My softies (sinulari, lobophytum, yellow leather, toadstool) are not opening

[Carole Zerbe]

I have a 220 gal mixed reef display tank. While many corals are healthy most of my softies are not opening or not opening properly. My yellow leather coral has doubled in size over the last year but has become very pale in color with poor polyp extension. A green devils hand has not had any polyp extension for almost a year. A "jumbo" neon green sinularia (and a smaller one) look like they are trying to die, but keep on going. Other softies such as mushrooms, cabbage coral, zoas; and others are doing very well. My parameters are: pH 8.2, NO3 0-5, CA 390, alk 9, PO4 0. ( this the first time my calcium has been low). MY fish are yellow and purple tang, powder blue tang,2 chromis, sailfin tang, coral beauty angel, flame angel,anthiius, pair of marron clowns, yellow watchman goby, wheelers goby, flame hawk fish, and 3 orchid dotty backs.

I run a protein skimmer: algae, GFO, and carbon reactor; and 4 radions.

This December the tank will have been up and running for 3 years.

Thank for your help.

 

[PDR]

I suspect they are being starved. I would take the GFO offline and monitor P04. As long as P04 stays under .1 you should be fine. What is your water change schedule and when was the last time the carbon was changed? How long has this been going on?

Also, the water looks cloudy in the picture. Is it cloudy in person?

 

[Carole Zerbe]

I suspect they are being starved. I would take the GFO offline and monitor P04. As long as P04 stays under .1 you should be fine. What is your water change schedule and when was the last time the carbon was changed? How long has this been going on?

Also, the water looks cloudy in the picture. Is it cloudy in person?

I do 40gal water changes every two weeks and use Instant Ocean. I change carbon every month, its almost due for another change. I change GFO about every 2 months. The algae reactor gets cleaned every 2 weeks. The devils hand has not had it's polys out for at least 7 months. The neon green sinularia has never really fully opened, and I have had it since late spring. No the water in the tank is clear...I don't know why the pictures are so grainy. I'll try and get some more pictures tomorrow. I used to feed my corals 2 to 3 times per week....mostly reef chili and selcon... I stopped when I had an algae and cyano problem. Should I resume coral feeding?

My temperature is high averaging 81 I'm considering adding a chiller.

 

[PDR]

I do 40gal water changes every two weeks and use Instant Ocean. I change carbon every month, its almost due for another change. I change GFO about every 2 months. The algae reactor gets cleaned every 2 weeks. The devils hand has not had it's polys out for at least 7 months. The neon green sinularia has never really fully opened, and I have had it since late spring. No the water in the tank is clear...I don't know why the pictures are so grainy. I'll try and get some more pictures tomorrow. I used to feed my corals 2 to 3 times per week....mostly reef chili and selcon... I stopped when I had an algae and cyano problem. Should I resume coral feeding?

My temperature is high averaging 81 I'm considering adding a chiller.

Personally, I would stop the GFO and see how things go. You really don't want 0 p04, especially with softies. Most leathers don't respond well to feeding so I wouldn't bother.

What lighting are you running?

 

[Carole Zerbe]

Personally, I would stop the GFO and see how things go. You really don't want 0 p04, especially with softies. Most leathers don't respond well to feeding so I wouldn't bother.

What lighting are you running?

Thanks for your responses. I'll stop the GFO and monitor PO4.
I'm running echotech radions 3 gen pros 3 and one gen pro 4

Please see pictures below...they are not as cloudy in appearance...having trouble uploading photos...will try again later