Frogspawn retracted?

So, to celebrate the banishment of nitrates from my tank I bought a RBTA and two heads of frogspawn last weekend. The frogspawn have retratcted almost completely into the skeletons since they went in the tank. They were looking great at the shop.


This has happened before with the hammer coral and frogspwn I had. I wrote it off to the nitrates, but now it's happening again and I'm wondering if it's not something else. My nitrates were 0 when I tested last Saturday. pH was 7.8. I've been buffering to bring it up but haven't had time to test again. Those are the only tests I have onhand besides amonia and nitrites. I have the frogspwn on the sand, partially shaded and out of heavy flow.


Any thoughts?

 

Until you check your alk, calc, and mag we can only guess. First thing you have to check parameters to make sure everything is in balance.

 

I am going to follow responses and do not want to hijack this thread, I have the same problem in the 120 g tank. My Calc and Mag are in check, but I have been trying to get the Alk level up with 2 part dosing, but it seems like I should be reaching an appropriate Alk and PH level, but seems like it is taking forever to get there. Anyway, I hope this thread keeps going.

 

Just as mentioned above, check your big 3 parameters, they will affect it alot. However I have numerous colonies of fs, 4 different kinds and I have noticed they do get pissy from time to time due to getting "pestered". Sometimes my clowns try to host in them and I have a goby that hangs out in them. If they start doing it too much the fs gets pissed and can close up for a day or two. Just something to think about as I have seen it first hand. Also it could just be adjusting to your particular lighting. when I upgraded my lighting they closed up for a few days while other corals seemed unaffected. Hammer coral acts very similar usually too btw as they are in the same family.

 

I'll go out and get test kits for those params tonight or tomorrow. I've just been putting it off. I do have some kalkwasser. Should I start a dosing schedule ASAP regardless?

 

How is the frogspawn doing?
Any changes?

 

No changes. Disappointing. I got a Red Sea KH test, but haven't had time to really figure out if I'm reading it or performing it right.

 

I have the Red Sea KH test kit. They are pretty slick and easy to read once you figure out what you are doing. The little card that comes with has pretty good instructions. You just drip the test solution in with the applicator (starting with 1ml of test solution) until the jar of tank water(10ml tank water) turns pink. Then you just compare how much solution you dripped to the chart on the card. I just got this kit a couple weeks ago and really like it.

 

See, mine keeps turning yellow. What could I be doing wrong?

 

Does it at least start out blue? Your adding the red KH solution, correct?

 

watch this video... it shows you everything

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb4NnYOFneA