Can’t seem to keep softies happy

[Diveks]

Hello, so this tank is almost a year old now and I can’t seem to keep softies happy after the 6 month mark. Im not sure what is wrong because sps is growing really well.

The zoas were closed and the mushrooms were shrinking. I decided to give around $100 worth of softies to a friend that just started off in the hobby since the corals were all suffering in my tank anyway and some free corals would be good test corals. After a few days in his tank the softies are doing great! I do not know his params as he does not test. But he does tell me everyone in the family like to randomly feed the fish so it shouldn’t be low nutrient.

My params:
Calcium: 430 (hanna)
Magnesium: 1260 (salifert)
Alk: 7.4 (the wild sps seem to like lower alk) (redsea)
Nitrate: 1-2 (Really faint colour, hard to tell) (salifert)
Phos: 0.04 (hanna)

I want to try again with softies if i can keep both the sps and the softies happy. For those of you that have both. What do you do to make everyone happy?

 

[Subsea]

Differrent corals types, like SPS & softies have differrent needs. Observe how they grow in the wild and as a generalization, you don’t see them growing together because their requirements are differrent. I suggest you do more research on how you mix different coral types.

Your nutrients are much too low, especially nitrogen.

 

[attiland]

Hello, so this tank is almost a year old now and I can’t seem to keep softies happy after the 6 month mark. Im not sure what is wrong because sps is growing really well.

The zoas were closed and the mushrooms were shrinking. I decided to give around $100 worth of softies to a friend that just started off in the hobby since the corals were all suffering in my tank anyway and some free corals would be good test corals. After a few days in his tank the softies are doing great! I do not know his params as he does not test. But he does tell me everyone in the family like to randomly feed the fish so it shouldn’t be low nutrient.

My params:
Calcium: 430 (hanna)
Magnesium: 1260 (salifert)
Alk: 7.4 (the wild sps seem to like lower alk) (redsea)
Nitrate: 1-2 (Really faint colour, hard to tell) (salifert)
Phos: 0.04 (hanna)

I want to try again with softies if i can keep both the sps and the softies happy. For those of you that have both. What do you do to make everyone happy?

You have really answered your own question. Your nitrate is too low, your alk is on low end mg is ok but low end too

 

[Diveks]

Differrent corals types, like SPS & softies have differrent needs. Observe how they grow in the wild and as a generalization, you don’t see them growing together because their requirements are differrent. I suggest you do more research on how you mix different coral types.

Your nutrients are much too low, especially nitrogen.

Ah i see thanks, ill have to research more on that. When i search up the chemistry of the sea, most of it matches the requirement for SPS so i thought it would be the same for a lot of others. I never started with softies and just went straight to lps, and I didn’t realize it would be such a big jump because i heard of people starting off with stocking softies, then to lps, then sps. Might have to drop the idea of this tank having some softies.

You have really answered your own question. Your nitrate is too low, your alk is on low end mg is ok but low end too

Im currently working on the mg, being back from vacation, but i do agree the others might be pretty low for them.

Keeping all the corals happy might be too much of a hassle since I noticed if one is happy the other isn’t. Oh well, guess Ill just have to keep all the softies in the other tank.

 

[MaxTremors]

Ah i see thanks, ill have to research more on that. When i search up the chemistry of the sea, most of it matches the requirement for SPS so i thought it would be the same for a lot of others. I never started with softies and just went straight to lps, and I didn’t realize it would be such a big jump because i heard of people starting off with stocking softies, then to lps, then sps. Might have to drop the idea of this tank having some softies.


Im currently working on the mg, being back from vacation, but i do agree the others might be pretty low for them.

Keeping all the corals happy might be too much of a hassle since I noticed if one is happy the other isn’t. Oh well, guess Ill just have to keep all the softies in the other tank.

You can keep a mixed reef. It has its challenges, but it’s completely possible. You just need to raise your nitrates a few ppm, ensure some lower flow areas (though some leathers like higher flow, I’ve got a couple right now that are right in front of a wave maker and they love it), and make sure your lighting isn’t too intense (again, some softies like lots of light, again, I’ve got some leathers at the top of my rock work next to my BTAs). You just need to research the specific coral (ask here how other people are keeping them) and try to find a spot in your tank that would be accommodating (and most corals are really adaptive, remember they want to live, they’ll adapt if they can).

 

[Diveks]

You can keep a mixed reef. It has its challenges, but it’s completely possible. You just need to raise your nitrates a few ppm, ensure some lower flow areas (though some leathers like higher flow, I’ve got a couple right now that are right in front of a wave maker and they love it), and make sure your lighting isn’t too intense (again, some softies like lots of light, again, I’ve got some leathers at the top of my rock work next to my BTAs). You just need to research the specific coral (ask here how other people are keeping them) and try to find a spot in your tank that would be accommodating (and most corals are really adaptive, remember they want to live, they’ll adapt if they can).

thanks, ill try to raise the nitrate a bit. the tank is pretty deep on one end so the lighting should work. Just lost two wrasses so ive been feeding less, hoping once i add in the ones in qt the nutrients will rise a bit. Im wanting to move a leather from my larger DT into this one. heard they can cause issues with their toxin, can anyone chime in on that?

