Polyp Extension Experience

malx · 06/11/2018, 11:27 PM

Polyp extension question! Tell me about a time your SPS/LPS wasn’t extending its polyps, the reason, and how you solved it! Want to hear your experiences!

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HarrisonMG · 06/12/2018, 07:51 AM

Well I got a big Monti about 8 inches wide and acclimated and dipped it and put it in my QT. the polyps were not extending. It was covered in mucus. The next morning it was completely dead.

This just goes to show how sensitive SPS and coral in general is to change in temp and water parameters. I think alkalinity and lighting was the one that did it. My alk is higher than where the coral came from and my T5s are brighter than their LEDs.

However I had done the same to 3 LPS and they were ok but no polyp extension. Waited a week and nothing happened. Dropped into my tank with lower alk AND the lights full blast and they couldn't look healthier!

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malx · 06/12/2018, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarrisonMG

Well I got a big Monti about 8 inches wide and acclimated and dipped it and put it in my QT. the polyps were not extending. It was covered in mucus. The next morning it was completely dead.

This just goes to show how sensitive SPS and coral in general is to change in temp and water parameters. I think alkalinity and lighting was the one that did it. My alk is higher than where the coral came from and my T5s are brighter than their LEDs.

However I had done the same to 3 LPS and they were ok but no polyp extension. Waited a week and nothing happened. Dropped into my tank with lower alk AND the lights full blast and they couldn't look healthier!

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Thanks for sharing. I’m having some PE problems and trying to pinpoint the issue. I think it’s possible my photo period is too long and corals don’t have enough darkness at night to extend and feed. We will see!

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HarrisonMG · 06/12/2018, 08:14 AM

Hmmm. I find that my coral polyps ONLY extend during or after my photoperiod and then they all retract a bit and deflate.
What if you tried moving corals closer to the light?

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malx · 06/12/2018, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarrisonMG

Hmmm. I find that my coral polyps ONLY extend during or after my photoperiod and then they all retract a bit and deflate.
What if you tried moving corals closer to the light?

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I have full colonies that have been growing for over a year on the same rock not extending.

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HarrisonMG · 06/12/2018, 08:17 AM

Do they have bright colors? If they don't maybe they've been getting too much light like you said and expelled some zoox? And therefore have no reason to extend polyps because they get enough energy from zoox?

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malx · 06/12/2018, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarrisonMG

Do they have bright colors? If they don't maybe they've been getting too much light like you said and expelled some zoox? And therefore have no reason to extend polyps because they get enough energy from zoox?

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Yes the color is as it has been. Good for the most part.

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HarrisonMG · 06/12/2018, 08:19 AM

Well those are my thoughts, hope you figure it out!

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malx · 06/12/2018, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarrisonMG

Well those are my thoughts, hope you figure it out!

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Thanks I will! I’m not too worried about it. It’s why I wanted to ask what other people’s experience was. To see if that helps me at all.

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NO3 · 06/12/2018, 08:29 AM

I have a Polyp Extension Experience everytime I crank up the Jimi Hendrix Experience

Feeding brightwell blizzard might have smthg to do with it too but I think its Jimi Hendrix lead guitar

sde1500 · 06/12/2018, 08:38 AM

what corals are you having problems with not extending. PE with many SPS really isn't a sign of a healthy/unhealthy coral.

malx · 06/12/2018, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sde1500

what corals are you having problems with not extending. PE with many SPS really isn't a sign of a healthy/unhealthy coral.

I'm concerned about my Staghorn, has no PE but does grow. And my Pocillipora which has some PE but previously was much hairier than before!

RioReefr · 06/12/2018, 02:01 PM

I had a Duncan frag that was not opening, at least one of the heads wouldn't open.

I would say #1 was FLOW. Not more or less, but finding a place it liked. I was not very good at cleaning my wavemaker of algae build-up, but I cleaned it thoroughly and in general everything improved.

#2 was DETRITUS build-up. Also related to FLOW I guess, but I now use a turkey baster and try to clean the rocks and sandbed as much as possible. Fish, snails, crabs, corals all poop to some degree and not good to have this settle on a corals polyps.

#3 Use of H202 (hydrogen peroxide). Just a little bit (5mL) of this dumped into the DT like 2x a month seems to help all the corals. It seems to fizzle away the algae growing around the corals. The corals don't like it so much the first day as they close up, but then the next day everything responds well and opens all back up. I now incorporate it into my water-change schedule. I am not sure about doing this with SPS, but my LPS only tank responds really well to this treatment.

Anyway, I have 3 Duncan Frags that now are doing well with full polyp extension since doing those 3 things.

