and perform some particle water changes to export nitrates/phosphates. Skimmer?
How are the polyps doing?

Grandis.

 

[cuddyk]

Thanks, Grandis. Will bump up the Mg.

The polyps are still closed. One of them has opened a tiny bit, but it looks like there are no "arms" to it anymore.

Since it's just a nuvo 8, I'm not running a skimmer. Instead, I'm doing 20% water changes each week. Now there also seems to be a brown diatom bloom on the sand which appeared the day after a wc. Hmm.

I've been using the boxed seawater and I'm thinking that's where the silicates are coming from. I'm gonna make up my own RO water / salt and see if that results in any improvements.

 

[A. Grandis]

Thanks, Grandis. Will bump up the Mg.

The polyps are still closed. One of them has opened a tiny bit, but it looks like there are no "arms" to it anymore.

Since it's just a nuvo 8, I'm not running a skimmer. Instead, I'm doing 20% water changes each week. Now there also seems to be a brown diatom bloom on the sand which appeared the day after a wc. Hmm.

I've been using the boxed seawater and I'm thinking that's where the silicates are coming from. I'm gonna make up my own RO water / salt and see if that results in any improvements.

Yep, that water has silicates. Try with the RO.
I have to tell you that unfortunately any amount of water changes won't substitute a good skimmer.

Grandis.

 

[A. Grandis]

No, not too bad!
Alk could come a little higher, yeah, but around 9 - 10 is already fine.
Mg could be a bit higher, like 1350.
Undetectable nitrates/phosphates would be good. Try to cut down the food and perform some particle water changes to export nitrates/phosphates. Skimmer?
How are the polyps doing?

Grandis.

I meant partial! LOL!!!

Grandis.