Leather coral open, closed, open, closed

[miskairal]

Hi all,

I bought a leather coral on the 6th December and it keeps opening and
closing a lot. Sometimes it is open for days and then closed for days
and at other times it is open during the day and closed at night. It has
shed a mucous type stuff a few times which sort of looks like when you
peel from sunburn. The corals that came on the live rock are all fine,
in fact they are spreading/growing well. Is this normal behaviour for a
leather coral?

I increased the water movement around it after it's 2nd week here which
made no difference and increased the metal hallide lighting by an hour a
day. It looks great when it opens.

My Calcium level is still at 600 and my tank is only a few months old.
All other tests are normal, Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates 0, Phosphates
0, SG 1.023 and pH is 8.4. Temps here in Oz have been hotter than normal
but until a couple of days ago the tank never got over 29°c and then it
just touched on 30 for one day. The first few weeks I had it the temps
were around 26/27C. I really don't want to spend $1000 on a chiller.

I only have a young pair of ocellaris clowns, a pair of pyjama cardinals
and a coral beauty in a 700 litre tank along with a coral banded shrimp
and an unidentified crab.

Is there something I should be doing or is this normal behaviour (or
normal behaviour for a newly moved coral)?

Thanks for any advice.
miskairal

[Michael Lawford]

Hi - not sure why only the one coral is doing that but I have had a few of
my corals die of in patches and stay closed because the water was too hot.
I find corals like 25 degrees C - anything over 27 and they start to close
and discolour. I found that taking away the cover glass over a few of my
corals also helped - they got more direct light.

I would just try and move it around until it finds a place it likes.
Otherwise save up and buy a chiller - they really are worth it if you want
to keep good coral.

~m


"miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
u...
> Hi all,
>
> I bought a leather coral on the 6th December and it keeps opening and
> closing a lot. Sometimes it is open for days and then closed for days and
> at other times it is open during the day and closed at night. It has shed
> a mucous type stuff a few times which sort of looks like when you peel
> from sunburn. The corals that came on the live rock are all fine, in fact
> they are spreading/growing well. Is this normal behaviour for a leather
> coral?
>
> I increased the water movement around it after it's 2nd week here which
> made no difference and increased the metal hallide lighting by an hour a
> day. It looks great when it opens.
>
> My Calcium level is still at 600 and my tank is only a few months old. All
> other tests are normal, Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates 0, Phosphates 0, SG
> 1.023 and pH is 8.4. Temps here in Oz have been hotter than normal but
> until a couple of days ago the tank never got over 29°c and then it just
> touched on 30 for one day. The first few weeks I had it the temps were
> around 26/27C. I really don't want to spend $1000 on a chiller.
>
> I only have a young pair of ocellaris clowns, a pair of pyjama cardinals
> and a coral beauty in a 700 litre tank along with a coral banded shrimp
> and an unidentified crab.
>
> Is there something I should be doing or is this normal behaviour (or
> normal behaviour for a newly moved coral)?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
> miskairal

[miskairal]

Thanks Michael,
I dont' have any covers on my tank at all and have fans set up to blow
out the heat from the hallides. Why are chillers so darn expensive? I
could buy a new fridge for that much easily (mine is 25 years old).

I've found some chillers on ebay for $750 new but am very wary about
buying that way especially something worth as much as that. I've bought
stuff for my freshwater tanks there but I knew more about what i was
buying and the values were all under $25.

2 grand was supposed to get me setup with this tank but so far I've
already spent more than $3000 (Australian).

The first 6 days I had the coral it was opened up fine and the temp was
around 25/26°C. On day 7 it closed up for about 6 days and the temp was
the same. I think it's open more than it isn't but is it normal for it
to shut at night? I can see no discolouration so far or marks or spots.

Thanks for your help.


Michael Lawford wrote:
> Hi - not sure why only the one coral is doing that but I have had a few of
> my corals die of in patches and stay closed because the water was too hot.
> I find corals like 25 degrees C - anything over 27 and they start to close
> and discolour. I found that taking away the cover glass over a few of my
> corals also helped - they got more direct light.
>
> I would just try and move it around until it finds a place it likes.
> Otherwise save up and buy a chiller - they really are worth it if you want
> to keep good coral.
>
> ~m
>
>
> "miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
> u...
>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>I bought a leather coral on the 6th December and it keeps opening and
>>closing a lot. Sometimes it is open for days and then closed for days and
>>at other times it is open during the day and closed at night. It has shed
>>a mucous type stuff a few times which sort of looks like when you peel
>>from sunburn. The corals that came on the live rock are all fine, in fact
>>they are spreading/growing well. Is this normal behaviour for a leather
>>coral?
>>
>>I increased the water movement around it after it's 2nd week here which
>>made no difference and increased the metal hallide lighting by an hour a
>>day. It looks great when it opens.
>>
>>My Calcium level is still at 600 and my tank is only a few months old. All
>>other tests are normal, Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates 0, Phosphates 0, SG
>>1.023 and pH is 8.4. Temps here in Oz have been hotter than normal but
>>until a couple of days ago the tank never got over 29°c and then it just
>>touched on 30 for one day. The first few weeks I had it the temps were
>>around 26/27C. I really don't want to spend $1000 on a chiller.
>>
>>I only have a young pair of ocellaris clowns, a pair of pyjama cardinals
>>and a coral beauty in a 700 litre tank along with a coral banded shrimp
>>and an unidentified crab.
>>
>>Is there something I should be doing or is this normal behaviour (or
>>normal behaviour for a newly moved coral)?
>>
>>Thanks for any advice.
>>miskairal
>
>
>

[TheRock]

You calcium level is way too high !
Should be around 450.


"miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
u...
> Hi all,
>
> I bought a leather coral on the 6th December and it keeps opening and
> closing a lot. Sometimes it is open for days and then closed for days and
> at other times it is open during the day and closed at night. It has shed
> a mucous type stuff a few times which sort of looks like when you peel
> from sunburn. The corals that came on the live rock are all fine, in fact
> they are spreading/growing well. Is this normal behaviour for a leather
> coral?
>
> I increased the water movement around it after it's 2nd week here which
> made no difference and increased the metal hallide lighting by an hour a
> day. It looks great when it opens.
>
> My Calcium level is still at 600 and my tank is only a few months old. All
> other tests are normal, Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates 0, Phosphates 0, SG
> 1.023 and pH is 8.4. Temps here in Oz have been hotter than normal but
> until a couple of days ago the tank never got over 29°c and then it just
> touched on 30 for one day. The first few weeks I had it the temps were
> around 26/27C. I really don't want to spend $1000 on a chiller.
>
> I only have a young pair of ocellaris clowns, a pair of pyjama cardinals
> and a coral beauty in a 700 litre tank along with a coral banded shrimp
> and an unidentified crab.
>
> Is there something I should be doing or is this normal behaviour (or
> normal behaviour for a newly moved coral)?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
> miskairal

[DrC]

miskairal wrote "Why are chillers so darn expensive? I could buy a new
fridge for that much easily (mine is 25 years old)."

Because it's MARINE, the minute you mention that dreaded word the price
of anything and everything is increased x5, usually for no particular
reason. "I'd like a can of coke please", "Sure that will be 50p, thank
you", "I plan to drink it while watching my marine aquarium", "Oh,
sorry, then you need this special marine coke, which is the same as
normal coke but costs £10"

On a more serious note, my leather coral was great and then went very
floppy, I had been a bit lax in my water changes and so added a trace
element mix which fixed the problem, almost overnight. Just a thought.

David

[Roy]

My leathers (a few of them anyhow) often do what yours does., Its not
uncommon for leathers to shed a slime or mucous layer and some of mine
even get a funky black color like they are dead or dying, but they
seem to do just fine without any intervention. I found that they like
some current to kepp them cleaned off, but not a lot of flow. As to
lights, well, I have em up high and down low and all have been fine,
but I do not use MH. I really do nnot think they require as intense of
lighting as MH provides, but should in time acclimate to new lights. 2
weeks is not all that long of a time frame for some corals.......You
calcium is kind of high, but its not a problem that it is deadly to
anything, so I owuld work at getting it back down to 450 to 500 max
with ALK around 11 or so. Looks like evcerything else if fine with
water parameters.
--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

[Charles Spitzer]

"miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
u...
> Thanks Michael,
> I dont' have any covers on my tank at all and have fans set up to blow out
> the heat from the hallides. Why are chillers so darn expensive? I could
> buy a new fridge for that much easily (mine is 25 years old).

your fridge doesn't have titanium tubing in it.

> I've found some chillers on ebay for $750 new but am very wary about
> buying that way especially something worth as much as that. I've bought
> stuff for my freshwater tanks there but I knew more about what i was
> buying and the values were all under $25.

[miskairal]

DrC wrote:
> miskairal wrote "Why are chillers so darn expensive? I could buy a new
> fridge for that much easily (mine is 25 years old)."
>
> Because it's MARINE, the minute you mention that dreaded word the price
> of anything and everything is increased x5, usually for no particular
> reason. "I'd like a can of coke please", "Sure that will be 50p, thank
> you", "I plan to drink it while watching my marine aquarium", "Oh,
> sorry, then you need this special marine coke, which is the same as
> normal coke but costs £10"

Haha!
>
> On a more serious note, my leather coral was great and then went very
> floppy, I had been a bit lax in my water changes and so added a trace
> element mix which fixed the problem, almost overnight. Just a thought.

The two products I bought with the coral both have Ca in them and that's
the last thing my tank needs right now. I have not added any yet.
>
> David
>

[miskairal]

I know but how do I get it down? I asked here about it a while back and
the consensus seemed to be that it wouldn't hurt anything.

TheRock wrote:
> You calcium level is way too high !
> Should be around 450.
>
>
> "miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
> u...
>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>I bought a leather coral on the 6th December and it keeps opening and
>>closing a lot. Sometimes it is open for days and then closed for days and
>>at other times it is open during the day and closed at night. It has shed
>>a mucous type stuff a few times which sort of looks like when you peel
>>from sunburn. The corals that came on the live rock are all fine, in fact
>>they are spreading/growing well. Is this normal behaviour for a leather
>>coral?
>>
>>I increased the water movement around it after it's 2nd week here which
>>made no difference and increased the metal hallide lighting by an hour a
>>day. It looks great when it opens.
>>
>>My Calcium level is still at 600 and my tank is only a few months old. All
>>other tests are normal, Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates 0, Phosphates 0, SG
>>1.023 and pH is 8.4. Temps here in Oz have been hotter than normal but
>>until a couple of days ago the tank never got over 29°c and then it just
>>touched on 30 for one day. The first few weeks I had it the temps were
>>around 26/27C. I really don't want to spend $1000 on a chiller.
>>
>>I only have a young pair of ocellaris clowns, a pair of pyjama cardinals
>>and a coral beauty in a 700 litre tank along with a coral banded shrimp
>>and an unidentified crab.
>>
>>Is there something I should be doing or is this normal behaviour (or
>>normal behaviour for a newly moved coral)?
>>
>>Thanks for any advice.
>>miskairal
>
>
>

[miskairal]

I might try shifting the coral to a less light area. I read somewhere
that they need a flow of water sufficient to remove the mucous within 24
hours and where it is now is about what it gets.

