Help for my open brain

[wparra]

Here is the deal I have a 28g NC with 105W PC Lights, Stock pumps, 20# live rock and 20# live sand. Filtration is stock (sponge, AC and ceramic rings). SG 1.025, unmeasurable amonia, nitrites and nitrates. PH is on the low side 7.7 to 8.0 working on getting that up. I bought a red and pink open brain and placed mid-level under the lights. Was getting good extention on both the tissue and the feeding tentacles. Did a water change (good salinity and temperature BTW) and decided to place him on the substrate (I started to notice a little bleaching of the colors, so I thought too much light). After the WC he began to shrink and the color continued to whiten. I took some pictures and wanted to know if there is any advice to stop whatever is affecting it and bring it back to life.

 

[Matthew91]

Don't mean to be abrasive here but you should have fixed your water parameters before purchasing that beautiful coral

 

[klepto]

What are you using to test your parameters? Do you use/calibrate a refractometer? I would advise targeting 35ppt or 1.0264 specific gravity. Maintaining other key parameters is difficult if salinity is low.

Have you confirmed parameters on other test kits/devices? What are your KH (alkalinity) and calcium levels?

How old are the PC bulbs?

Does the coral receive any target feedings?

 

[bigboy7828]

Possibly the PC lighting. It might be starting to show signs of not getting enough intense lighting. I'm guessing it probably came from a tank that was using MH lighting?? I have the same nano but with MH and my open brain is happy on the substrate.

 

[wparra]

Meassuring Equipment

Meassuring Equipment

I meassure SG with both a swing arm and floating hydrometers (I live in Costa Rica and refractometers are very expensive here). I took a sample of the water and sent it to a lab to test for all parameters (that's actually pretty cheap around here) will post back results. The tanks is new (under 3 months) son PC life should still be good (doing a 9 hour cycle). I am dosing 3ml of Kent Coral-Vite and Essential Elements weekly to replenish trace elementes after water changes. I spot feed once every other week with a mixture of Phytoplex, Krill and Shrimp.

 

[bigboy7828]

I'm thinking that you PC lighting isn't strong enough for the brain. Also, a swing arm and floating hydrometer are both inaccurate.... THe open brain that I bought from a lfs was just doing ok under PC and an hour a day of MH lighting. In my nano it now gets 6 hours of MH plus 10 hours of PC atinics.... It is loving life now and looks totally different...