Toadstool and Star Polyp problems

[TimGentry]

I'm hoping someone may be able to help me. I can't get my leather or star polyp corals to extend their polyps anymore and haven't been able to do so for some time. All my water parameters are fine. I've even sent samples out to a couple of labs to make sure and included heavy metals. Most of the other corals are not having any problems including zoas, palys, and the few SPS that I have. I can't figure it out. Every once in a while I see the tiniest little bit of polyp extension from the toadstools but never anything from the star polyps. We are talking months with this problem and I just don't know what to do.

 

[Mr. Comer]

I have the exact same problem. I've had my large toadstool for a couple months and it still hasn't opened. My GSP is slowly dieing. My lighting, flow, and water seem are right on and the rest of the corals are doing fine. I'll be tagging along to see if anyone has input.

 

[TimGentry]

Mr. Comer,

Yeah, it just seems so strange that all the other corals seem to be fine. I'm stumped.

 

[Webmanny]

I've noticed that when my tank nutrients are low, these corals tend to suffer. There is a very fine line between clean and too clean. I play this balancing act all the time. If my GPS, ZOAs and Leathers are doing great, my SPS corals start to suffer and viceversa.

I've decided to go with two separate tanks. One clean for all the SPS and finicky corals and one dirty for all these corals that love nutrients.

 

[Norman123]

So just so I understand the leathers and GSP's prefer more nutrients? I have the same problem...

 

[Finnaddict]

Im running a ULNS and my toadstool and GSP open up fully. I do feed kinda heavy though.

 

[Mr. Comer]

I was running a ULNS tank and just switched over a month ago. I went from feeding only flakes (low bioload) to feeding chopped krill, mysis, zooplankton, and a little bit of flakes. I also right-sized my skimmer. I'm also slowly starting to feed heavier. I only have a red sea sailfin, a pair of percs, dragon goby, a pair of cromis, and melanarius wrasse. Two months ago rid of two adult rabbit fish and a flame angel. I'll be adding more fish soon. Corals usually like a little fish poo in their diet. I'm also going to start feeding reef chili.
Some have had luck spot feeding their toadstool zooplankton, mysis juice, or other meaty juice but it didn't work for me.