2 weeks? No I've had it about 5 weeks. When I bought it the shop owner
told me to give it a month to settle in. I might try ringing him back as
he has been extremely helpful and I have setup my tank similar to his
which looks fabulous and is never overstocked with fish.

Roy wrote:
> My leathers (a few of them anyhow) often do what yours does., Its not
> uncommon for leathers to shed a slime or mucous layer and some of mine
> even get a funky black color like they are dead or dying, but they
> seem to do just fine without any intervention. I found that they like
> some current to kepp them cleaned off, but not a lot of flow. As to
> lights, well, I have em up high and down low and all have been fine,
> but I do not use MH. I really do nnot think they require as intense of
> lighting as MH provides, but should in time acclimate to new lights. 2
> weeks is not all that long of a time frame for some corals.......You
> calcium is kind of high, but its not a problem that it is deadly to
> anything, so I owuld work at getting it back down to 450 to 500 max
> with ALK around 11 or so. Looks like evcerything else if fine with
> water parameters.

[miskairal]

Charles Spitzer wrote:
> "miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
> u...
>
>>Thanks Michael,
>>I dont' have any covers on my tank at all and have fans set up to blow out
>>the heat from the hallides. Why are chillers so darn expensive? I could
>>buy a new fridge for that much easily (mine is 25 years old).
>
>
> your fridge doesn't have titanium tubing in it.

Never thought of that!
>
>
>>I've found some chillers on ebay for $750 new but am very wary about
>>buying that way especially something worth as much as that. I've bought
>>stuff for my freshwater tanks there but I knew more about what i was
>>buying and the values were all under $25.
>
>
>

[miskairal]

Forgot to mention I've been doing weekly water changes of between 5 and
8% and use Coralife salt. I'd really like to do bigger water changes but
the cost of the salt is exhorbitant. I've spent about $180 on it so far
and the tank has only been setup since October.

DrC wrote:
> miskairal wrote "Why are chillers so darn expensive? I could buy a new
> fridge for that much easily (mine is 25 years old)."
>
> Because it's MARINE, the minute you mention that dreaded word the price
> of anything and everything is increased x5, usually for no particular
> reason. "I'd like a can of coke please", "Sure that will be 50p, thank
> you", "I plan to drink it while watching my marine aquarium", "Oh,
> sorry, then you need this special marine coke, which is the same as
> normal coke but costs £10"
>
> On a more serious note, my leather coral was great and then went very
> floppy, I had been a bit lax in my water changes and so added a trace
> element mix which fixed the problem, almost overnight. Just a thought.
>
> David
>

[Roy]

While a spike ot shrt term increase in calcium usually does no harm,
except if you get it to the point it starts to precipitate out of the
water and even then that does not do any harm, but if your adding any
supplements do not add any more cal. It will drop on its own as it
gets used.
--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

[miskairal]

I've not added a single thing so far.

Roy wrote:
> While a spike ot shrt term increase in calcium usually does no harm,
> except if you get it to the point it starts to precipitate out of the
> water and even then that does not do any harm, but if your adding any
> supplements do not add any more cal. It will drop on its own as it
> gets used.

[Wayne Sallee]

To save on money, you can do larger water changes less
often, because every time you do a water change, you are
changing out the water you put in last.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



miskairal wrote on 1/9/2006 4:43 PM:
> Forgot to mention I've been doing weekly water changes of between 5 and
> 8% and use Coralife salt. I'd really like to do bigger water changes but
> the cost of the salt is exhorbitant. I've spent about $180 on it so far
> and the tank has only been setup since October.
>
> DrC wrote:
>
>> miskairal wrote "Why are chillers so darn expensive? I could buy a new
>> fridge for that much easily (mine is 25 years old)."
>>
>> Because it's MARINE, the minute you mention that dreaded word the price
>> of anything and everything is increased x5, usually for no particular
>> reason. "I'd like a can of coke please", "Sure that will be 50p, thank
>> you", "I plan to drink it while watching my marine aquarium", "Oh,
>> sorry, then you need this special marine coke, which is the same as
>> normal coke but costs £10"
>>
>> On a more serious note, my leather coral was great and then went very
>> floppy, I had been a bit lax in my water changes and so added a trace
>> element mix which fixed the problem, almost overnight. Just a thought.
>>
>> David
>>

[TheRock]

How about a big water change ?
That usually does the trick.


"miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
...
> I've not added a single thing so far.
>
> Roy wrote:
>> While a spike ot shrt term increase in calcium usually does no harm,
>> except if you get it to the point it starts to precipitate out of the
>> water and even then that does not do any harm, but if your adding any
>> supplements do not add any more cal. It will drop on its own as it
>> gets used.

[miskairal]

Funny you should mention that as water changes are due tomorrow
(freshwater tanks as well) and I decided today to do exactly what you said.

There seems to be a lot of people in the sal****er tanks who don't do
water changes regularly, just when something is not right but then I
s'pose that's the same with freshwater?

Wayne Sallee wrote:
> To save on money, you can do larger water changes less often, because
> every time you do a water change, you are changing out the water you put
> in last.
>
> Wayne Sallee
> Wayne's Pets
>
>
>
> miskairal wrote on 1/9/2006 4:43 PM:
>
>> Forgot to mention I've been doing weekly water changes of between 5
>> and 8% and use Coralife salt. I'd really like to do bigger water
>> changes but the cost of the salt is exhorbitant. I've spent about $180
>> on it so far and the tank has only been setup since October.
>>
>> DrC wrote:
>>
>>> miskairal wrote "Why are chillers so darn expensive? I could buy a new
>>> fridge for that much easily (mine is 25 years old)."
>>>
>>> Because it's MARINE, the minute you mention that dreaded word the price
>>> of anything and everything is increased x5, usually for no particular
>>> reason. "I'd like a can of coke please", "Sure that will be 50p, thank
>>> you", "I plan to drink it while watching my marine aquarium", "Oh,
>>> sorry, then you need this special marine coke, which is the same as
>>> normal coke but costs £10"
>>>
>>> On a more serious note, my leather coral was great and then went very
>>> floppy, I had been a bit lax in my water changes and so added a trace
>>> element mix which fixed the problem, almost overnight. Just a thought.
>>>
>>> David
>>>

[miskairal]

What I really should do is test the made up water BEFORE I add it to the
tank. Can the Ca level be raised by coral sand?

