Question about first corals added to new tank

pammy · 05-26-2007, 10:11 AM

Hello all. My tank has been up and running for just over 3 weeks.
Water Parameters have been steady the entire time. Using a Spectrapure Maxcap RO/DI. Salinity is 1.025. Ammonia = 0
Nitrites = 0 Nitrates = 5. PH is 7.9 Phosphates are 0. Temp is on the high side. Was 82.7 yesterday, got it down to 81.8 right now.
(Have the AC on, and floated a frozen bottle of water in the sump yesterday). Got it down to 81.8 f. For lighting, I have the Elos Planet 4 24w T5 (2 super actinic, 2 blue+ (ATI and UVL) and 150w metal halide which I'm not running yet.

I was SO exited to put in my first corals yesterday. Haven't added a fish yet. I purchased forescent green mushrooms and a zooathus button polyps (green with orange center)

The zoo's opened quite a bit after I got them in the tank. The mushrooms shriveled down to about 1/4 of the size in the bag.
I only have a 5 minute drive home. I floated them for 30 minutes,
and then did a drip for an hour. They never expanded last night, but I was moving them around a lot trying to find the best spot for them. I have them at the bottom of the tank, in a low flow spot.

Just turned on the T5's....and it's only been 30 minutes, but they're still shrunken. Their color looks fine, they're just not opening like when they were in the store yesterday. How long after you add them to a new tank, does it take for them to recover and open up? Do they shrivel every night when you turn the lights off? How long does it take to open after the lights come on?

Thanks! Felt like Christmas yesterday!!

Bye
Pam

**Phurst** · 05-26-2007, 01:19 PM

I wouldn't worry about the shroom yet. Mine shrivel up every night at lights out.

They should be fine on the bottom with low flow. They're pretty tough, so don't worry if it takes them several days to open back up. Just stop moving them, that adds a lot of stress.

Congrats on the first additions. Keep us updated.

pammy · 05-26-2007, 03:32 PM

Thanks. I was a bit worried last night, but they definitely look better today. Still not as nice as at the LFS, but I think they'll be ok. Here are two pics, which don't show the color very well (flourescent green). Do they look ok? The top two have lifted themselves off the rock, the bottom two are still draped to the rock pretty closely. Nice to have a touch of color in my tank!

Pam

**CarmieJo** · 05-26-2007, 04:38 PM

Very pretty mushrooms. I think they will be just fine.

pammy · 05-26-2007, 10:27 PM

Thanks Carmie. I'll have to adjust the white balance on my camera to see if I can capture the color. They do seem better today than yesterday.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarmieJo

Very pretty mushrooms. I think they will be just fine.

pammy · 05-29-2007, 06:33 AM

Mushrooms are looking beautiful now!

You guys were right. Took about 3 days for them to settle in.
Pam

**CarmieJo** · 05-29-2007, 12:16 PM

Wonderful!

pammy · 05-29-2007, 12:23 PM

One thing I noticed.... Mushrooms are supposed to like low light, yet they don't even begin to open until the T5's turn on. My tank is in a bright room. I have the shades closed so that the sun doesn't come in and cause algae problems, but the room is still very bright. I'd think that the mushrooms would open somewhat at least. Maybe they think it's moonlight. My lights are only on 5 hours a day right now and I'm increasing them gradually. Should I increase them by 30 minutes a day, or 30 minutes every week ???

Thanks, Pam

**Phurst** · 05-29-2007, 01:00 PM

The zoas and shroom are the only things photo-sensitive in the tank? I don't see any need to slowly increase the phot period, unless you are going to exceed whatever lighting they were under in the LFS. I'd try to match their photo period, and if you are planning on lighting more, you can increase it from there. I'd fire up the MH too.

pammy · 05-29-2007, 01:03 PM

Someone that works at my LFS told me to increase the amount of time the lights are on, slowly, so that I didn't have crazy aglae issues. I should just go ahead and start lighting my tank for 12 hours a day? The only think in my tank besides the zoos and mushrooms, are 7 Cerith snails and 1 scarlett legged crab....and 55lbs of live rock.

Thanks, Pam

**Phurst** · 05-29-2007, 01:12 PM

If algae issues are going to happen (and they probably will), they will happen once there is enough light to support them, regardless of weather you slowly reach that point or reach it now. You're just going to have to let it cycle through. Everyone gets it with a new tank. Good water quality, water changes and a cleanup crew will all do their part to reach equilibrium. Now that you have phot- dependant organisams in the tank, I say swith to your normal lighting scheme now. Just MHO of course.

**CarmieJo** · 05-29-2007, 03:07 PM

I start my tank's "day" at noon so that I can enjoy it when I get home after work.

I would differ on firing up your MH for 'shrooms & zoas. They don't need the intensity so unless you just want shimmer I'd wait until I have something that needs the stronger light. The frugal reefkeeper (oxymoron) in me says "Besides the additional power used they will add heat to your tank and the room. It's probably not in the 90's yet in NH but summer is coming and why run the AC more than you have to? "

**wwest** · 05-29-2007, 03:28 PM

I agree with you carmie on the heat from the MH, however my shrooms and zoo's love my MH. They open everyday and they grow like a weed. I have mixed feelings about zoo's and shrooms needing moderate to low light. When i didn't have my MH they were ok but nothing like they are now. Thats just my experience though

**Phurst** · 05-29-2007, 03:29 PM

Carmie has an excelent point.

If they're doing fine under the T5s, you may indeed want to wait. I was just concerned that with just blue light, they may not get enough PAR.