Hard coral doctor

[Guest greenthumb]

Howard, Steve, Rob, anyone,

 

As you are aware, maybe, I am caring for quite a few corals for a friend. They have been without light for almost a month. The softies are okay, red & blue mushrooms, several zoo colonies, lg hammer but needs fragging, and frog spawn. A large selection of Phils private stock of large Acros, millaporas, pocillopora, a 9" stag horn, a very nice Eflo, SOMETHING THAT IS CALLED A SUPERMAN, and a formosa. They are in need of help. I am trying my best, but I am new with hard stuff and I probably mispelled a few of them. I've been timid with making hard coral purchases, but I felt sick when I saw these. I made Ron give them to me for looking after so he would not loose the whole lot even though he lost about 4-5 nice acros already. I can care for the softies well enough and I now have MH for the others. But, what would you do for them if they have been without light for a month and when you look at them you want to toss your cookies.

 

Is it true that once they start dying, there is no recovery, should the large ones be fragged and the dead stuff removed. What do you look for to tell if a piece is lost? Can you frag a piece and save it, if it still has color? Are there smells I should look for? Will nitrite levels be detected? Should I keep the softies seperate? I need a body of someone who can take some time to tell me what will, might, or could happen. I have some of my own live stock that I could trade for some advice and your time if you can make a visit.

 

What to do? Besides tossing cookies!!!!

 

 

Thanks,

Michelle

[HowardofNOVA]

Michelle,

Corals without lights are basically being starved to death!

The lights are actually creating food for corals. IF this is the only thing that you done that is creating the problem, than you could probably save them by getting them under light ASAP.

BUT, You can't just throw them under MH, VHO, PC, etc over night. You need to acclimate them slowly into a lighted environment, but you need to do it soon!

I wish I could take them off you, but I just bought Mike's collection to keep under one roof and won't have any room to support another.

You mentioned that you NOW have a MH light or not on your tank or our you getting one?

The softies will do fine under very little lighting, but the SPS, LPS and clam will need high lighting to survive.

Anyone else near by can help her out??

Howard

[miller]

sent pm

[Guest greenthumb]

Michelle,

Corals without lights are basically being starved to death!

The lights are actually creating food for corals. IF this is the only thing that you done that is creating the problem, than you could probably save them by getting them under light ASAP.

BUT, You can't just throw them under MH, VHO, PC, etc over night. You need to acclimate them slowly into a lighted environment, but you need to do it soon!

I wish I could take them off you, but I just bought Mike's collection to keep under one roof and won't have any room to support another.

You mentioned that you NOW have a MH light or not on your tank or our you getting one?

The softies will do fine under very little lighting, but the SPS, LPS and clam will need high lighting to survive.

Anyone else near by can help her out??

Howard

33771[/snapback]

 

Howard,

 

First, these are not mine. Two, I have them in the 39 bowfront with orbits. So, I have room the room. My new tank, the 120 has Aquaspace lighting 2-250watt - HQI's- double ended 10k with T5's. So far, that is bright enough.

 

I do know that I need to do a slow acclimation for them, therefore not sending them into more shock. I've been do 3-5 hours lighting periods and they are all at the bottom of the tank. So not really intense lighting. A few of the zoo colonies look decent and are opened and a few of the others are throwing up. ( doing what I wanted to do when I saw them ) But they have color and are opening. Right now, All but one. I have pics post on my site, www.mbrookspottery.com. under aquarium. You can see what I am talking about.

 

Anyway,

 

How long should I wait before putting the sps's under the MH. How long etc, etc?

 

Main concern, I would like to get everything in one tank. If the SPS are dying due to starvation and reacclimating does not help, what can they do to my existing setup if they keep dying. Will they crash my system. Should I keep them in the Q tank until they show signs of improvement. Then add them. I am not sure how long I will be caring for these guys. I just want to make sure what I am trying to due is good enough and if not how can I make it better? Also, what I am waiting for is someone to come out and tell what may make it and wont.

 

Thanks for everything,

 

PS. Did you just have a Bday? If so, hope it was a good year.

 

Michelle