Star Polyps Stopped Opening

tomleone · 06/20/2006, 01:15 PM

I had star polyps spreading beautifully all over my tank, then all of a sudden, they just stopped opening. now I just have purple covered rocks. THey were really looking good till now. I have fairly fresh PC's bulbs 130 watts of 10k, and 130 actinic, about 4 months old. I haven't changed anything in the chemistry as far as I can tell. Salt at 1.019, 8.3ph, and water changes every 3 weeks like clockwork has resulted in my never having nitrites.

My fish are still all really healthy, and my skimmer is still skimming nicely.

Anyone know what I should be testing for to figure out why they stopped opening?

rustybucket145 · 06/20/2006, 01:17 PM

How long have they been closed?

tomleone · 06/20/2006, 01:19 PM

About 2 weeks now. Some open some of the time, but literally only enought that I can count. Maybe 50 or so of the 100's (maybe 1000's) that are in there.

NanoBound · 06/20/2006, 01:37 PM

First off, your salt level is to low....1.019.......it should be more around 1.023-1.025.
What is the rest of your water chemistry?
Do you have pics......is there any discoloraction?

cepaw · 06/20/2006, 01:50 PM

Hi, is there any chance that they are covered in algae ?
a small amount of algae can keep them closed
take a tooth brush and brush over the purple mat
then see if they start to open again.
this has happened to mine in the past
hope it helps...

Dert42 · 06/20/2006, 01:51 PM

instead of brushing them, maybe gently blast them with a powerhead.
and your salt is too low.
raise it gradually though!

cepaw · 06/20/2006, 02:09 PM

They are star polyps, no need to be gentle
if it is algae causing them not to open, a blast from a powerhead will not take it off
they havent opened in two weeks, they need something
if algae is covering them, then they need light
try the tooth brush on a section of them and see if they open in a few days, if so brush them all, if not, no harm done.

smcdonn · 06/20/2006, 02:16 PM

yea, my star polyps closed up to. Have been closed for about 2 days now. My lighting has been very erratic due to the fact that my A/C is out in my house and I can only run my MH for a very short time. Since I don't have any other lighting, I'm sure this is throwing the tank off a bit.

tomleone · 06/20/2006, 09:03 PM

I'll try this tomorrow AM. I'll work on bringing the salt up too. I have always kept it pretty low for my hippo tang. I heard / read that I should keep it low to keep her from getting Ick. She's never had it so I suppose I should slowly raise it up.

I guess the best way is to mix in a little salt in each day when I add water from evaporation?

06/20/2006, 01:15 PM	#1
tomleone Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Milford, CT Posts: 32	Star Polyps Stopped Opening I had star polyps spreading beautifully all over my tank, then all of a sudden, they just stopped opening. now I just have purple covered rocks. THey were really looking good till now. I have fairly fresh PC's bulbs 130 watts of 10k, and 130 actinic, about 4 months old. I haven't changed anything in the chemistry as far as I can tell. Salt at 1.019, 8.3ph, and water changes every 3 weeks like clockwork has resulted in my never having nitrites. My fish are still all really healthy, and my skimmer is still skimming nicely. Anyone know what I should be testing for to figure out why they stopped opening?

06/20/2006, 01:17 PM	#2
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	How long have they been closed? __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

06/20/2006, 01:37 PM	#4
NanoBound Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 39	First off, your salt level is to low....1.019.......it should be more around 1.023-1.025. What is the rest of your water chemistry? Do you have pics......is there any discoloraction? __________________ Zoo addict and loving every minute of it!!!!

06/20/2006, 01:51 PM	#6
Dert42 Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Lake St.Louis, MO Posts: 1,363	instead of brushing them, maybe gently blast them with a powerhead. and your salt is too low. raise it gradually though! __________________ if($saltwatertank =='yes') { $bankaccount--; } Current Tank Info: 65g

06/20/2006, 02:16 PM	#8
smcdonn Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Fayetteville, AR Posts: 925	yea, my star polyps closed up to. Have been closed for about 2 days now. My lighting has been very erratic due to the fact that my A/C is out in my house and I can only run my MH for a very short time. Since I don't have any other lighting, I'm sure this is throwing the tank off a bit. __________________ 180g IN WALL, REEF Current Tank Info: 180 gallon

06/20/2006, 01:19 PM	#3
tomleone Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Milford, CT Posts: 32	About 2 weeks now. Some open some of the time, but literally only enought that I can count. Maybe 50 or so of the 100's (maybe 1000's) that are in there.

06/20/2006, 01:50 PM	#5
cepaw Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Medina Ohio Posts: 168	Hi, is there any chance that they are covered in algae ? a small amount of algae can keep them closed take a tooth brush and brush over the purple mat then see if they start to open again. this has happened to mine in the past hope it helps...

06/20/2006, 02:09 PM	#7
cepaw Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Medina Ohio Posts: 168	They are star polyps, no need to be gentle if it is algae causing them not to open, a blast from a powerhead will not take it off they havent opened in two weeks, they need something if algae is covering them, then they need light try the tooth brush on a section of them and see if they open in a few days, if so brush them all, if not, no harm done.

06/20/2006, 09:03 PM	#9
tomleone Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Milford, CT Posts: 32	Thanks! I'll try this tomorrow AM. I'll work on bringing the salt up too. I have always kept it pretty low for my hippo tang. I heard / read that I should keep it low to keep her from getting Ick. She's never had it so I suppose I should slowly raise it up. I guess the best way is to mix in a little salt in each day when I add water from evaporation?