lavender mushrooms problem

[Deefish714]

Hello RC!

I have a question. I currently turned my lights to a 12 hour period. They are orbit marine pros. Everything seems to be handling it. Besides my lavender mushrooms. They are shriveling. One seem to shrivel and then come back a little then the other did the same thing. These corals were great before the change. Do you think I'm allowing to much day lights. I run my lights 10 hours day/blues. Then blues on a hour before and after then moons for a few hours. are they not getting enough time to relax after I blast them with these lights? All my parameters are perfect in my tank ca 420 po 0 mg 1350 ak 9.0 ph 8.2 nitrite and nitrate 0 ammonia 0 sg 1.0255. I figured more light = more growth. Can anyone chime in and let me know if this will affect these low-moderate light corals. Or are these corals just getting used to the change. Sorry for all the questions these corals are my favorite so I'm kind of bummed. My tank is 40X10.5X12 One orbit marine pro 36-48inch placement of the mushrooms are about 8 inches to the light.

 

[NS Mike D]

more light = more growth is misleading. Corals have their own light requirements and many can burn out with too much light - like mushrooms.


I wouldn't take the risk. Move the mushroom to the bottom of the tank to see if it recovers. You can gradually move it back up to see if will take more light.

BTW, My lavender is a deep blue at the bottom of the tank. The angle of light really changes the color.

 

[Deefish714]

So you think move it lower and reduce lights schedule?

 

[thegrun]

Yes you are running your lights too long. You should have about a 4 hour ramp up, 4 hours or less at peak intensity and then a 4 hour ramp down. You can extend the ramp down periods a little or run blue moonlights a couple of hours longer at the end, but ideally a 13 hour total photo period is what you should be aiming for,

 

[Deefish714]

That sounds easy enough. thank god for controllable units! I figured this was the issue that the only change I made so i couldn't see it being anything other then that. Just wanted to verify this was most likely the cause of shriveling up mushrooms. I will def switch the schedule and see how it looks in few days and come back and post. Thanks for the advice. ahaha grun im in Huntington Beach. I see it says garden grove under your name were neighbors!