# What happened to my coral??



## phil_pl (Apr 10, 2009)

This is when i first got it 


This is how it has looked all day now


Any help would be great.


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## petlover516 (Nov 12, 2008)

well its obviously unhealthy-could be lack of lighting, food etc.


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## phil_pl (Apr 10, 2009)

Its only been a day and im running a glow t-5 h.o. on the tank so it shouldnt be the lighting


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## petlover516 (Nov 12, 2008)

could be unhealthy water parameters.


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## dgshoeman (Mar 26, 2009)

check the water higher than 25 nitrates will cause problems and of coarse any amonia, nitrite try moving it closer to the light or a water change 20-40% make sure water is close to same temp so you dont shock it


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## ladyonyx (Apr 20, 2009)

How long has your tank been running?


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## phil_pl (Apr 10, 2009)

it hasnt been running near long enough for me to be putting coral in it but i jumped the gun before i learned how long to let it run for

but i do have an update on the coral, two small pieces died but i have two new bigger pieces growing in their place


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## ladyonyx (Apr 20, 2009)

I'm not going to sit here and preach about tank cycling, but it is really important to let your tank do its thing for at least a month before you put any livestock in it. If the coral doesn't make it, don't be too surprised, and just chalk it up to a learning experience. In the meantime, don't put anything else in there until it's finished cycling. Keep in mind that there is a lot more to the WQ parameters of a reef tank than there is in a fish-only tank. While lighting, pH, temp, and the nitrogen cycle are all very important for any tank, there are a lot of trace elements that are needed for a healty reef. Also, think about what you want to stock before you buy it. You might want to get species that are incompatible with one another or just aren't good for a reef tank at all, so look into that before buying anything. The best advice I was given before starting my reef was, "do your research." The more you know about this stuff the better off you and your tank are. Good luck and keep us posted


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## ladyonyx (Apr 20, 2009)

One more thing. I would recommend adding some cheap mushroom corals first when your tank is done cycling. They did wonders for my WQ and are generally very hardy. A good first coral for a young tank. Xenias, leathers and star polyps are good secondary additions as they are not too care-intensive. Basically, just don't go get azooxanthellate (non-photosynthetic) corals like sun polyps or certain grogonians for a while. And if you're considering an anemone at any point, wait until your tank is at least 6 months old. They need REALLY stable water parameters. How big is this tank?


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## phil_pl (Apr 10, 2009)

I have a half dollar sized green striped mushroom coral that came on my live rock but other than that im not sure what all came in on the rock. the tank is a 29 gallon


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## archer772 (Nov 8, 2008)

Actually xenia tends to do better in a tank with higher nutrients than lets say a lps or sps tank. I see your are running Hagen Glo ho t-5 how many bulbs are you running because for a reef you should have at least 3 IMO and 4 would be best IMO


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## phil_pl (Apr 10, 2009)

I am running two bulbs, the marine glo and the power glo
thats all the bulbs that will fit where are you gettign ones that take more than that?


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## archer772 (Nov 8, 2008)

What type of hood are you running or are you just running a fixture, if you are running fixture then I would add another Glo or one of these
Aquarium Lighting for Freshwater and Reef Systems: Nova Extreme Compact SLR T-5 Fixtures
or if you have a canopy go with 2 of these
https://diyreef.authsecure.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=55_89&products_id=350


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## phil_pl (Apr 10, 2009)

Im running just the fixture, do you know anywhere i could get a good deal on a glo t5


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## petlover516 (Nov 12, 2008)

this is a great place for deals on lighting:Current USA Nova HO X2 Freshwater Aquarium T5 Aquarium Lighting T5 Aquarium Light T 5 Aquarium Light T 5 Aquarium Lighting


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## phil_pl (Apr 10, 2009)

would it be worth it to buy the fixture with 4 bulbs or should i just get another one with two bulbs and put them side by side


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## Dmaaaaax (Nov 20, 2008)

I personally would do 2 bulbs, I have learned that if something happens to one set you still have a backup, whereas if you only have 1 set (4 bulbs) and that goes bad, you are screwed. 

I guess one reason to go for the 4 bulb unit would be to save some space. Nova was not thinking and put their cords behind instead of to the side. This means you need about a 2 in space between units...so in the end it is up to what matters to you the most.


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