Another Trachyphyllia placement question

[jtZoo]

Good day to everyone! I have some concerns over my newest tank member. I have been searching for a open brain for several months and stumbled on this one at my lfs when picking up some more phyto...isn't that a common story?

On to my problem, this guy has been in my tank for a week and over the last 2 days has severely retracted and is starting to expose it's skeleton. This is obviously less than desirable. I have it on the substrate of my 28g Nanocube which means it is about 18" away from my 150W 14K MH (17" of those are water.)

Here it is the day after I put it in on the 24th (lights were out so it's not overexposed like the next one)
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn252/jthomas0412/ProblemBrain/IMG_2193.jpg

Here it is today, the 31st.
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn252/jthomas0412/ProblemBrain/IMG_2208.jpg

I have a collection of Xenia frags in a container nearby, this has been in the tank for about 2 weeks and the frags are almost settled enough to take the container out. Here's a quick FTS for reference.
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn252/jthomas0412/ProblemBrain/IMG_2211.jpg

My parameters were ok (phosphate was a bit high) the week before I got the brain and I haven't has a chance to test my quality yet. I will be doing that tonight after I finish cooking and eating dinner. I will update as soon as available.

So ignoring water paramters for the time being, any suggestions on what I should think about changing? More/less light/flow?

Ohh yea the brain has eaten some decent pieces of squid on 2 seperate feedings.

[jtZoo]

Ok, so here's the results of my test suite.

pH 8.2
Alkalinity 3 meq/L
Nitirite 0
Nitrate 0.2
Amonia (Total) 0
Phosphate 3
Calcium 400
Iodine 0.02
Silicate 9
Salinity 1.024


I just bought a new mixing container from my lfs, and I had them fill it up with their RO/DI freshwater. When I tested my salt water that I just mixed with their water I got a phosphate reading of 0.15, nothing near 3, but that seems a high point to start with.

Regardless I wouldn't expect high phosphate levels to affect the coral itself, just the ammount of algae growing around it!

I will be dumping the rest of this water out and going back to my normal water source tomorrow, should I do a large water change at the same time?

[jadeguppy]

What is your magnesium level at? I have found tracs to be sensitive to mag level drops. THe coral does look bleached. I'd move is futher from the light, maybe closer to the edge of the tank.

[jtZoo]

Yea, about mag...that's the one test I don't have yet. I guess it's time to give in an shell out the 35$ for it.

Thanks for the tip on the light. It's hard to tell from the second pic since I didn't adjust my white balance properly, but the coloring is the same as the first picture, just the skeleton is starting to expose.

This morning before my lights came on the trac was actually looking almost the same as when I dropped it in a week ago, so I was planning on moving it to a more shaded section of the tank.

This trac was in the lfs tank for 4 weeks before I picked it up and it was this color when they got it. To my non-expert eye it appears to be more pastel than bleached. Of course I haven't quite figured out the camera settings necessary to say "yes the photo looks like real life". I tend to over-expose the light sections, or really under-develop the darker sections.

I guess I will go move my brain, get a Mg test, then continue practicing my photography skills. Thanks for the reply jadeguppy.

[RokleM]

Yes, it looks like you picked it up in really rough shape. I would recommend feeding it every other night small portions of food until it get back in shape. The feelers will likely come out a little after the lights go out. Feed it some mysis, quality flake/pellet, etc. Don't overdo it however.