Can’t keep Ricordia and St Thomas mushrooms alive

[Gretchacha]

I started in saltwater 1 year ago, and most of my mushrooms have died or dwindled since then. They never seem to eat when directly fed. They are in low light, moderate flow, very low nutrient water (trying to raise), and otherwise normal reef conditions. Is it the low nutrients that is the problem?

 

[robg2008]

Have numbers you can share? Salinity, nutrients etc. par level in that area?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would think its the nutrients, maybe even the overall conditions of a 'mixed reef' tank.

Mushrooms slowly shrivel and die in my main tank too, or else just hang on for dear life, but never thrive. But when I put them into my softie tank they improve and do well.

 

[Gretchacha]

Have numbers you can share? Salinity, nutrients etc. par level in that area?

Normal artificial seawater levels of all major elements, as I typically do significant water changes. So 8-9 dKH, 8.2-8.3 pH, 1.025 salinity, 440 Ca, 1400-1500 Mg.
Nitrates are 0-2 ppm, phosphate <0.3 (salifert not very specific).
I have started dosing CaNO3 to increase nitrate, but it is still at or below 2. I feed powdered foods like benepets and reef enhance or oyster feast and brightwell zoo and phyto plankton. I was dosing aminos regularly until I got dinos a few weeks ago. And I make coral snow. My cocoworms and feather dusters are ok, and so are my rock nems, so I don’t know why it seams the ricordia and St Thomas shrink and starve. The one tank is 76 and the other is 78 degrees.
ICP showed low iodine and halogens and some other trace elements ladt fall when I had an algae outbreak. I dose RedSea Colors Iodine halogens daily now. I don’t have a par meter, but from tests done with my light on BRS, I would guesd they are getting less than 50 par currently and were never above 75 par.

 

[Gretchacha]

I would think its the nutrients, maybe even the overall conditions of a 'mixed reef' tank.

Mushrooms slowly shrivel and die in my main tank too, or else just hang on for dear life, but never thrive. But when I put them into my softie tank they improve and do well.

Do you have any guess as to why they enjoy the softie tank environment better?