Please advise. Open Brain Coral separated from the base

[MKLKT]

Putting an already suffering coral through a tank cycle is pretty much a guarantee that it won't make it.

[whatcaneyedo]

High phosphate and environmental stress are known to cause 'polyp bailout'. Most of the time the coral perishes and does not form a new calcium skeleton. While I've read some claims in books that they can recover in nature I've never seen or heard of it happening in a home aquarium.

Here is what Borneman has to say on the subject:
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/e_borneman3.html

[cblf]

Thank you for the information. That was an interesting read.

If it is even remotely possible that it can begine calcifying a new corallite I will remain hopeful.
The question becomes; should I attempt to contain it or just let it float around the tank and hope for the best?
There are no fish in this tank yet, I have seen copepods and many bristle worms throughout 30-40% of the rock in the aquarium.

[whatcaneyedo]

You don't want it to drift under a rock or into a pump so I'd try to contain it in a basket of some sort. A strawberry basket, or a DIY creation out of Egg crate or gutter guard would work well.