My next aquarium purchase of any kind will be a small wavemaker to create more flow in different directions.

malx · 06/12/2018, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RioReefr

I had a Duncan frag that was not opening, at least one of the heads wouldn't open.

I would say #1 was FLOW. Not more or less, but finding a place it liked. I was not very good at cleaning my wavemaker of algae build-up, but I cleaned it thoroughly and in general everything improved.

#2 was DETRITUS build-up. Also related to FLOW I guess, but I now use a turkey baster and try to clean the rocks and sandbed as much as possible. Fish, snails, crabs, corals all poop to some degree and not good to have this settle on a corals polyps.

#3 Use of H202 (hydrogen peroxide). Just a little bit (5mL) of this dumped into the DT like 2x a month seems to help all the corals. It seems to fizzle away the algae growing around the corals. The corals don't like it so much the first day as they close up, but then the next day everything responds well and opens all back up. I now incorporate it into my water-change schedule. I am not sure about doing this with SPS, but my LPS only tank responds really well to this treatment.

Anyway, I have 3 Duncan Frags that now are doing well with full polyp extension since doing those 3 things.

My next aquarium purchase of any kind will be a small wavemaker to create more flow in different directions.

Thanks for sharing! Good advice to have good flow for sure.

06/12/2018, 08:38 AM	#11
sde1500 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Glocester, RI Posts: 3,336	what corals are you having problems with not extending. PE with many SPS really isn't a sign of a healthy/unhealthy coral. __________________ My build thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2548422 Current Tank Info: 65 gallon mixed reef, Eshopps sump and HOB overflow, RO-110int skimmer, Reefbreeder 32" photons V1.

06/11/2018, 11:27 PM	#1
malx Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 1,324	Polyp Extension Experience Polyp extension question! Tell me about a time your SPS/LPS wasn’t extending its polyps, the reason, and how you solved it! Want to hear your experiences! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/12/2018, 07:51 AM	#2
HarrisonMG Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Connecticut Posts: 192	Polyp Extension Experience Well I got a big Monti about 8 inches wide and acclimated and dipped it and put it in my QT. the polyps were not extending. It was covered in mucus. The next morning it was completely dead. This just goes to show how sensitive SPS and coral in general is to change in temp and water parameters. I think alkalinity and lighting was the one that did it. My alk is higher than where the coral came from and my T5s are brighter than their LEDs. However I had done the same to 3 LPS and they were ok but no polyp extension. Waited a week and nothing happened. Dropped into my tank with lower alk AND the lights full blast and they couldn't look healthier! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/12/2018, 08:14 AM	#4
HarrisonMG Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Connecticut Posts: 192	Hmmm. I find that my coral polyps ONLY extend during or after my photoperiod and then they all retract a bit and deflate. What if you tried moving corals closer to the light? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/12/2018, 08:17 AM	#6
HarrisonMG Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Connecticut Posts: 192	Do they have bright colors? If they don't maybe they've been getting too much light like you said and expelled some zoox? And therefore have no reason to extend polyps because they get enough energy from zoox? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/12/2018, 08:19 AM	#8
HarrisonMG Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Connecticut Posts: 192	Well those are my thoughts, hope you figure it out! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/12/2018, 08:29 AM	#10
NO3 In Memoriam Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 269	I have a Polyp Extension Experience everytime I crank up the Jimi Hendrix Experience Feeding brightwell blizzard might have smthg to do with it too but I think its Jimi Hendrix lead guitar

06/12/2018, 02:01 PM	#13
RioReefr Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Rio de Janeiro Posts: 394	I had a Duncan frag that was not opening, at least one of the heads wouldn't open. I would say #1 was FLOW. Not more or less, but finding a place it liked. I was not very good at cleaning my wavemaker of algae build-up, but I cleaned it thoroughly and in general everything improved. #2 was DETRITUS build-up. Also related to FLOW I guess, but I now use a turkey baster and try to clean the rocks and sandbed as much as possible. Fish, snails, crabs, corals all poop to some degree and not good to have this settle on a corals polyps. #3 Use of H202 (hydrogen peroxide). Just a little bit (5mL) of this dumped into the DT like 2x a month seems to help all the corals. It seems to fizzle away the algae growing around the corals. The corals don't like it so much the first day as they close up, but then the next day everything responds well and opens all back up. I now incorporate it into my water-change schedule. I am not sure about doing this with SPS, but my LPS only tank responds really well to this treatment. Anyway, I have 3 Duncan Frags that now are doing well with full polyp extension since doing those 3 things. My next aquarium purchase of any kind will be a small wavemaker to create more flow in different directions.