Doughnut Coral not doing so well

What are you using to measure the salinity, refractometer or hydrometer?

Go slow with bringing the SG up, corals and fish have a harder time when you increase the SG.

 

First of all, I hate definitive time-line rules like that because they mean nothing. If you don't know what you're doing then your tank will be no better in 6 months than it will be at 3. It's the same as trying to use an "inch of fish per gallon" rule- it just don't fly. There are too many variables and depending on the keeper and tank, you may be able to start much sooner. I have started several tanks using hardy corals. I would just give the corals time to adjust to the new salinity. They will not just pop out and look great as soon as the water parameters are brought into line. It can be several days, if not a couple weeks, for the corals to acclimate to the new conditions and start opening up again. I would also stop moving them around the tank as that will only delay their recovery.

 

The tank has settled down. Nothing died. only the doughnut coral is still no better. no worse either but no better. will puff up once or twice a day but never fleshes out beyond its hard shell.