Newbie with Open Brain Coral

[cowboy572]

I don't know if this qualifies as a emergency but I have a question concerning my green open brain coral. I have had him for about a week in a tank (55 gal) that has been set up for a little over a year now. Since I have had him he looked full and opened and moved when touched. Now it's sunken in and now no movement from it. So any help to tell me whats going on will be greatly appreciated. Just don't tell me it's dead or dying, just tell me it's sleeping, LOL.

[profntbtr]

can you give us any specs? like nitrate/trite levels, temp, salinity, lighting, what have you changed/added recently.

[apedroza]

Every once in a while they will deflate to expel waste and such. It shouldn't last more than a couple of days though.

[cowboy572]

I know my levels are up but not high, but I am due for a water change. Temp I keep around 76-78. Salinty I keep around 1.023 and 1.024. I run four 65 watt compacts, 2 blue antics and 2 10,000k. Only thing I have added in the past two weeks was a 2lb piece of live lock to help since I have a little ove 40lbs of live rock in my tank.

[jrsatx20]

mine i had to dose with calcium for him to open up again. is he hard to the touch. might want to test calcium level.

[cowboy572]

Calicum is new to me. All I was told they don't need much light and and feed them brine or mytis shrimp. If calcium is needed what do you recommend and how to dose it. Next to my encrusted gonopara the only other inverts I have are my zoas and mushrooms.

[tropicana]

I have heard but not used myself YET, that B-ionic 2-part solution is the easiest way for someone that doesnt make their own. I am going to start using it soon.

[alton]

I am not sure about the comment "they don't need much light"? When I was using CF Lamps mine tell me when it is time to change lamps because they are the first to start looking bad. Brains do not like neighbors, if they are close to aggressive corals move them, as a whole brains like well established tanks. They work out great in your sump with a light used as filter feeders.

[cowboy572]

Its doing fine now, I moved it to a different location. So I dont know what may have caused it. I may have had it to close to some zoas, cause it was within that 4in "saftety zone" I learned your supposed to keep with zoantids.

[tg1119]

I use the 2 part B ionic and I love it. I have been using it for about 6 months and it keeps my calcium, alk, and ph at perfect levels. My LPS have been growing like mad.