hi

Question
hi i wanted to know i have a fairly new tank and i have a polyp rock and a leather in it!! i was wondering why only a few polyps come out during the day and the leather doesnt stand up all the way?

Answer
Hey Robert,
It could be a few things or a combination. New systems rarely have the water quality to support corals in their first 6 months. Low levels of ammonia, nitrite or nitrate, phosphates(these 4 in particular can kill a reef), low levels of desired minerals such as calcium, strontium and iodide, populations of micro-plankton/zooplankton too small, etc. So test your water quality frequently and look into a food and a coral mineral/vitamin supplement, if you dont already have them. Lighting is another issue in early stages. Corals need(rule of thumb) between 3 and 5 watts lighting per gallon. So check your lighting to make sure it's adequate. Flow, make sure you have proper placement for the right amount of water movement for your corals. There are a huge variety of polyps and leather corals out there so pin pointing their needs isnt something I can do with just the "polyp" or "leather" name. I need to know each species in particular to give you their exact needs. However, most "polyps" require medium flow and water movement and moderate lighting, so a mid level placement in the system works. "Leathers" are somewhat different, most require the strong side of medium flow and water movement but their lighting needs vary greatly. So placement high in the system may or may not be in order. If you can find out what the exact species you have are I will be glad to help you get a firmer grip on a thriving system. Let me know!