Lazy mushrooms

[Darkstar04]

I have had a rock with some mushrooms for nearly a year now (my first "coral" in the tank), but they haven't seemed to grow or spread at all. They are a blue/gray almost iridescent color.

All my tank parameters are fine. I have a couple SPS frags that are doing well, a couple LPS that are doing well. My GSPs look a bit peaked and aren't extended much (and have been this way for months).

I don't know if it is the level of light, flow, or what.

I have a T5 fixture (4 strip, 156w total, 2daylight 2 actinic).

Any suggestions? I feel like a fool since I can't even grow mushrooms!

 

[icy1155]

It might just be that your system is to "clean". In my opinion shrooms do the best in tanks that dont have heavy skimming as they get alot of their food from dissolved organics (not nitrate, dissolved organic particles... there is a difference), not just photosynthesis.

 

[frags on a rock]

feed them, shrooms will take mysis

 

[Lotus99]

My mushrooms were miserable when they were in an area with flow that was too high. If your tank is set up for SPS, the mushrooms should be in lower areas or under overhangs.

 

[Darkstar04]

They are low, and out of direct flow. The flow in my tank is pretty poor anyway (Mag 5 return and maxi 550 in a 3' long 30g tank).