I have a stuffed back so try to keep the water changes within levels
that I can manage to cart the waste away, bucket by bucket. Actually,
come to think of it there is no reason why the water has to be moved in
one day, it's not in the way. What size water change were you thinking?

TheRock wrote:
> How about a big water change ?
> That usually does the trick.
>
>
> "miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I've not added a single thing so far.
>>
>>Roy wrote:
>>
>>>While a spike ot shrt term increase in calcium usually does no harm,
>>>except if you get it to the point it starts to precipitate out of the
>>>water and even then that does not do any harm, but if your adding any
>>>supplements do not add any more cal. It will drop on its own as it
>>>gets used.
>
>
>

[Ray Martini]

No one seemed to really address the leather opening and closing issue. I
have a couple of leathers that do exactly that. One may close up for days
and then it opens up bigger than ever. CA @ 600 is really high but you knew
that already.

I suggest moving the coral to different spots until you find a place it
likes. Keep an eye on it and add trace to the tank. Weekly water changes is
too much IMHO. I only do 15% monthly. Haven't had a loss in many many
months.


"miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
u...
> Hi all,
>
> I bought a leather coral on the 6th December and it keeps opening and
> closing a lot. Sometimes it is open for days and then closed for days and
> at other times it is open during the day and closed at night. It has shed
> a mucous type stuff a few times which sort of looks like when you peel
> from sunburn. The corals that came on the live rock are all fine, in fact
> they are spreading/growing well. Is this normal behaviour for a leather
> coral?
>
> I increased the water movement around it after it's 2nd week here which
> made no difference and increased the metal hallide lighting by an hour a
> day. It looks great when it opens.
>
> My Calcium level is still at 600 and my tank is only a few months old. All
> other tests are normal, Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates 0, Phosphates 0, SG
> 1.023 and pH is 8.4. Temps here in Oz have been hotter than normal but
> until a couple of days ago the tank never got over 29°c and then it just
> touched on 30 for one day. The first few weeks I had it the temps were
> around 26/27C. I really don't want to spend $1000 on a chiller.
>
> I only have a young pair of ocellaris clowns, a pair of pyjama cardinals
> and a coral beauty in a 700 litre tank along with a coral banded shrimp
> and an unidentified crab.
>
> Is there something I should be doing or is this normal behaviour (or
> normal behaviour for a newly moved coral)?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
> miskairal

[miskairal]

Thankyou Ray. I nearly asked again about the behaviour last night but
thought I'd wait another day. My coral was opened up beautifully all day
yesterday but closed down again at lights out. Did you move yours that
were behaving like that? How long have you had the ones that do this?

Sorry for all the questions but I'm not sure whether to put it through
the stress of moving it when it is actually opening and looking great.
Since I started this thread it seems to be only closing at night. The
other problem is that the coral is attached to a very rounded, small
piece of rock which is difficult to get perched anywhere and also there
is so much stuff growing on my live rock that I would find hard to go
and cover it.

Fish day today so I will do a heap of water testing while I'm at it and
will leave the water change for a bit.



Ray Martini wrote:
> No one seemed to really address the leather opening and closing issue. I
> have a couple of leathers that do exactly that. One may close up for days
> and then it opens up bigger than ever. CA @ 600 is really high but you knew
> that already.
>
> I suggest moving the coral to different spots until you find a place it
> likes. Keep an eye on it and add trace to the tank. Weekly water changes is
> too much IMHO. I only do 15% monthly. Haven't had a loss in many many
> months.
>
>
> "miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
> u...
>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>I bought a leather coral on the 6th December and it keeps opening and
>>closing a lot. Sometimes it is open for days and then closed for days and
>>at other times it is open during the day and closed at night. It has shed
>>a mucous type stuff a few times which sort of looks like when you peel
>>from sunburn. The corals that came on the live rock are all fine, in fact
>>they are spreading/growing well. Is this normal behaviour for a leather
>>coral?
>>
>>I increased the water movement around it after it's 2nd week here which
>>made no difference and increased the metal hallide lighting by an hour a
>>day. It looks great when it opens.
>>
>>My Calcium level is still at 600 and my tank is only a few months old. All
>>other tests are normal, Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates 0, Phosphates 0, SG
>>1.023 and pH is 8.4. Temps here in Oz have been hotter than normal but
>>until a couple of days ago the tank never got over 29°c and then it just
>>touched on 30 for one day. The first few weeks I had it the temps were
>>around 26/27C. I really don't want to spend $1000 on a chiller.
>>
>>I only have a young pair of ocellaris clowns, a pair of pyjama cardinals
>>and a coral beauty in a 700 litre tank along with a coral banded shrimp
>>and an unidentified crab.
>>
>>Is there something I should be doing or is this normal behaviour (or
>>normal behaviour for a newly moved coral)?
>>
>>Thanks for any advice.
>>miskairal
>
>
>

[miskairal]

I tested the water again today and also the water I have made up. How do
you raise the KH and lower the Ca?

My Ca test is one where you add drops of stuff counting the drops until
the mixture turns deep blue. The results I'm giving for the unused water
(made up ready for next water change) are not exactly correct as I
stopped adding drops when it had been deep purple for many drops. I use
Coralife's salt mix.

