deflated frogspawn: concern?

[Anonymous]

Hey folks,
My frogspawn coral has been looking deflated the past 3 nights I have come home from work (7:00 pm). I have been checking temp each day, but it only moves from 79.6 to 80.2 (+/- 2 degrees).
The lighting hasn't changed, and I drip kalk nightly.
I ran a few tests tonight:
PO4 = 0.0
NO3 = 0.0
Spec. Grav. = 1.024
pH = 8.2

I haven't been using additives, save for 8 drops of Potassium Iodide on last Sat night.
I did notice a bumblebee snail was hanging out near the frogspawn lately.

Is there any cause for concern here?
TIA.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh yeah, I did a 5 gallon water change on my 55 gallon tank (100 pounds LR).

 

[JeremyR]

I would be inclined to test calcium & alk out of curiosity...

 

[Anonymous]

Ca = 420 ppm
and alk = 4 dKH

my acropora and nephthea seem to be fine.

 

[Anonymous]

the dKH is a problem i'm working on. just gotta figure experiment w/ the baking soda/washing soda recipes.

BUT...
i am now wondering if anyone else's frogspawn typically deflates just before the lights go out?

 

[cyberpanther]

Personal experience states recheck that the water flow somehow didn't get shifted. Frogspawn are very sensitive to this and will deflate if they are not getting enough waterflow. Also make sure your temperature range is also right. I am not trying to talk down to you but figured sometimes we get to caught up in the chemistry and forget the basics.

 

[Anonymous]

Could be water flow! Forgot to check that.
Thanks!

 

[JeremyR]

4 dkh is rather low, 4 meq/l would be ok.. if it's 4 dkh you definitely need to raise that, whether it's at fault for the frogspawn being deflated or not.

 

[pathos]

my frogspawn deflates just before lights out. it is cause for concern if he does not inflate in the afternoon. i had a similar problem with mine. i moved him up to the next highest shelf and he was quickly back to normal. could be the light intensity, could be the water flow, hell could be his proximity to other softies. i've heard that softies like to touch each other (just barely when fully extended). i have had great luck with this methodology. my derasa, flowerpot, modern meat, frogspawn, galaxea (j/k hehe) and polyps all rub against each other and seem to take comfort in this, they are all doing great. you have to be careful though and make sure they are compatible. FWIW - JME - HIH

 

[bigtank]

For your information, a frogspawn is not a softy, but an LPS coral. Soft corals do not have a stony skeleton like LPS do.

I have a torch and he stays open all day (while the lights are on) but will sometimes deflate one or more polyps for no apparent reason.

 

[McReef1]

Please be careful about too much water flow. They will certainly not "inflate" if there is too much flow.

Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the input everyone. Hopefully it ain't much to worry about.