Should I worry?

Reefer1978 · Jan 20, 2015

Hi r2r, apologies if this is in the wrong section.

In the last week I noticed my green shrooms and darth maul poly seem to be shrinking/not opening up fully. I am not sure what it could be as parameters all seem fine. Any advise is appreciated.

Tank: 75g
Lights: 2x AI 26s at 50% power about a foot off the surface
Ca: 470
alk: 8.4 dkh
Ph: 8.1-8.26
Nitrates: undetectable
Temp: 75.5-76

Any thoughts what it could be?

Reefing Madness · Jan 21, 2015

Phosphate reading? Last water change? Feeding?

Mike J. · Jan 21, 2015

Did you recently change lighting? Mushrooms will get much smaller when exposed to too much light.

Reefer1978 · Jan 21, 2015

I haven't done a Phosphate test in a few weeks, but two weeks ago it was 0 (or undetectable). I will re-test today. Water changes are weekly on Saturdays, 6 gallons. Fish feeding every other day, combination of Hikari frozen food and sinking pellets, alternated. Adding Aquavitro Fuel twice a week for corals.

Reefer1978 · Jan 21, 2015

Mike J. said:
Did you recently change lighting? Mushrooms will get much smaller when exposed to too much light.

Nope, no change to lights in over a month, a month ago I was still perfecting the settings but same lights on the tank from day one.

Reefing Madness · Jan 21, 2015

WOW, tough one. Get anything new that would trample them?

Reefer1978 · Jan 21, 2015

The only thing that changed over the last 2 weeks:
- Added 2 scooter to the tank (healthy)
- Split my anemone into 2, which are healing in separate baskets

Nothing more that I can think off.

NanaReefer · Jan 21, 2015

I've discovered that it can take up to a month or longer for corals to react to changes in lighting. Both positively and negatively. If possible, move the shrooms to lower light area. I don't think PO4 & NO3 would be the issue only if extremely high numbers or waters to clean.

Reefer1978 · Jan 23, 2015

So last night I re-tested the tank, Po4 - 0, No3 - 0. At this point Darth Maul was even more closed, so I gave it a 15 minute revive dip, at which point it completely closed off and still has not opened until this morning. I am crossing it off the survival list.

I also added carbon back to the sump as I had it removed for a few weeks after cleaning, etc. I am still totally confused as to what might be going on with the tank.

NanaReefer, shrooms are already all the way on the bottom of the tank, so there's not much further I can move them. Lights are also at 50% intensity, I was actually planning to make em brighter eventually when all corals settle in, so I am not convinced it's the brightness.