Help out an idiot with a bubble coral problem

Aslan · 04/11/2007, 11:06 PM

The idiot is me.

I took my wife to the LFS today. She picked out a coral she's loved forever, it's a bubble coral. First coral she ever picked out. We put it in the system and it never opened up. I waited a few hours, and then decided maybe I should run some tests.

Ammonia, nitrite, naitrate all at zero. pH at 8.2. Salinity was up to 1.030. I added some fresh water and have it down to 1.028 now. Should I keep adding fresh water to drop the salinity? Is there something else I could do. I have another tank I could move it to but the salinity in that tank is at 1.023 so I didn't want to shock the coral.

Lighting is a 150w HQI. I turned off one of the powerheads because I thought there might be too much flow in the tank initially.

Any help way appreciated.

drummereef · 04/11/2007, 11:22 PM

It might take more time for the coral to acclimate to your tank. They like relatively low flow, so that might be a factor. First, what are you measuring salinity with, refractometer or hydrometer? Have you properly calibrated if using a refractometer? Adding freshwater is a way to lower the salinity. Do it slowly, like you are, over the course of a couple days.

Reef Aquarium Salinity: Homemade Calibration Standards
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm

Aslan · 04/11/2007, 11:33 PM

I have a refractometer. When I saw the first reading was so high I calibrated it with water from my RO unit. I think the refractometer reading is accurate.

My tank has a lot of flow. Turns over about 65x an hour. I turned off the Seio so now it is about 32x an hour. The flow is broken up with the return from the sump being divided into two flare nozzles with locline and a MJ 1200 behind the rockwork.

Does that help. How slow do I lower the salinity?

johnd4g · 04/12/2007, 11:27 AM

When I put a new bubble coral in my tank a few weeks ago, it took a couple of days before the bubbles fully opened. Since then its looked great. The bubbles retract somewhat at night after lights out, so in the mornings you may see it inflating again. My bubble is in a low-flow area of the tank and the bubbles move just slightly. Sounds like yours is still getting acclimated. Just give it some time.

Travis L. Stevens · 04/12/2007, 11:55 AM

Besides the things that are mentioned above, what is your Alk and Ca? Also, it tends to like lower flow, so make sure it is rather protected.

seapug · 04/12/2007, 03:55 PM

Bubbles like low flow and expand best in lower lighting. They use their ability to expand their bubbles to maximize their surface area to capture light in darker conditions. I kept one in a 10 gallon tank with a cheap external power filter and single 18W flourescent light and it got HUGE.

04/11/2007, 11:06 PM	#1
Aslan Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 70	Help out an idiot with a bubble coral problem The idiot is me. I took my wife to the LFS today. She picked out a coral she's loved forever, it's a bubble coral. First coral she ever picked out. We put it in the system and it never opened up. I waited a few hours, and then decided maybe I should run some tests. Ammonia, nitrite, naitrate all at zero. pH at 8.2. Salinity was up to 1.030. I added some fresh water and have it down to 1.028 now. Should I keep adding fresh water to drop the salinity? Is there something else I could do. I have another tank I could move it to but the salinity in that tank is at 1.023 so I didn't want to shock the coral. Lighting is a 150w HQI. I turned off one of the powerheads because I thought there might be too much flow in the tank initially. Any help way appreciated.

04/11/2007, 11:22 PM	#2
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	It might take more time for the coral to acclimate to your tank. They like relatively low flow, so that might be a factor. First, what are you measuring salinity with, refractometer or hydrometer? Have you properly calibrated if using a refractometer? Adding freshwater is a way to lower the salinity. Do it slowly, like you are, over the course of a couple days. Reef Aquarium Salinity: Homemade Calibration Standards http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

04/12/2007, 11:27 AM	#4
johnd4g Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Slidell, LA Posts: 159	When I put a new bubble coral in my tank a few weeks ago, it took a couple of days before the bubbles fully opened. Since then its looked great. The bubbles retract somewhat at night after lights out, so in the mornings you may see it inflating again. My bubble is in a low-flow area of the tank and the bubbles move just slightly. Sounds like yours is still getting acclimated. Just give it some time. __________________ * John * Current Tank Info: 120 gal mixed reef, 25 gal nano

04/12/2007, 11:55 AM	#5
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	Besides the things that are mentioned above, what is your Alk and Ca? Also, it tends to like lower flow, so make sure it is rather protected. __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

04/12/2007, 03:55 PM	#6
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	Bubbles like low flow and expand best in lower lighting. They use their ability to expand their bubbles to maximize their surface area to capture light in darker conditions. I kept one in a 10 gallon tank with a cheap external power filter and single 18W flourescent light and it got HUGE. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

04/11/2007, 11:33 PM	#3
Aslan Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 70	I have a refractometer. When I saw the first reading was so high I calibrated it with water from my RO unit. I think the refractometer reading is accurate. My tank has a lot of flow. Turns over about 65x an hour. I turned off the Seio so now it is about 32x an hour. The flow is broken up with the return from the sump being divided into two flare nozzles with locline and a MJ 1200 behind the rockwork. Does that help. How slow do I lower the salinity?