Leather coral not opening

[Reefer_Marc]

Hey guys!
Im having some trouble with my leather coral. Its not opening now for a bit more than 3 weeks, first it had this shiny layer, so i thought its just shedding, but its been more than 3 weeks now and theres some brown algae starting to grow on it. It hasnt really shrunk in size and im just wondering if its stopl normal? Maybe still shedding?
I have this coral for 5 years and never had problems with it. I recently added a few lps, a blasto is kinda close to it but not too close, i wonder if thisnhas anything to do with it? The leather started closing about a week after adding in the lps.
Havent had time to check water parameters again, last time was about 2 or 3 weeks ago, just when it started.
Salinity checked yesterday: 1.025
Temp: 24.5 C
Ph: 8.1
Alk: 12.3
Nitrate: 6
Phosphate: 0.01
Magnesium: 1400
Calcium: 425

I dont think its the water quality, since all other corals are doing great, growing and opening.

Any idea what it could be?
Thanks in advance for all the help!

The open picture is the only recent one i have, but its usually been bigger and more open

 

[Reefer_Marc]

Almost forgot about dosing.
I read somewhere that it could be something that im dosing, that the coral doesnt like.
I only dose iodine, 1 ml a day, for about 2 months or 3 already, and the coral didnt show any signs that its bothering it before.
And when i got the lps i started to dose food, the fauna marin min s, 0.5ml twice a week. I only got 4 small lps that got added a month ago, a blasto, a duncan, an acan and a fungia.

 

[Tahoe61]

I would stop dosing iodine. Perhaps start AFR only. Check the tanks current chemistry. Do a water change, and run some carbon. Iodine is tricky, if you're not testing for it i wouldn't dose solely iodine.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The picture of the leather looks fine. Just make sure it has enough flow to shed regularly. Its adaptable for the light, it can take either low or high light, but it must have good water movement.

 

[Reefer_Marc]

I would stop dosing iodine. Perhaps start AFR only. Check the tanks current chemistry. Do a water change, and run some carbon. Iodine is tricky, if you're not testing for it i wouldn't dose solely iodine.

Doing weekly waterchanges of 50 litres.
I was advised by my lfs to dose iodine, on the last icp i did everything else was good. If i put AFR isnt there risk that other elements will get too high?
Do you think too high iodine could hurt the leather, but keep others unharmed?

 

[Reefer_Marc]

The picture of the leather looks fine. Just make sure it has enough flow to shed regularly. Its adaptable for the light, it can take either low or high light, but it must have good water movement.

Has the same flow for about a year already, what do you think how long it could take for it to open again?

 

[Tahoe61]

Doing weekly waterchanges of 50 litres.
I was advised by my lfs to dose iodine, on the last icp i did everything else was good. If i put AFR isnt there risk that other elements will get too high?
Do you think too high iodine could hurt the leather, but keep others unharmed?

Test your parameters, start on a small dose of AFR as indicated by the test results.
Of course the person at the LFS advised dosing iodine, it a sale.
Yes, most definitely the coral could react badly.
Increasing the directional flow can't hurt either. It's a beautiful leather.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Also noticed that your nitrate and phosphate is very low, almost too low so keep an eye on that.

 

[Reefer_Marc]

Test your parameters, start on a small dose of AFR as indicated by the test results.
Of course the person at the LFS advised dosing iodine, it a sale.
Yes, most definitely the coral could react badly.
Increasing the directional flow can't hurt either. It's a beautiful leather.

Thanks Tahoe, i will check it out with my test results and an AFR!

 

[Reefer_Marc]

Also noticed that your nitrate and phosphate is very low, almost too low so keep an eye on that.

I will check it again and see if i can dose, i think i still have some dosing somewhere at home, thank you Mr. Mojo!

 

[Sleeping Giant]

maybe try to direct flow directly towards it if possible

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

I'd recommend testing your water, especially nitrate and phosphate. My leathers always look mediocre with < 10PPM nitrate and downright awful at < 5PPM.

LPS attack almost exclusively with stingers so if there's no signs of tissue damage I'd wager the timing is coincidental.

 

[Reefer_Marc]

I'd recommend testing your water, especially nitrate and phosphate. My leathers always look mediocre with < 10PPM nitrate and downright awful at < 5PPM.

LPS attack almost exclusively with stingers so if there's no signs of tissue damage I'd wager the timing is coincidental.

I will test it again, just had experience with this leather that it doesnt care much about it. There was a time i had 0 nitrate, and it was still open. Other time i had 100 nitrate and it still opened. But i will check and if its a bit low i will dose some nitrates, thanks