Hello I need help it’s been a month

Tubby · Mar 18, 2023

Hi all so it’s been a while and my coral either opens a little bit or retract all the Way it never opens all the way. I’m using the nicrew 150w light at 5 percent white and 20 percent blue. It is 10 inches from water bed and I also have a glass lid on top. Please help I don’t know if it’s too little light or too much I tried renting a par meter but my lfs doesn’t have one. My torch would retract all the way during the night and then it’ll open slowly but never all the way maybe like a tiny bit where it gets a little fatter that’s it. Toadstool isn’t coming out either. So I don’t know if it’s too little light or still too much light

my water perimeter are

Ph 8.1

Ammonia 0

Nitrite 0

Nitrate 10

Calcium 480

Phosphate .00

Alkalinity 8.4

Magnesium 1470

temperature 78 degrees

Tubby · Mar 18, 2023

Another picture

Lavey29 · Mar 18, 2023

Generally euphyllia will try to extend as far as they can reach if they need more light. Pictures do look pretty light dim though.

How old is your tank? That light is not full spectrum with red, green, uv, etc.... you are running very low blue intensity which is an important coral light color. How deep is the tank and how high is the light mounted.

Hawkaholic · Mar 18, 2023

Salinity. Is a consideration as well. They don’t like fluctuations. Assuming that’s not the issue -

I run radions at close to 50% power. I’m unfamiliar with your lights, but when I accidentally had them set too low for several months my corals looked like yours. Try raising the light intensity slowly, say 1% a day for a week or two then re-evaluate.

vetteguy53081 · Mar 18, 2023

Tubby said:
Another picture

View attachment 3069003 View attachment 3069007

I see this as light deficiency. Torch requires medium intensity with PAR 250-275 minimum and moderate0medium flow. Feedings of food such as Mysis is a must and for skeletal health they need calcium no less than 380. Too little light will cause them to shrink and too much light will cause them to expel Zooxanthellae which is their color and energy source.
Assure phosphate and even Nitrate are not elevated as I suspect false readings and a newer tank ?
If using Api kits, I encourage you to take
a water sample to a store that does NOT use Api kits and have them test your ammonia and nitrates and compare readings- then you'll know where your levels truly are at
I will never trust a $7 badge or $25 master kit to sustain hundreds of dollars in livestock.

Tubby · Mar 18, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
I see this as light deficiency. Torch requires medium intensity with PAR 250-275 minimum and moderate0medium flow. Feedings of food such as Mysis is a must and for skeletal health they need calcium no less than 380. Too little light will cause them to shrink and too much light will cause them to expel Zooxanthellae which is their color and energy source.
Assure phosphate and even Nitrate are not elevated as I suspect false readings and a newer tank ?
If using Api kits, I encourage you to take
a water sample to a store that does NOT use Api kits and have them test your ammonia and nitrates and compare readings- then you'll know where your levels truly are at
I will never trust a $7 badge or $25 master kit to sustain hundreds of dollars in livestock.

So prior to this reading I did at home I brought my water to my lfs who has a Hanna reader and it was not far off and ammonia and nitrates was the same. Ammonia was 0. So maybe it’s a light deficiency you think?

Tubby · Mar 18, 2023

Lavey29 said:
Generally euphyllia will try to extend as far as they can reach if they need more light. Pictures do look pretty light dim though.

How old is your tank? That light is not full spectrum with red, green, uv, etc.... you are running very low blue intensity which is an important coral light color. How deep is the tank and how high is the light mounted.

The light is mounted 11 inch from the water bed. The tank is 18 deep so I would say 29 inch high? Salinity is 10.26 Right now has always been 1.026 no real crazy swings the tank is 8 months old till this date about

xxjamesjohnxx1 · Mar 18, 2023

Tubby said:
Another picture

View attachment 3069003 View attachment 3069007

I'm using the same exact light. It's not perfect but it's good for the price. Raise up the percent like 5% a day. The controller is good but only does 5% increments.

vetteguy53081 · Mar 18, 2023

Tubby said:
So prior to this reading I did at home I brought my water to my lfs who has a Hanna reader and it was not far off and ammonia and nitrates was the same. Ammonia was 0. So maybe it’s a light deficiency you think?

Glad to hear on test results
I highly suspect light as the issue

Tubby · Mar 18, 2023

xxjamesjohnxx1 said:
I'm using the same exact light. It's not perfect but it's good for the price. Raise up the percent like 5% a day. The controller is good but only does 5% increments.

Hello How high is your light fixture? What are the percentage you use? Maybe I can try to gauge off of that.

Tubby · Mar 18, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Glad to hear on test results
I highly suspect light as the issue

I’m wondering if the glass lid plays a big role too.

Lavey29 · Mar 18, 2023

Tubby said:
The light is mounted 11 inch from the water bed. The tank is 18 deep so I would say 29 inch high? Salinity is 10.26 Right now has always been 1.026 no real crazy swings the tank is 8 months old till this date about

Yes, it appears to be light intensity issue. Raise blue but go minimal with white. It causes algae and is primarily for viewing pleasure. Corals don't need white. 1 or 2% per day increases.

Try the photone app with your phone. It is fairly accurate and can give you par number right at the water surface.

mavl666 · Mar 18, 2023

I would bump the light up to 10 to 20 percent white and 70 to 80 percent white. I had vipraspectre and set this way.

xxjamesjohnxx1 · Mar 18, 2023

Tubby said:
Hello How high is your light fixture? What are the percentage you use? Maybe I can try to gauge off of that.

Probably about 8 inches give or take. I'm running a small 10 gallon nano. I got a small zoanthid that is opening very nicely and has a pretty orange tint to it. I've had it about a week and I got it from Petco. I'm working on trying to stabilize the light too. Everyday I mess with it and see how the coral responds

vetteguy53081 · Mar 18, 2023

Tubby said:
I’m wondering if the glass lid plays a big role too.

They will filter light a little as i only use glass lids but I compensate with a little higher PAR.

xxjamesjohnxx1 · Mar 18, 2023

Lavey29 said:
Yes, it appears to be light intensity issue. Raise blue but go minimal with white. It causes algae and is primarily for viewing pleasure. Corals don't need white. 1 or 2% per day increases.

Try the photone app with your phone. It is fairly accurate and can give you par number right at the water surface.

Got a question about that app. If the par is 380 at the surface what would it be 12 inches below that.

Tubby · Mar 18, 2023

xxjamesjohnxx1 said:
Got a question about that app. If the par is 380 at the surface what would it be 12 inches below that.

Lol put your phone in a waterproof bag and put it in there to test lol

xxjamesjohnxx1 · Mar 18, 2023

Tubby said:
Lol put your phone in a waterproof bag and put it in there to test lol

I didn't thank of that lol. Thanks I'll try that

Lavey29 · Mar 18, 2023

xxjamesjohnxx1 said:
Got a question about that app. If the par is 380 at the surface what would it be 12 inches below that.

Probably 100 or 125 I'm guessing. Some people put their phone in zip lock bag and measure underwater too.

I tested the app versus a par meter and it was ballpark accurate.

Tubby · Mar 21, 2023

xxjamesjohnxx1 said:
I didn't thank of that lol. Thanks I'll try that

Yooo so I used that app and it freaking worked man! I put it in a zip lock bag tape a printer paper over the front of the camera for diffuser it read the par exactly!