Goniopora not extending

[oconn21]

I have had a goniopora for 3-4 months now and when I first got it kind of extended but not really for the first couple weeks now it doesn’t really open at all. The tank is 3 years old

Salinty 1026
Alk 11.5
Ca 401
Mg 1560
Ph8
Nh0
Nitrate 0

it’s a 15 gallon peninsula water box
AI prime 16 HD, AI Nero 3

Any advice would be encouraged thanks

 

[legionofdoon]

Try feeding it. Your nitrates are pretty low.

 

[ReefSkippy]

+1 to feeding it. I read they need the extra nutrition. I spot feed mine, every day with Reef Energy Plus. It's happily extended and even tolerates the constant attention it gets from my clown fish

 

[oconn21]

Thanks I do occasionally do reef roids but I’ll have to make it a more normal thing

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have had a goniopora for 3-4 months now and when I first got it kind of extended but not really for the first couple weeks now it doesn’t really open at all. The tank is 3 years old

Salinty 1026
Alk 11.5
Ca 401
Mg 1560
Ph8
Nh0
Nitrate 0

it’s a 15 gallon peninsula water box
AI prime 16 HD, AI Nero 3View attachment 3043637
View attachment 3043638View attachment 3043639View attachment 3043641Any advice would be encouraged thanks

Feeding not the answer. Mine is always open. Start with your lighting. I adjusted my Orpheks and did they make it known !! Goni is a coral that will challenge the most experienced hobbyist and can be great one day and wither the next. Goni are photosynthetic corals and gain of their nutritional needs from light for color and energy. Inadequate light will cause them to change color and even shrink. If there is a change in lighting you will have a basis for determining an issue. Additionally, water flow has a similar effect as too much flow will kill some of its cells and can start a reaction with others in the tank. Moderate to medium flow is a must to keep the tentacles swaying and keep debris off of them and deliver food in which must be fed regularly and adding aminos to the tank is a plus.
Some good foods are chopped krill, mysis shrimp, phyto and zooplankton. Im not a fan of powdered plankton foods as they can raise phosphates quickly but they work well for both goni and alveopora.
Assure your no3 and po4 has Not become elevated. Also having some Manganese in the water helps them to reduce stress in general and its important to have Mag at 1300-1350 to help stabilize CA and ALK level consumption.

here are mine:

 

[Pistondog]

What salt?
Why the high alk?

 

[steveschuerger]

I give mine Reef Plus with Aminos x2-3 a week as well as frozen food(Coral Gumbo) and Goniopower several times a week. They do like the water a little “dirtier” . I’ve also changed the lighting for less white and slightly higher blues as well. Plus I recently changed the flow pattern to be less direct and more randomized. Here’s some of mine

 

[oconn21]

What salt?
Why the high alk?

I use the saltwater the LFS makes. I don’t know why the Alk is so high. Other corals don’t seem to hate it though. I feed occasional reef Roid and do red seas reef energy plus AB+