 

[Uncle99]

I go with everything low on those parameters.
Softies like a more nutrient rich tank, it’s their food.
Nitrate 10-15ppm
Phosphate….ok with 0.04ppm….but not less……0.1ppm fine.
MG is low, pump that up to 1350-1400ppm.
Alk, 8-10dkh is fine, but keep it rock solid.
Good reef spectrum lighting.
Salinity and temp….rock solid.
Don’t miss the “whites” for at least 4-5hours a day.
Consider some T5’s if you only have LED.
T5 lights make a big difference IMM.

 

[Subsea]

heard they can cause issues with their toxin, can anyone chime in on that?

@Diveks

Its more complicated than that. Every photosynthetic organism has exudates commonly lumped as DOC, dissolved organic carbon. As a generalization, the DOC of corals are lipids & proteins while the DOC of algae is carbohydrate. All coral & algae have self defense mechanisms to changing environmental conditions, meaning many corals & algae can adjust their dna expression with noxious forms of DOC to discourage competition or grazing. Granulated activated carbon is one solution to unknown DOC. HOWEVR, cryptic sponges are 100 fold more effective than GAC.

 

[Diveks]

I go with everything low on those parameters.
Softies like a more nutrient rich tank, it’s their food.
Nitrate 10-15ppm
Phosphate….ok with 0.04ppm….but not less……0.1ppm fine.
MG is low, pump that up to 1350-1400ppm.
Alk, 8-10dkh is fine, but keep it rock solid.
Good reef spectrum lighting.
Salinity and temp….rock solid.
Don’t miss the “whites” for at least 4-5hours a day.
Consider some T5’s if you only have LED.
T5 lights make a big difference IMM.

Thanks, nice tank you got there! im currently pumping up the MG and alk slowly to not upset the acros. ill also try to get the nutrients up a bit more. I have some ai hydras lighting up my tank but im really considering T2s. Im still looking for a way to mount them to my acrylic lighting mounts though. once i figure that out ill definitely grab some.

 

[Ryde]

Anyone think it might be an Iodine problem? I've heard softies need a bit of iodine to really flourish, any thoughts?

 

[Diveks]

heard they can cause issues with their toxin, can anyone chime in on that?

@Diveks

Its more complicated than that. Every photosynthetic organism has exudates commonly lumped as DOC, dissolved organic carbon. As a generalization, the DOC of corals are lipids & proteins while the DOC of algae is carbohydrate. All coral & algae have self defense mechanisms to changing environmental conditions, meaning many corals & algae can adjust their dna expression with noxious forms of DOC to discourage competition or grazing. Granulated activated carbon is one solution to unknown DOC. HOWEVR, cryptic sponges are 100 fold more effective than GAC.

So running carbon could help then, would changing them out monthly be enough?

Anyone think it might be an Iodine problem? I've heard softies need a bit of iodine to really flourish, any thoughts?

i've also heard that. people rarely buy iodine testkits do that didn't come to mind. heard people just eyeballing the stuff in their tanks but everyone has different opinions on doing that. if higher nutrients does nothing, that might be it. might even be a combination of both since im not sure if an iodine deficiency can cause some corals to completely close. anyone know more about the benefits of adding Iodine?

 

[Ryde]

So running carbon could help then, would changing them out monthly be enough?


i've also heard that. people rarely buy iodine testkits do that didn't come to mind. heard people just eyeballing the stuff in their tanks but everyone has different opinions on doing that. if higher nutrients does nothing, that might be it. might even be a combination of both since im not sure if an iodine deficiency can cause some corals to completely close. anyone know more about the benefits of adding Iodine?

I don't test iodine and don't plan to any time soon, I have one paly and well its's out and has a bright green color but doesn't grow. Just glad I could shed some light on your problem good luck! I'll be following.

 

[Uncle99]

I dose iodine to maintain 0.03-0.06ppm, a faint yellow on the Salifert kit.
I also dose strontium for clams.

 

[Diveks]

I dose iodine to maintain 0.03-0.06ppm, a faint yellow on the Salifert kit.
I also dose strontium for clams.

might just try dosing iodine and see how it goes!
about t5s, how many rows of them do you use. and if you have them on both sides of the led.

 

[Uncle99]

might just try dosing iodine and see how it goes!
about t5s, how many rows of them do you use. and if you have them on both sides of the led.

Just two, Blue Antinic, Super Purple.
At the front, slight tilt to back.
I use Seachem “iodide” which is a bit more forgiving than “iodine”.

 

[Subsea]

@Diveks

No one can tell you how often and how much GAC to use. Too many variables. Go with manufactures recommendation.

some macro needs iodine and pulsing Xenia needs iodine. No knowledge of other corals that need iodine.

 

[Diveks]

@Diveks

No one can tell you how often and how much GAC to use. Too many variables. Go with manufactures recommendation.

some macro needs iodine and pulsing Xenia needs iodine. No knowledge of other corals that need iodine.

Would dosing iodine help chaeto grow faster?

 

[Diveks]

Just two, Blue Antinic, Super Purple.
At the front, slight tilt to back.
I use Seachem “iodide” which is a bit more forgiving than “iodine”.

My tank is pretty narrow and i was going to go for 2 on the ‘front’ 2 on the ‘back’. It is a three sided tank tank and i thought that having only one side would make light distribution a bit weird.

But would having 4 on such a narrow tank + led be too much? I feel like if i only have 1 on each side that are different colors it would be a little uneven.

 

[Diveks]

It is long but narrow

 

[thewedge]

Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with your parameters and would look at your lights. In my experience when I've had trouble with softies, it's been too much par