Softies after coral feeding

[BigMike75]

It seems like every time I feed my corals: Reef Chili and Reef Frenzy, the polys on all my softies retract. Some of them come back out faster then others but with feeding twice a week I only get a day or two with great looking softies.

Is this normal? Thought about just feeding once a week but I am getting great growth right now.

 

[Fallling]

That sounds unusual. What kind of softies? I feed a cocktail of dry food (including reef roids, reef chili, and fauna marin) mixed with frozen cyclop-eeze and marine snow everyday. I turn off the return for at least 30 min to create a "food storm." While this is for nps that I have, I've never seen any of my softies retract like you're describing. This includes 3 toadstools, stereonephthya, gorgonians, and cespitularia. The softies don't necessarily need to be fed, so I would maybe not feed for awhile and see how they react. Of course, check that your parameters are in line and that everyone is getting the appropriate flow

 

[BigMike75]

My parameters are:
450 cal
8.75 DKh
1500 Mag
NO3&PO4 are both reading 0 Red Sea Pro and Hanna Checker

The 1 I am really having a problem with is a medium green toadstool, I have had it for about a month from LiveAquaria, its on the bottom of the tank. It has never really poyled out the polys will come out put the ends don't really plum if you know what I mean. I am thinking it need more flow. It is in a 90 gallon with 2 MP40 running anti sync reefcreast. My other regular toadstool and Devil head look great.

 

[Fallling]

It's actually my large Tyree green polyp toadstool that is especially finicky. Got it from another local reefer, and it took about a month to really acclimate and open fully (it also shed during this period). The polyps would kind of peek out, but never extend fully. Ultimately, I found a spot for him on the bottom with high flow and left it alone. Finally, it came around and now looks great. My other toadstools were opening with 30 minutes of being put in the tank and aren't nearly as persnickety. Mine gets a blast of water every 7 seconds or so... it takes some serious flow, so you may just need more flow. If the polyps are at least sort of coming out, that's good sign.

The other thing could be that the nitrate is actually too low. Sometimes, having just 1 or 2ppm can help to perk things up, but if other stuff looks good, I wouldn't think that's the issue. With ULNS, pale colors are often a sign that the water has been stipped too much.

 

[BigMike75]

With having ULNS that is why I am doing 2 large coral feedings a week and feeding my fish more. It's a barebottom tank, I have left it in the same spot for over 2 weeks now, I guess it is time to move him to a different spot.

Thanks

 

[Fallling]

Yea... since everything else looks good, I figure that's not the issue, but I always think it's worth mentioning it in case other stuff gets ruled out first. One other thing is just make sure to not move it around too much. I literally left the Tyree alone for a month without moving it. Good luck!