need some expert advice!

[LISound]

My GSP's closed last week after a normal weekly water change.
They have not come back out...I know, don't worry-they will do this from time to time.
ok...but what bothers me is after 3 more WC's they would pop out for a little bit to test the water and go right back in.
All my other corals look ok and all my tests are normal...i even took water samples to 2 different LFS to have them test for eveything---both said the tank water is fine...no high levels-they even praised my water conditions.

but I know something has to be off.
I bought some Xenia, knowing that stuff is very sensitive to water quality...they're growing already, and it's only been 2 days.

My buttons look a liitle strange...their frill edges are curling slightly upward, they just don't look like normal to me.

I'm thinking maybe chemical warfare...but I don't know.
it's really bothering me b/c my GSP's are usually my indicator if something in the tank is off.
My skimmer skimmed like crazy yesterday and today...and I'm running carbon.
Is there something I'm missing?
Maybe something I can't test for?

This one really has me stumped.
I did notice that on the rock where the GSP's are growing the coralline algae is getting small white dots on it about the size of a needle point.
What gives?

[LISound]

anyone care to make even a guess?

[tims]

how are your Ca levels and mag levels? that seems to help keep mine open adn nice. althouhg with the buttons it sound like chemical to me.

[skeety]

I wish I had a clue.

I've only had mine for 2 months now, but I have the opposite problem.

They won't ever close.

The lights go off, and they start to close up. But about 15 minutes later, they're full out...all night!!!

(which I'm guessing means they're starving...but they keep growing, so I don't worry about it too much).

Only thing I can think is that maybe they're too close to the light? or like you said...chemical warfare.

It definitely has to be something you're not testing for.

Hope someone else (expert) chimes in, as I'm very interested!

[Geoff]

the coraline starting to turn white could be a clue. have you checked your Ca or alk levels. alk levels would be more important to the softies than the Ca levels. how is your pH?

if you think it is chemical warefare than try using carbon. if they pop right out a couple of hours after adding the carbon than this is prolly your problem.

with the amount of water changes you have said i doubt it is the Ca levels though. unless you have stonies in there water changes should be able to keep the Ca levels up. focus on alk or pH.

BTW- if you have changed lighting or flow in your tank there is a chance that your coralline could be dying off due to these changes. this is just one species of dieing off, another will quickly take its place.

with all of the changes i used to do with my system in regards to flow, i was lucky to keep a constant growth of coralline for more than 3 months.

G~

[Junkzoo]

I'm wondering too, since i had the same thing happen to me in the recent past,,had a huge colony of GSP's and a nice collection of Xenias,(kept them fragged/cut back, as not to allow them to go "sexual") like was posted, both of them closed up/retracted, and in my case, pretty much went belly up b4 i could get a handle of what caused it. water tests came back OK, did plenty of carbon usage, and did extra amounts of water changes,,no help,,everything else in the tank did ok thru this. even stuff i thought would have been hurt by whatever happened in the tank. I mad a positive out of this situation, and looked at it , as having a lot more room in the tank again,b4 i had a small volleyball size colony of GSP's and all the xenia,,,nothing ever came back,woulda thought the xenia would at some point,,,nothing,,Sorry, no highjacking meant, just wanted to relate,,,
Going to piggyback on this thread, and hope a cause is found,,,
Good luck

[skeety]

I've heard of the mysterious Xenia crash before, in many textbooks.

But didn't know it could happen to GSP's too!

if it can, that's disturbing, as no one knows (not even scientists) what causes the Xenia crash.

The only theory is an eventual depletion of some unknown trace element(s).

[LISound]

my ak has been testing normal about 11-12 kh.
Ph is contant at about 8.2 -8.3
like I said, everything else is doing fine.
I've been running carbon for the past week but no change in their condition.
I'll keep you all posted
thanks.