Bubble coral looking flat

[pi sees]

I'm new to reef, but have a 90 gal fish only for 2 years. I just started a 40 gal reef. After having live rock for 2 weeks, I just added 1 brain, 1 pollup rock, 1 bubble coral, 1 feather duster, 1 cleaner shrimp, and 1 blood shrimp. Too much to start? Anyway, the bubble is not opened up like it was when the LFS put it in the bag for me. It is 1/5 it's expanded size in the store. Is that normal, does it just need time, or is it kaput?

[tims]

they can take some time to 1st open up..also depends sorta where you put him.....

lets back a second...
you siad it was only 2 weeks with LR in it?!!!!?????!!!

was it fully cured abd did you test all the water parameters? your levels could still be way off.... then everyone could be in trouble...

[tangcrazy]

tims my thoughts also, Don't think two weeks is enough time to cure the live rock, unless you moved it from the other tank. Bubbles don't like to be moved, don't like a lot of water flow, and like medium light. Make sure you got him isolated he will sting your other corals, and kill them.

[pi sees]

The LR was fully cured (no smell or noticable die off) at purchase from very reliable LFS. I am adding B-ionic and calcium is 320 and rising. I was told the bubble should be mid to high in the tank. Should I lower it? And, besides calcium, what else should I be testing for that's different than my fish only? Thanks.

[tims]

i would test everything.

ph, temp, Sg,nitrites, nitrate, amm. the full gambit if you can..just be weary when a LFS says it is fully cured.. even then you can have some die off..

placement is a big question.. mine is in the bottom of my 65g. cat has hers in top of her tank. RD5 i think has his in the middle..

i would let it be for now..until it "feels comfortable"
how is everyone else doing?

what type of lighting will it be under..

wait till you see it strech out and fully open they are soo cool looking......

[pi sees]

PH = 8.2, temp = 78, sal = 1.021, calc = 320. Light is a Power Compact with 3 phase (10,000k - ultra actininc - moon light). I was told to go with blue light for 8 hours with the white on for 6 hours (1 hour after blue comes on, and off 1 hour before blue goes off). Everyone looks good except the bubble as of now. Should I give the shrimp some mysis or something until everything gets going, or should there be enough for them to nibble on now? Any suggestions for a reef newbie are welcome. Thanks.

[Alice]

Welcome to TRT!

I'd bump your SG up over the course of a week or so to about 1.025. FO can run at lower SG but the corals, in general, need a higher SG. Use SW to top off for evaporation instead of FW and keep an eye on the SG so that you don't raise it too quickly.

I'd also add about 4 hours to your main photo period; 6 hours is really short.

Bubbles are very cool; I hope yours does well.

Alice

[CAT]

I would feed the shrimp meaty food. My fire shrimp gets a couple of small chunks of squid every day. They're big eaters. I had a firefish get caught in a pump and die - It took the shrimp about 2 hours to eat the whole thing... the shrimp is over 3 years old now and going strong.

Never had a problem with the bubble and shrimp. The shrimp knows enough to stay away even though he lives under the bubble.

HTH