purple mushrooms

[behaguef]

I am new to the forum. My solana has been up and running for about 4 months. Setup includes a 150W MH HQI (acquamedic) 20K. I have mostly SPS has my soft corals (kenya tree and mushrooms) would not fully open, shrink and the tree is not doing great. the rest is growing fast (SPS). 2 chromis.

salanity: 1.026
nitrate: 0
nitrite: 0
Calcium: 450
temperature: 74-76
dk:8
ph:8

1- for wathever reason I can not bring my dk higher. I am using the Seachem buffer and calcium supplement.
2- What's the reason of not being able to keep soft corals?

Thanks!

 

[neilanh]

Welcome to AA!

Hmm, interesting. Your temperature is a little low IMO, and Ive seen my softies close up when it gets too high, but never messed with it at the lower range. Perhaps something to consider is to bump the temp up a few degrees and see.

How much flow is in the tank? And are the corals in question in a high flow or low flow area?

What type of water do you use for water changes, and how often and how large do you do them?

These answers might help us figure out what's going on.

 

[HN1]

Welcome to AA!

The questions from Neilan are right on and the answers will help.

Some softies do thrive in "dirty" water as well. The parameters maintained for SPS often differs from that in which softies grow well in.

 

[behaguef]

The LR with the mushroom is at the bottom of the tank. Flow seems to be fine. I have a koralia nano and a koralia 1. the mushrooms are in a low flow area. I tried to move them around for that reason but still the same. I do water change every 2 weeks. I use reef crystal salt with distilled water from the market so can't be bad. I leave the water rest with a pump to aerate for a whole night before the water change. do you think my dk should be higher?

 

[divedeep1689]

Welcome to AA!

Hmm, interesting. Your temperature is a little low IMO, and Ive seen my softies close up when it gets too high, but never messed with it at the lower range. Perhaps something to consider is to bump the temp up a few degrees and see.

How much flow is in the tank? And are the corals in question in a high flow or low flow area?

What type of water do you use for water changes, and how often and how large do you do them?

These answers might help us figure out what's going on.

I agree with the temp most reef tanks are around 80 degrees like mine i have noticed my soft corals close if the temp gets a little low

 

[behaguef]

they were doing fine in my other tank under PC. Would it be the lighting too strong for the soft? xenia are doing great but also my green polyp do not opening completely, the edge is a bit shrink... but they multiply like crazy on the rock. weird... I am also using Chemipure Elite in the filter. Do you think the water is too clean?

 

[melosu58]

What size tank is this?

 

[behaguef]

I believe the solana cube is 37gallons. I started raising the temperature and try to keep it around 78-79F. I am concerned the light would be an issue. Your thoughts are appreciated. Tx all