Should I move this guy up or down? Please advise.

[spoonman]

I have had this toadstool for about 3 months now and it was open for the first month, but has been closed for the last 2 months. It seems healthy, just doesn't extend its polyps. He is in a tall 75 gallon (25"). He is presently about 20 inches away from an 8 bulb t5ho fixture with bulbs of unknown age (4 10000k and 4 actinic). All of my other corals are doing fine and prospering, including the acros that you can see up high. My parameters are 0's, including phosphates. Salinity is at 1.025 and the lights are on an 11 hour cycle with blues on at 0900 and off at 2200. The whites on at 1000 and of at 2100. The powerheads in the tank are a 1050 on the left and a 750 on the right. They are on a wavemaker, alternating every hour. My thinking is that he is too far from the light and I need to move it up, but I see some in other peoples tanks that are happy on the sand also. Please give me your ideas! I have included pics of it in the tank from different distances to give you an idea of the placement. Also a picture of what it looked like when it was open.

MY HEALTHY TOADSTOOL

AS OF TODAY, FULL BUT CLOSED UP.

LITTLE FARTHER AWAY, SEE IT TOWARD THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TANK.

AND IN THE CENTER OF THE PICTURE.

 

[bskerrichard27]

Needs more flow see the waxy film on it take a baster and blow it off and see what he does

 

[spoonman]

Just blew it off with the turkey baster, will see what happens.

 

[bskerrichard27]

When u blew it off did a clear film come off?

 

[Sniperhank]

Only a 1050 and a 750 in a 75? I'm totally going to support the flow idea. In my 55 I have a 1050, 3 750s, a marineland that = a 1050, and a 550. There is also a chance that it is too much light for a softie. 8 bulbs and 20 inches under, that is still SPS range IMO.

 

[spoonman]

A little bit, more like a dust. I have also moved it up in the tank about 6". Will that be ok you think?

 

[spoonman]

Only a 1050 and a 750 in a 75? I'm totally going to support the flow idea. In my 55 I have a 1050, 3 750s, a marineland that = a 1050, and a 550. There is also a chance that it is too much light for a softie. 8 bulbs and 20 inches under, that is still SPS range IMO.

Maybe I should try it on the sandbed then? That would be about 25" from the light.

 

[Sniperhank]

I'd sandbed him and see how he does over the course of a couple days. Just make sure that there is a decent amount of flow for him as this is still quite easily a flow problem.

 

[spoonman]

Thanks sniper, will do!

 

[spoonman]

Moved the toadstool to the sand. Will give it a couple days to see how it does.

 

[jose7878]

When I had mine it loved the flow. They need strong flow to blow the waxy film it builds.

 

[spoonman]

On the way home after work I am picking up an additional 1050 and 1400 koralia (brand new in the box) for $50 off craigslist. That will give me 1-1400, 2-1050's, 1-750. That should pick up the flow quite a bit. I am running the two (the 1050 and 750) on a koralia wave maker at the moment. Should I put all 4 on the wave maker or should I have 2 on the wavemaker and the other two on all the time?

 

[Sniperhank]

Nice pickup. The tank is what, 75 gallons? That should help out greatly in terms of flow for softies. I had 2 toadstool leathers in my 36 before they kicked the bucket and nuked my system. My lighting just wouldn't cut it.

 

[carey]

My toadstool happens to like being at the very tippy top of my tank, he is almost out of the water. lol

Mine will sometimes for weeks at a time close up and not extend, then it just goes back to normal. My flow is only 2 1400's in a 125g tank and the return.

 

[melosu58]

On my leathers when they would act up I would give them an iodine bath. Just get a big bowl or cut the bottom half of a milk jug out and fill it with tank water and add a cap of Kents Iodine and let it set about 20 minutes and then add back to the tank. Do it about twice a week. That`s what I did with several of my leathers.

 

[spoonman]

Nice pickup. The tank is what, 75 gallons? That should help out greatly in terms of flow for softies. I had 2 toadstool leathers in my 36 before they kicked the bucket and nuked my system. My lighting just wouldn't cut it.

Yes, its 75 gallons with 40 gallon sump. I am thinking that I will put them all on the wave maker and have one on each side on, then the other on each side on. Does that make any sense? I am trying to come up with the most random flow that I can. Presently I have it set up so that one is on for an hour, then the other is on for an hour.

 

[jose7878]

I would play with it your corals will let u know if their happy or not.

 

[spoonman]

Just made a great score! picked up a mag 9.5 and a koralia 1050 and a koralia 1400 all brand-new in the box for $100!

 

[spoonman]

My toadstool this morning. Going to put the extra power heads in today and see if that helps.

 

[spoonman]

Today. Looks same to me.