Please help with leather corals

[eliramos]

Hi everyone I'm hoping you guys can point me in the right direction with what I may be doing wrong with my leathers.

I currently have about 4 types

2- green polyp leathers
1-white polyp leather
1-white long polyp leather
Since I have had the original green and white polyp I had no issues. Always had full extension great growth etc.
Like below

But as of lately I haven't seen much extension from any aside from the long polyp who's been doing great.

These are my current pics

You can definitely see a difference in the extension.

I tested all my parameters yesterday and here is where I stand
Nitrate, nitrite,ammonia undetectable
Ph8.4
Phosphate: .25
Salinity is at 1.025
I have a pretty stocked 90 gallon tank but all fish are reef safe wrasse or tangs.

I did have a coral beauty as of a few weeks ago and I noticed that she would pick at them and I have since removed her and I have seen some changes but I never saw her really attack them or really try to eat them so I can't say she was the real culprit. And my long polyp was never affected.

I do know that these corals needs a lot of flow and light so they are at the top of the tank right below my Mp10 on reef crest mode.

I just don't understand what more to do.
I do daily Manual doses of continuum part a and b reef sculpture for calcium and alkalinity. 2 cap sizes each.

Let me know if you need more information these are some of my favorite corals and when they were happy the absolute eye catchers of the tank.

Any advice will be well received.

Thanks,

Eli

 

[cloak]

Has anything changed recently? How long have the corals been like this? What are your Alkalinity, Calcium & Magnesium readings?
What your seeing might just be a phase. These corals can be very temperamental sometimes. You might want to do a small water change and maybe replace your GAC if your using any. Increasing the amount of flow for a couple days or so is definitely worth a shot too. GL.

 

[ahiggins]

green polyped leathers are SO finicky. took mine almost 3 months to acclimate to my lights lol
Any changes in lights, flow will throw them into shedding mode.
Also, nitrates should go up a bit-they like it a little dirtier.

 

[eliramos]

How long have they been like this? What are your Alkalinity, Calcium & Magnesium readings? What your seeing might just be a phase. These corals can be very temperamental sometimes. You might want to do a small water change and maybe replace your GAC if your using any. Increasing the amount of flow for a couple days or so is definitely worth a shot too. GL.

thanks for your response, i would say probably 2 months. i try to check my cal and mag but every time i do my numbers are off the charts but whenever i go to the lfs they are low. i need to get a new test kit I've been using api but i think its time to change.
i will try and get that tested today and see what they actually are. do you know what the levels should be for these corals?

 

[eliramos]

green polyped leathers are SO finicky. took mine almost 3 months to acclimate to my lights lol
Any changes in lights, flow will throw them into shedding mode.
Also, nitrates should go up a bit-they like it a little dirtier.

thats good to know! i have a pretty stocked tank so usually they are higher, but maybe it has been the change in lighting I've been trying to adjust due to a few new aquascapes so maybe that could play a part.
but even the white polyp has always been fully extended.

 

[eliramos]

whats interesting is they are definitely still growing, the green leather is twice the size as before but the lack of extension is just confusing.

 

[ahiggins]

thats good to know! i have a pretty stocked tank so usually they are higher, but maybe it has been the change in lighting I've been trying to adjust due to a few new aquascapes so maybe that could play a part.
but even the white polyp has always been fully extended.

I adopted my brothers normal (white/brown) leather and he never closed whatsoever during the move or new lights but my green one took 2 months to open after adjusting whites by 10% in the tank lol
Im betting theyre just shedding

 

[eliramos]

I adopted my brothers normal (white/brown) leather and he never closed whatsoever during the move or new lights but my green one took 2 months to open after adjusting whites by 10% in the tank lol
Im betting theyre just shedding

lol annoying little guys!
hopefully they will bounce back soon.
do you have any pics of yours?

 

[Tahoe61]

i will try and get that tested today and see what they actually are. do you know what the levels should be for these corals?

Values in the range of normal saltwater: Alk: 7-11 dkh, Ca: 350-420, Mag: 1280-1350. For now I would discontinue dosing any product until you can nail down the values for the big 3.

See link below for values
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

 

[sil40sx]

green polyped leathers are SO finicky. took mine almost 3 months to acclimate to my lights lol
Any changes in lights, flow will throw them into shedding mode.
Also, nitrates should go up a bit-they like it a little dirtier.

^^^ what he said is on point, exactly what mine does. Sometimes it even go to shedding mode in a week if a curious crab decided to hitchhike on him. Very temperamental little boogers. Ugh.

 

[eliramos]

Values in the range of normal saltwater: Alk: 7-11 dkh, Ca: 350-420, Mag: 1280-1350. For now I would discontinue dosing any product until you can nail down the values for the big 3.

See link below for values
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

Thank you so much for this! I won't dose anymore until I get everything together!

 

[eliramos]

^^^ what he said is on point, exactly what mine does. Sometimes it even go to shedding mode in a week if a curious crab decided to hitchhike on him. Very temperamental little boogers. Ugh.

Lol very interesting!
Note to self don't touch anything for a few weeks!

Thank you very much

 

[sil40sx]

Yeah, a toadstool without polyp in a week makes the tank looks ugly. It sticks out like a sore thumb. LOL

 

[eliramos]

Yeah, a toadstool without polyp in a week makes the tank looks ugly. It sticks out like a sore thumb. LOL

Tell me about it[emoji24]
But when it's full it's absolutely gorgeous.
Total eye catcher!

 

[Toddp65]

Going off topic, what the fish swimming by in the first picture?

 

[Toddp65]

2nd pic I mean

 

[eliramos]

so a quick update! i got my water tested and the verdict is in.
im apparently a mess lol :0

well it's not horrible but definitely explains a lot.

1) my calcium and alk are very high so the dosing stops today, for at least a week and we will see where we stand.
2) my phosphates are a little out of sorts nothing terrible but i will be adding chemipure to my regimen as i was told it has phosban in it.
((do any of you guys use phosban in your tank that was another option i was given.))
3) my nitrates were detectible so i need to do a water change.

My questions are:
if i do my water change on friday at least a 50% will that level out my cal and alk?
also can you guys recommend whether to use phosban or chemipure in my tank?

Thanks so much!

 

[eliramos]

2nd pic I mean

it was a golden rhomboid wrasse, gorgeous fish. unfortunately he found his way out of the screen i had.
the most expensive fish stick I've ever found (

 

[Toddp65]

[emoji17]

 

[Cary Hover]

For phosphates get a reactor and add GFO to it. Granular Ferrous Oxide works the best.