Tank (Coral sand bottom)
Ca 580
KH 5
SG 1.023 (a tiny bit under that but I'm not game add more salt)

Fresh coralife mix (in a bare bottom glass tank)
Ca (>)900
KH 8
SG 1.023

R/O water
Ca 0

What do I do? The leather coral seems to have taken to only closing at
night now, well after lights out that is.


miskairal wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I bought a leather coral on the 6th December and it keeps opening and
> closing a lot. Sometimes it is open for days and then closed for days
> and at other times it is open during the day and closed at night. It has
> shed a mucous type stuff a few times which sort of looks like when you
> peel from sunburn. The corals that came on the live rock are all fine,
> in fact they are spreading/growing well. Is this normal behaviour for a
> leather coral?
>
> I increased the water movement around it after it's 2nd week here which
> made no difference and increased the metal hallide lighting by an hour a
> day. It looks great when it opens.
>
> My Calcium level is still at 600 and my tank is only a few months old.
> All other tests are normal, Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates 0, Phosphates
> 0, SG 1.023 and pH is 8.4. Temps here in Oz have been hotter than normal
> but until a couple of days ago the tank never got over 29°c and then it
> just touched on 30 for one day. The first few weeks I had it the temps
> were around 26/27C. I really don't want to spend $1000 on a chiller.
>
> I only have a young pair of ocellaris clowns, a pair of pyjama cardinals
> and a coral beauty in a 700 litre tank along with a coral banded shrimp
> and an unidentified crab.
>
> Is there something I should be doing or is this normal behaviour (or
> normal behaviour for a newly moved coral)?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
> miskairal

[Roy]

As your calcium level comes down your alk level should increase. At
least thats the way mine has been going.

YOu will find some salt mixes contain high proportions of calcium etc.
Oceanic salt is what I used to use, and I always had problems with
high calcium levels, (550>) then I switched to Instant Ocean.......and
I have been able to maintain a pretty decent level of both alk and
calcium......I keep mine opn the higher end of the limits.....with a
calcium of 450 and alk aout an 11 or so.....I run 1.0235 SG in any
tank that has fish, and run 1.025 in all others that just contain
inverts, corals etc....

It is perfectly natural for corals of anay type to close up at night.
They all need rest periods. I like gettingup and setting in front of a
tank early n the morning, with just the lunar lights on, and then my
one set of actinics come on which are only 32 watts, and later on
other lights come on until they are all on, and watch the entire
underwater world wake up...So if your leather is not just a shriveled
up piece setting there, and it pumps itself up and "blooms" during the
day, I would not worry about it.

On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 18:12:14 +1000, miskairal <mehiding@Oz> wrote:
>><>I tested the water again today and also the water I have made up. How do
>><>you raise the KH and lower the Ca?
>><>
>><>My Ca test is one where you add drops of stuff counting the drops until
>><>the mixture turns deep blue. The results I'm giving for the unused water
>><>(made up ready for next water change) are not exactly correct as I
>><>stopped adding drops when it had been deep purple for many drops. I use
>><>Coralife's salt mix.
>><>
>><>Tank (Coral sand bottom)
>><>Ca 580
>><>KH 5
>><>SG 1.023 (a tiny bit under that but I'm not game add more salt)
>><>
>><>Fresh coralife mix (in a bare bottom glass tank)
>><>Ca (>)900
>><>KH 8
>><>SG 1.023
>><>
>><>R/O water
>><>Ca 0
>><>
>><>What do I do? The leather coral seems to have taken to only closing at
>><>night now, well after lights out that is.
>><>
>><>
>><>miskairal wrote:
>><>> Hi all,
>><>>
>><>> I bought a leather coral on the 6th December and it keeps opening and
>><>> closing a lot. Sometimes it is open for days and then closed for days
>><>> and at other times it is open during the day and closed at night. It has
>><>> shed a mucous type stuff a few times which sort of looks like when you
>><>> peel from sunburn. The corals that came on the live rock are all fine,
>><>> in fact they are spreading/growing well. Is this normal behaviour for a
>><>> leather coral?
>><>>
>><>> I increased the water movement around it after it's 2nd week here which
>><>> made no difference and increased the metal hallide lighting by an hour a
>><>> day. It looks great when it opens.
>><>>
>><>> My Calcium level is still at 600 and my tank is only a few months old.
>><>> All other tests are normal, Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates 0, Phosphates
>><>> 0, SG 1.023 and pH is 8.4. Temps here in Oz have been hotter than normal
>><>> but until a couple of days ago the tank never got over 29°c and then it
>><>> just touched on 30 for one day. The first few weeks I had it the temps
>><>> were around 26/27C. I really don't want to spend $1000 on a chiller.
>><>>
>><>> I only have a young pair of ocellaris clowns, a pair of pyjama cardinals
>><>> and a coral beauty in a 700 litre tank along with a coral banded shrimp
>><>> and an unidentified crab.
>><>>
>><>> Is there something I should be doing or is this normal behaviour (or
>><>> normal behaviour for a newly moved coral)?
>><>>
>><>> Thanks for any advice.
>><>> miskairal

--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

[Wayne Sallee]

Yep, Oceanic is not very good salt, and nether is Red Sea.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Roy wrote on 1/11/2006 9:04 AM:
> As your calcium level comes down your alk level should increase. At
> least thats the way mine has been going.
>
> YOu will find some salt mixes contain high proportions of calcium etc.
> Oceanic salt is what I used to use, and I always had problems with
> high calcium levels, (550>) then I switched to Instant Ocean.......and
> I have been able to maintain a pretty decent level of both alk and
> calcium......I keep mine opn the higher end of the limits.....with a
> calcium of 450 and alk aout an 11 or so.....I run 1.0235 SG in any
> tank that has fish, and run 1.025 in all others that just contain
> inverts, corals etc....
>
> It is perfectly natural for corals of anay type to close up at night.
> They all need rest periods. I like gettingup and setting in front of a
> tank early n the morning, with just the lunar lights on, and then my
> one set of actinics come on which are only 32 watts, and later on
> other lights come on until they are all on, and watch the entire
> underwater world wake up...So if your leather is not just a shriveled
> up piece setting there, and it pumps itself up and "blooms" during the
> day, I would not worry about it.
>
> On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 18:12:14 +1000, miskairal <mehiding@Oz> wrote:
>
>>><>I tested the water again today and also the water I have made up. How do
>>><>you raise the KH and lower the Ca?
>>><>
>>><>My Ca test is one where you add drops of stuff counting the drops until
>>><>the mixture turns deep blue. The results I'm giving for the unused water
>>><>(made up ready for next water change) are not exactly correct as I
>>><>stopped adding drops when it had been deep purple for many drops. I use
>>><>Coralife's salt mix.
>>><>
>>><>Tank (Coral sand bottom)
>>><>Ca 580
>>><>KH 5
>>><>SG 1.023 (a tiny bit under that but I'm not game add more salt)
>>><>
>>><>Fresh coralife mix (in a bare bottom glass tank)
>>><>Ca (>)900
>>><>KH 8
>>><>SG 1.023
>>><>
>>><>R/O water
>>><>Ca 0
>>><>
>>><>What do I do? The leather coral seems to have taken to only closing at
>>><>night now, well after lights out that is.
>>><>
>>><>
>>><>miskairal wrote:
>>><>> Hi all,
>>><>>
>>><>> I bought a leather coral on the 6th December and it keeps opening and
>>><>> closing a lot. Sometimes it is open for days and then closed for days
>>><>> and at other times it is open during the day and closed at night. It has
>>><>> shed a mucous type stuff a few times which sort of looks like when you
>>><>> peel from sunburn. The corals that came on the live rock are all fine,
>>><>> in fact they are spreading/growing well. Is this normal behaviour for a
>>><>> leather coral?
>>><>>
>>><>> I increased the water movement around it after it's 2nd week here which
>>><>> made no difference and increased the metal hallide lighting by an hour a
>>><>> day. It looks great when it opens.
>>><>>
>>><>> My Calcium level is still at 600 and my tank is only a few months old.
>>><>> All other tests are normal, Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates 0, Phosphates
>>><>> 0, SG 1.023 and pH is 8.4. Temps here in Oz have been hotter than normal
>>><>> but until a couple of days ago the tank never got over 29°c and then it
>>><>> just touched on 30 for one day. The first few weeks I had it the temps
>>><>> were around 26/27C. I really don't want to spend $1000 on a chiller.
>>><>>
>>><>> I only have a young pair of ocellaris clowns, a pair of pyjama cardinals
>>><>> and a coral beauty in a 700 litre tank along with a coral banded shrimp
>>><>> and an unidentified crab.
>>><>>
>>><>> Is there something I should be doing or is this normal behaviour (or
>>><>> normal behaviour for a newly moved coral)?
>>><>>
>>><>> Thanks for any advice.
>>><>> miskairal
>
>

[miskairal]

Thanks for that. I will have to look round and see what other salt I can
get here.

Nowhere had I read that it is natural for corals to close up at night so
I'm glad to finally hear that. Mine closed up tight last night but is
open again this morning. I think it might be ok, just took a bit of
settling in.

Roy wrote:
> As your calcium level comes down your alk level should increase. At
> least thats the way mine has been going.
>
> YOu will find some salt mixes contain high proportions of calcium etc.
> Oceanic salt is what I used to use, and I always had problems with
> high calcium levels, (550>) then I switched to Instant Ocean.......and
> I have been able to maintain a pretty decent level of both alk and
> calcium......I keep mine opn the higher end of the limits.....with a
> calcium of 450 and alk aout an 11 or so.....I run 1.0235 SG in any
> tank that has fish, and run 1.025 in all others that just contain
> inverts, corals etc....
>
> It is perfectly natural for corals of anay type to close up at night.
> They all need rest periods. I like gettingup and setting in front of a
> tank early n the morning, with just the lunar lights on, and then my
> one set of actinics come on which are only 32 watts, and later on
> other lights come on until they are all on, and watch the entire
> underwater world wake up...So if your leather is not just a shriveled
> up piece setting there, and it pumps itself up and "blooms" during the
> day, I would not worry about it.
>
> On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 18:12:14 +1000, miskairal <mehiding@Oz> wrote:
>
>>><>I tested the water again today and also the water I have made up. How do
>>><>you raise the KH and lower the Ca?
>>><>
>>><>My Ca test is one where you add drops of stuff counting the drops until
>>><>the mixture turns deep blue. The results I'm giving for the unused water
>>><>(made up ready for next water change) are not exactly correct as I
>>><>stopped adding drops when it had been deep purple for many drops. I use
>>><>Coralife's salt mix.
>>><>
>>><>Tank (Coral sand bottom)
>>><>Ca 580
>>><>KH 5
>>><>SG 1.023 (a tiny bit under that but I'm not game add more salt)
>>><>
>>><>Fresh coralife mix (in a bare bottom glass tank)
>>><>Ca (>)900
>>><>KH 8
>>><>SG 1.023
>>><>
>>><>R/O water
>>><>Ca 0
>>><>
>>><>What do I do? The leather coral seems to have taken to only closing at
>>><>night now, well after lights out that is.
>>><>
>>><>
>>><>miskairal wrote:
>>><>> Hi all,
>>><>>
>>><>> I bought a leather coral on the 6th December and it keeps opening and
>>><>> closing a lot. Sometimes it is open for days and then closed for days
>>><>> and at other times it is open during the day and closed at night. It has
>>><>> shed a mucous type stuff a few times which sort of looks like when you
>>><>> peel from sunburn. The corals that came on the live rock are all fine,
>>><>> in fact they are spreading/growing well. Is this normal behaviour for a
>>><>> leather coral?
>>><>>
>>><>> I increased the water movement around it after it's 2nd week here which
>>><>> made no difference and increased the metal hallide lighting by an hour a
>>><>> day. It looks great when it opens.
>>><>>
>>><>> My Calcium level is still at 600 and my tank is only a few months old.
>>><>> All other tests are normal, Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates 0, Phosphates
>>><>> 0, SG 1.023 and pH is 8.4. Temps here in Oz have been hotter than normal
>>><>> but until a couple of days ago the tank never got over 29°c and then it
>>><>> just touched on 30 for one day. The first few weeks I had it the temps
>>><>> were around 26/27C. I really don't want to spend $1000 on a chiller.
>>><>>
>>><>> I only have a young pair of ocellaris clowns, a pair of pyjama cardinals
>>><>> and a coral beauty in a 700 litre tank along with a coral banded shrimp
>>><>> and an unidentified crab.
>>><>>
>>><>> Is there something I should be doing or is this normal behaviour (or
>>><>> normal behaviour for a newly moved coral)?
>>><>>
>>><>> Thanks for any advice.
>>><>> miskairal
>
>

