Pectinia skeleton protruding. What should we do?

[CampAquarium]

We have a pectinia that had been very happy in its spot for months. But over the last few weeks its skeleton has started to protrude from its points, with one spot protruding pretty significantly. The skeleton is starting to grow algae in places where the it's no longer covered by flesh. Should we trim the exposed skeleton down, or leave it?

Also, is this normal for a pectinia? It shows no other signs of unhappiness. Pics and parameters below.

Temp: 78
Salinity: 1.025
Calcium: 411
Magnesium: 1495 (we are slowly bringing this down)
Alk: 9.3 (this is a recent spike that we are working on bringing down, alk was consistently around 8.4 when the pectinia recession started)
Ph: 8.0
Nitrates: 3
Phosphates: 0.04

 

[Macdaddynick1]

We have a pectinia that had been very happy in its spot for months. But over the last few weeks its skeleton has started to protrude from its points, with one spot protruding pretty significantly. The skeleton is starting to grow algae in places where the it's no longer covered by flesh. Should we trim the exposed skeleton down, or leave it?

Also, is this normal for a pectinia? It shows no other signs of unhappiness. Pics and parameters below.

Temp: 78
Salinity: 1.025
Calcium: 411
Magnesium: 1495 (we are slowly bringing this down)
Alk: 9.3 (this is a recent spike that we are working on bringing down, alk was consistently around 8.4 when the pectinia recession started)
Ph: 8.0
Nitrates: 3
Phosphates: 0.04

Looks like it was stressed before, perhaps due to alk burn. Looks good now, though. make sure nutrients are in check and alk is not spiking

 

[CampAquarium]

Looks like it was stressed before, perhaps due to alk burn. Looks good now, though. make sure nutrients are in check and alk is not spiking

Would you recommend trimming down the protruding sections of the skeleton, especially that long one? Or will that just stress it out more?

Our alk is at 9.3 currently, which is the highest it's been in our tank since last December. We're slowly bringing it back down to our usual 8-8.5. 9.3 is higher than I'd like it to be, but it didn't seem like an emergency. Is that high enough to harm things?

 

[Macdaddynick1]

Would you recommend trimming down the protruding sections of the skeleton, especially that long one? Or will that just stress it out more?

Our alk is at 9.3 currently, which is the highest it's been in our tank since last December. We're slowly bringing it back down to our usual 8-8.5. 9.3 is higher than I'd like it to be, but it didn't seem like an emergency. Is that high enough to harm things?

I wouldn’t touch it. It looks annoying but unless you have a bandsaw that spike is probably going to crumble inside of the coral. Pectenias have super weird and Britle skeletons. Just leave it be for now.