What's happening to my corals?

johng723 · #1 08/26/2007, 12:03 AM

I have two torch's a hammerhead and a zoa currently in my tank and I think my LPS are not very happy. One of the torch coral seems to be withering away, the other one is slightly retracted, but not all the way, and the hammer is out but not as much as he could be. I just got the torch (the withered one) and hammer two days ago and drip acclimated them. They both were fully extended for the whole night, but the next morning the torch was completed retrated and the hammer was just a little bit. The other torch that I have has been in my tank for 3 days now and it's also partially retracted. What could have gone wrong? I tried moving them to different places, currently the withered torch is on a LR about halfway up, the half extended torch is on the LS, and the Hammer is also on a LR. My Zoa's are doing excellent however. I just changed my lights to 150W HQI's and my temperature rose to 84 degrees from 81 when I put the Torch and the hammer in. My Ammonia - 0, Nitrite - 0, Nitrate - 0, PH - 8.2, Alk - 10, Calcium - 350, Salinity - 1.024. Any ideas?? Sorry for the long post guys!

Echidna09 · #2 08/26/2007, 12:06 AM

I would get the temperature down if possible. 84 is pretty much the line for tropical temperatures. Also you don't have to drip acclimate corals. Just temperature acclimate them.

Der_Iron_Chef · #3 08/26/2007, 12:49 AM

Well, I'd say the most obvious thing might be the change in lighting. Whenever a coral behaves differently than it did before, there is a reason. And you changed the lighting. What were you using before the 150w HQI?

My only other suggestion is flow. Euphyllia (hammers, frogspawn, torch, etc.) don't appreciate direct flow. A gentle waving motion is what they seem to prefer (in my experience).

johng723 · #4 08/26/2007, 10:56 AM

Before the 150w HQI I had the stock hood on with the PC's. For the two new corals, the torch and the hammer, they were only under that for a few hours before I changed the lighting. I feel like I put them out of direct flow, although I could be wrong, I'll try and move them around again, thanks! As for the temperature, the only thing I can think of is going out and getting a chiller to lower it and if I have to, I'll do it.