[TheRock]

In the past I've notice my CA levels drop quick after a water change.
Try about 25%. Don't quote me but I don't think sand gives off CA.
How did your CA get up that high to begin with ? What are you adding to
the tank supplement CA ?


"miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
u...
> What I really should do is test the made up water BEFORE I add it to the
> tank. Can the Ca level be raised by coral sand?
>
> I have a stuffed back so try to keep the water changes within levels that
> I can manage to cart the waste away, bucket by bucket. Actually, come to
> think of it there is no reason why the water has to be moved in one day,
> it's not in the way. What size water change were you thinking?
>
> TheRock wrote:
>> How about a big water change ?
>> That usually does the trick.
>>
>>
>> "miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>>I've not added a single thing so far.
>>>
>>>Roy wrote:
>>>
>>>>While a spike ot shrt term increase in calcium usually does no harm,
>>>>except if you get it to the point it starts to precipitate out of the
>>>>water and even then that does not do any harm, but if your adding any
>>>>supplements do not add any more cal. It will drop on its own as it
>>>>gets used.
>>
>>

[TheRock]

Here is a wild article on Calcium in Aquaria.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/3/chemistry/view?searchterm=calcium

Now go and start balancing those equations !!!


"miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
u...
> Hi all,
>
> I bought a leather coral on the 6th December and it keeps opening and
> closing a lot. Sometimes it is open for days and then closed for days and
> at other times it is open during the day and closed at night. It has shed
> a mucous type stuff a few times which sort of looks like when you peel
> from sunburn. The corals that came on the live rock are all fine, in fact
> they are spreading/growing well. Is this normal behaviour for a leather
> coral?
>
> I increased the water movement around it after it's 2nd week here which
> made no difference and increased the metal hallide lighting by an hour a
> day. It looks great when it opens.
>
> My Calcium level is still at 600 and my tank is only a few months old. All
> other tests are normal, Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates 0, Phosphates 0, SG
> 1.023 and pH is 8.4. Temps here in Oz have been hotter than normal but
> until a couple of days ago the tank never got over 29°c and then it just
> touched on 30 for one day. The first few weeks I had it the temps were
> around 26/27C. I really don't want to spend $1000 on a chiller.
>
> I only have a young pair of ocellaris clowns, a pair of pyjama cardinals
> and a coral beauty in a 700 litre tank along with a coral banded shrimp
> and an unidentified crab.
>
> Is there something I should be doing or is this normal behaviour (or
> normal behaviour for a newly moved coral)?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
> miskairal

[Roy]

Sand can add to the calcium levels..however there is a catch 22. For
it to contribute to calcium the ph range would have to be much lower
than typically used in an aquarium, and the range would be so low it
owuld be lethal to just about anything in the tank.......So I would
certainly discount any sand as a source of high calcium levels

I would have to tend to think the calcium levels are due to the brand
of salt being used.......Instant Ocean when mixed, just about gives a
constant 400 in calcium, Oceanic salt gives a high cacium reading as
well, usually in the neighborhod of 450 or so. So if there is nothing
being added to the tank in the way of supplements the calcium levels
would have to be attributed to the salt, and that there is just
insufficient critters in the tank that is utilizing the calcium..


On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 23:33:48 GMT, "TheRock" > wrote:
>><>In the past I've notice my CA levels drop quick after a water change.
>><>Try about 25%. Don't quote me but I don't think sand gives off CA.
>><>How did your CA get up that high to begin with ? What are you adding to
>><>the tank supplement CA ?
>><>
>><>
>><>"miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
u...
>><>> What I really should do is test the made up water BEFORE I add it to the
>><>> tank. Can the Ca level be raised by coral sand?
>><>>
>><>> I have a stuffed back so try to keep the water changes within levels that
>><>> I can manage to cart the waste away, bucket by bucket. Actually, come to
>><>> think of it there is no reason why the water has to be moved in one day,
>><>> it's not in the way. What size water change were you thinking?
>><>>
>><>> TheRock wrote:
>><>>> How about a big water change ?
>><>>> That usually does the trick.
>><>>>
>><>>>
>><>>> "miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
>><>>> ...
>><>>>
>><>>>>I've not added a single thing so far.
>><>>>>
>><>>>>Roy wrote:
>><>>>>
>><>>>>>While a spike ot shrt term increase in calcium usually does no harm,
>><>>>>>except if you get it to the point it starts to precipitate out of the
>><>>>>>water and even then that does not do any harm, but if your adding any
>><>>>>>supplements do not add any more cal. It will drop on its own as it
>><>>>>>gets used.
>><>>>
>><>>>

--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

[miskairal]

Seems it's the salt mix, I am adding absolutely nothing.
See my reply further down. I was aobut to tell you the date and time of
the reply but that wouldn't work would it, unless you are in Qld, Aust?

