LPS (Acan) Help Needed

[davehead86]

This is a pretty basic question so I thought this forum would be the most helpful.

My acan is not opening anymore. I bought it about a week or two ago. It was open the first few days in the tank. It has since closed up and has not opened at all.

20 Gallon Tank
Small Frag
Fruitloop Acan

Ammonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = 0
Phosphates = 0
PH = Steady at 8.2
Temp = Steady at 79.5

I dont have calcium or a test for calcium but I have a frogspawn that is slowly growing. But is always open and looks really happy. So do my Zoas and my GSP and Mushrooms.

My fish leave the Acan and other corals alone, it has a low flow area to sit in, at the bottom partially shaded. It has also sat up top and that produced no different results.

It still has great coloring.

No feeding response at all even when food was placed ontop of it. No change is looks when the lights go out.

 

[SnoopyDaPimp]

Without Ca, Mg and alk can't rule out the water conditions. Could just be temperamental right now. I had some frogspawn that never seemed happy where they were at until I found the spot they are in now. Don't move it around every day. Maybe once a week at different spots in the tank (high/low). Maybe that will be the fix.

 

[davehead86]

Without Ca, Mg and alk can't rule out the water conditions. Could just be temperamental right now. I had some frogspawn that never seemed happy where they were at until I found the spot they are in now. Don't move it around every day. Maybe once a week at different spots in the tank (high/low). Maybe that will be the fix.

I thought with LPS those numbers werent that big of a deal.

I suppose I should order some test kits this weekend.

 

[heathlindner25]

Test kits should come before Coral, it's kind of hard to keep a animal alive, if you have no idea what environment it's living in.

 

[davehead86]

Thanks for the shaming. Any advice besides I should have test kits would be great.


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[BrianKC]

I notice the first pic was on a rock in the light and the second is on the sand in a shadow. When did you move it (I assume after it wasn't happy. How long ago?) I second the thought of moving it around a bit (give it several days between moves). I've also found that some of my more sensitive LPS don't like nitrates and phosphates at total zero. Your water may be too clean...crazy thought but whenever my water gets too clean I back off on my skimming and vodka dosing for a few days and things happy up.


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[heathlindner25]

Thanks for the shaming. Any advice besides I should have test kits would be great.


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I didn't mean to come across that way, I've always gave the advice of test kits before Coral.... maybe try to move it around till it's happy?

 

[davehead86]

I notice the first pic was on a rock in the light and the second is on the sand in a shadow. When did you move it (I assume after it wasn't happy. How long ago?) I second the thought of moving it around a bit (give it several days between moves). I've also found that some of my more sensitive LPS don't like nitrates and phosphates at total zero. Your water may be too clean...crazy thought but whenever my water gets too clean I back off on my skimming and vodka dosing for a few days and things happy up.


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Yes it was on a rock at first that was towards the bottom. Thats where it closed up. It seemed like a high traffic area in the tank (possible bumps and aggravation) so I moved my frogspawn who was doing well to a new spot and put the acan in that same spot. That was just yesterday. Ill let him sit there for a few days and see if there is a difference.

I dont have a sump or a skimmer. Just a HOB with carbon. How does one dirty the water some for the corals. If i want to keep Acans and SPS (acro's) can they both live in the same tank if one likes pristine water and the other needs a little bit dirtier water?

 

[BrianKC]

Yes it was on a rock at first that was towards the bottom. Thats where it closed up. It seemed like a high traffic area in the tank (possible bumps and aggravation) so I moved my frogspawn who was doing well to a new spot and put the acan in that same spot. That was just yesterday. Ill let him sit there for a few days and see if there is a difference.



I dont have a sump or a skimmer. Just a HOB with carbon. How does one dirty the water some for the corals. If i want to keep Acans and SPS (acro's) can they both live in the same tank if one likes pristine water and the other needs a little bit dirtier water?

Welll..it's a fine balance. Nitrates of 1 and phosphates of 0.03 seem good. Though, now I have to ask what test kits you have. I'm surprised you'd have 0 nitrate and 0 phosphate without a skimmer...

 

[Scottshopinc]

My first acan stayed closed for almost 3 weeks after getting it. Then day it just decided to open in full puffy glory.

 

[davehead86]

Welll..it's a fine balance. Nitrates of 1 and phosphates of 0.03 seem good. Though, now I have to ask what test kits you have. I'm surprised you'd have 0 nitrate and 0 phosphate without a skimmer...

API for those tests. The colors were really bright and I feel it was an accurate reading. I only have trouble with API and ammonia testing.

Ive ordered Salifert Kits for Cal, Mag, Alk.

 

[davehead86]

My first acan stayed closed for almost 3 weeks after getting it. Then day it just decided to open in full puffy glory.

Thats good to know. So its not necessarily a HUGE problem.

 

[BrianKC]

API for those tests. The colors were really bright and I feel it was an accurate reading. I only have trouble with API and ammonia testing.



Ive ordered Salifert Kits for Cal, Mag, Alk.

You are probably interpreting them just fine...API just isn't real accurate on phosphate especially. I used to get roughly zero phos with API. Got a Hanna ultra-low kit and found I was at 1.7 or so...

Anyways, to your question of how to have clean/dirty water. 2-3 times a week I turn off all my filtration for about three hours (leave power heads/heaters on) and feed coral frenzy to the tank (others love reef roids...to me its six of one/half a dozen of the other). It seems to be enough to keep both my decorative sponges and my LPS happy. You don't have a skimmer though, so I'd start small if you use that stuff and test for nutrients and up to the recommended amount slowly from there. You don't want dirty-dirty water!

 

[davehead86]

Calcium = 290
Mag = 1260

So both are low. Glad I got the kits and some Two Part Solution. I started dosing that tonight and will continue to add and test on a regular basis.



Looks like the Acan was not happy because of the flow rates. I took a PVC fitting and placed it around the frag. It started puffing up again, a little more every day. Dropped the Flow Rate on the MP10's and turned down the light on the Radion to 35%.

Go figure, now my Green Star Polyp isnt open today. That stuff is a weed though so Im sure itll open up and start growing everywhere again. :lmao: