Softie Failure

Cyrra · Aug 10, 2020

Six weeks ago we bought a frag of GSP after losing 3 frags of other various softies. Thinking if we can't grow GSP there is something wrong with us. It has been glued to the back wall half way up. It was a beautiful frag when we got it. Since then it barely opens.

Fast forward to last Thursday. We picked up a nice frag of pulsating Xenia. It has been placed on the rocks at the top about mid way up in the tank. It has not opened since we brought it home. We are beginning to feel like softie failures. Any insight is appreciated.

32 gallon Biocube
Stock lighting
Vortec MP10
Chamber 1 - heater
Chamber 2 - InTank Media Basket with ChemiPure Elite, PuriGen, Eshopps Nano Skimmer
Chamber 3 - return pump
Tank age - 1.5 years
Coral line growing well
Live stock doing well
Salinity - 1.024
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5ish
Phosphates - 0 with Hanna Checker
Calcium - 440
Magnesium - 1480
Alkalinity - 9
PH - 8
Temperature - 77/78

sixty_reefer · Aug 10, 2020

Your salinity is a bit low, try bringing it up to 1.025 and po4 needs raising also to 0.03 minimum

New&no clue · Aug 10, 2020

Your mag seems really high at 1480 also phosphates should come up

here is where Red Sea says as a guide for softy tanks

GeoSquid · Aug 11, 2020

How long has the tank been running?

Modest · Aug 11, 2020

Anybody Andy idea why the high RS recommandations For alk?

Nanorock1970 · Aug 11, 2020

GeoSquid said:
How long has the tank been running?

@Cyrra had posted that this tank has been running a year and a half.

Are you making your own salt water and how are you measuring salinity?

Nitrate is good, you don't want it to be 0. Phosphate should be measurable but not 0.

I did find this on the liveaquaria website and this could be your issue.

LED Lighting Specifications*
	PAR	Peak PAR	LUX	Peak LUX
LED BioCube 32	53	81	2,200	3,430

*Below Average output at 12-inches

Your Biocube is 21-1/2" high

Low light in a reef tank is considered about 30-50 PAR

So at half your tank height you are already at 53 PAR.

That is the only thing I can think of based on the info. Anyone else have any Biocube experience with the stock lights?

I did find this thread on R2R Looks like similar light issues and findings.

Nanorock1970 · Aug 11, 2020

Modest said:
Anybody Andy idea why the high RS recommandations For alk?

That is the mix for the Pro salt. Softies don't use much that you aren't replacing with water changes.

rogersb · Aug 11, 2020

That lighting isn't enough and po4 is way too low. Feed your fish more.

PicassoClown04 · Aug 11, 2020

Softies like a dirtier tank, up your feedings so theres plenty of tiny particulates left uneaten in the water. If you have any lps you can feed that at night to further increase your nutrients in the tank. Try reefroids on them as well.