TheRock wrote:
> In the past I've notice my CA levels drop quick after a water change.
> Try about 25%. Don't quote me but I don't think sand gives off CA.
> How did your CA get up that high to begin with ? What are you adding to
> the tank supplement CA ?
>
>
> "miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
> u...
>
>>What I really should do is test the made up water BEFORE I add it to the
>>tank. Can the Ca level be raised by coral sand?
>>
>>I have a stuffed back so try to keep the water changes within levels that
>>I can manage to cart the waste away, bucket by bucket. Actually, come to
>>think of it there is no reason why the water has to be moved in one day,
>>it's not in the way. What size water change were you thinking?
>>
>>TheRock wrote:
>>
>>>How about a big water change ?
>>>That usually does the trick.
>>>
>>>
>>>"miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
...
>>>
>>>
>>>>I've not added a single thing so far.
>>>>
>>>>Roy wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>While a spike ot shrt term increase in calcium usually does no harm,
>>>>>except if you get it to the point it starts to precipitate out of the
>>>>>water and even then that does not do any harm, but if your adding any
>>>>>supplements do not add any more cal. It will drop on its own as it
>>>>>gets used.
>>>
>>>
>

[miskairal]

Now there's a good excuse to get more coral :)

Roy wrote:
> Sand can add to the calcium levels..however there is a catch 22. For
> it to contribute to calcium the ph range would have to be much lower
> than typically used in an aquarium, and the range would be so low it
> owuld be lethal to just about anything in the tank.......So I would
> certainly discount any sand as a source of high calcium levels
>
> I would have to tend to think the calcium levels are due to the brand
> of salt being used.......Instant Ocean when mixed, just about gives a
> constant 400 in calcium, Oceanic salt gives a high cacium reading as
> well, usually in the neighborhod of 450 or so. So if there is nothing
> being added to the tank in the way of supplements the calcium levels
> would have to be attributed to the salt, and that there is just
> insufficient critters in the tank that is utilizing the calcium..
>
>
> On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 23:33:48 GMT, "TheRock" > wrote:
>
>>><>In the past I've notice my CA levels drop quick after a water change.
>>><>Try about 25%. Don't quote me but I don't think sand gives off CA.
>>><>How did your CA get up that high to begin with ? What are you adding to
>>><>the tank supplement CA ?
>>><>
>>><>
>>><>"miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
u...
>>><>> What I really should do is test the made up water BEFORE I add it to the
>>><>> tank. Can the Ca level be raised by coral sand?
>>><>>
>>><>> I have a stuffed back so try to keep the water changes within levels that
>>><>> I can manage to cart the waste away, bucket by bucket. Actually, come to
>>><>> think of it there is no reason why the water has to be moved in one day,
>>><>> it's not in the way. What size water change were you thinking?
>>><>>
>>><>> TheRock wrote:
>>><>>> How about a big water change ?
>>><>>> That usually does the trick.
>>><>>>
>>><>>>
>>><>>> "miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
>>><>>> ...
>>><>>>
>>><>>>>I've not added a single thing so far.
>>><>>>>
>>><>>>>Roy wrote:
>>><>>>>
>>><>>>>>While a spike ot shrt term increase in calcium usually does no harm,
>>><>>>>>except if you get it to the point it starts to precipitate out of the
>>><>>>>>water and even then that does not do any harm, but if your adding any
>>><>>>>>supplements do not add any more cal. It will drop on its own as it
>>><>>>>>gets used.
>>><>>>
>>><>>>
>
>

[miskairal]

Oh boy, that's too much for me. I tried, I really did and I'd dearly
love to know and understand that much but my brain just sat there like a
brick while I read about half the article.
Thanks though.

TheRock wrote:
> Here is a wild article on Calcium in Aquaria.
> http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/3/chemistry/view?searchterm=calcium
>
> Now go and start balancing those equations !!!
>
>
> "miskairal" <mehiding@Oz> wrote in message
> u...
>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>I bought a leather coral on the 6th December and it keeps opening and
>>closing a lot. Sometimes it is open for days and then closed for days and
>>at other times it is open during the day and closed at night. It has shed
>>a mucous type stuff a few times which sort of looks like when you peel
>>from sunburn. The corals that came on the live rock are all fine, in fact
>>they are spreading/growing well. Is this normal behaviour for a leather
>>coral?
>>
>>I increased the water movement around it after it's 2nd week here which
>>made no difference and increased the metal hallide lighting by an hour a
>>day. It looks great when it opens.
>>
>>My Calcium level is still at 600 and my tank is only a few months old. All
>>other tests are normal, Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates 0, Phosphates 0, SG
>>1.023 and pH is 8.4. Temps here in Oz have been hotter than normal but
>>until a couple of days ago the tank never got over 29°c and then it just
>>touched on 30 for one day. The first few weeks I had it the temps were
>>around 26/27C. I really don't want to spend $1000 on a chiller.
>>
>>I only have a young pair of ocellaris clowns, a pair of pyjama cardinals
>>and a coral beauty in a 700 litre tank along with a coral banded shrimp
>>and an unidentified crab.
>>
>>Is there something I should be doing or is this normal behaviour (or
>>normal behaviour for a newly moved coral)?
>>
>>Thanks for any advice.
>>miskairal
>
>
>