Help, toadstool leather

[kylet94]

Hey guys. New to the hobby. About 4 months in. Have a 35 gallon tank with 2 clowns, starry blenny and some corals soft/lps. I got this toadstool about 2 weeks ago and it hasn’t opened up yet. It has shed a few times since putting into my tank. The stalk of it looks like it is soft and limp, but half way up appears firm and the cap looks like it wants to extend polyps. I’ve moved it twice trying to make it happy with light and flow. My other corals- pulsing Xenia, gsp, torch, hairy mushroom and zoas are doing great and growing. Parameters are:

Temp: 77-78
Salinity 1.025
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
1-2 nitrate
400-450 calcium
1300-1350 magnesium
7.8-8.5 alkalinity
Using noopsyche k3 pro lights at 9” above water and 24” above sand bed, peak is about 55% intensity.
Using red seal coral blue bucket, switched from Red Sea coral pro a month ago due to high alk. Should I be looking at fragging above the soft tissue? How?

 

[Sleeping Giant]

I would try to raise it up about 2-3 inches and try to get the top of it to face upwards

 

[Tahoe61]

Provide more flow. It's hard to see specifically what's going on with the coral, images are far too blue. You could certainly frag it at the base.
But definitely try more flow.

 

[kylet94]

I would try to raise it up about 2-3 inches and try to get the top of it to face upwards

I did raise it up last night about 4” and it was facing upwards. I was hopeful but woke up to it this morning completely slouched over again. I’ll take white light photos later today and post for better details.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The nitrate level is too low, what is the phosphate level? These corals like nutrients, they also like a fair amount of flow.

 

[kylet94]

Provide more flow. It's hard to see specifically what's going on with the coral, images are far too blue. You could certainly frag it at the base.
But definitely try more flow.

I’ll post white photos later today. I had flow so when it was standing vertical, it was swaying. The base looks like excess tissue/algae on it and it seems soft where it’s bending. The stalk is clean and shed off about 1/2 way up.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would also turn up the lights, 55% intensity seems very low to me on a 35 gallon tank.

 

[kylet94]

The nitrate level is too low, what is the phosphate level? These corals like nutrients, they also like a fair amount of flow.

I don’t have a phos test kit yet. I have been feeding more trying to raise nitrate levels but with no success. I only do about 7% water changes weekly. Feeding shrimp, pellets, wafers and a frozen algae blend from LfS for the blenny

 

[kylet94]

I would also turn up the lights, 55% intensity seems very low to me on a 35 gallon tank.

I have 2 of the K3 Pros over top. The tank is 32” wide. From what I read they were strong lights and didn’t need 100% intensity

 

[kylet94]

Not sure if this photo helps

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I have 2 of the K3 Pros over top. The tank is 32” wide. From what I read they were strong lights and didn’t need 100% intensity

oh if you have 2 fixtures its different, I though it was only one.