Whithering Leathers

[Pufferpunk]

I know that leathers like to take a break, not opening their polyps for a few days & getting somewhat droopy. Then they usually shed their skin & look 2x as good as before. I have a figer singularia & it seems to have been going downhill since I got it, rarely opening any polyps & now it just kind of droops. It even looks "withered".

Newly purchased:

6 months ago:

Now:

It has gone from a nice pink to a grey color & now seems to have a "rotting" middle.

Now my favorite leather, the devil's hand, is doing the same thing, although it does open it's polyps occasionally still but not for long.

Newly purchased:

6 months ago:

It's really grown huge since then, but this is how it's been looking lately:

I swear they are growing algae on them.

All water chemistry is perfect, they are under PC lights.

 

[billsreef]

I know you say water chemistry is perfect, but I still like to hear just what your definition of perfect is i.e. please fill us in on the actual numbers for pH, alkalinity, etc.

One question that does come to mind when I see problems with leathers....Are you using any phosphate removing resins?

 

[Pufferpunk]

No resins, other that using carbon, replaced every 4 weeks. My other leathers are doing great.

SG 1.025-26
Alk 7-8
Ca 420-440
pH 8.2-8.3
nitrates 10-20 (if I had my own RODI system, I'd be able to do more frequent WC--I change 10g of a 55g system every week or 2)

What's the greenish-brown, algae-like stuff growing on them?

 

[Salamander]

How 'bout flow.....? My leathers really like some serious turbulent flow.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Seio 820 within a foot from them.

 

[Salamander]

Using phosphate sponge/ I've had some problems with some medialike phosguard. I've heard others have the same problems with alumino silicate sponges.

 

[Salamander]

Oops...you already answered that question.....Sorry but I can't read to well.....

 

[Pufferpunk]

According to my local reef club forum here, several folks are telling me this is normal for leathers. Sure look bad though... I took a soft toothbrush & brushed off the "algae" from them. Did a huge water change & freshened the carbon.

 

[billsreef]

Assuming your alk values are in meq things look good. The algae is probably some kind of diatom. Usually looking like that for more than a few days to a week tops is cause for concern. Salamander is right about the flow with these guys. I would change current patterns around a bit. What works when they are small generally no longer works after they grow in. You might want to add a powerhead or two

 

[Pufferpunk]

I moved the powerhead to directly flow at the coral. I got my water tested at the LFS today after doing a huge water change yesterday. Nitrates <5, PO4 <0.2. I'm picking up 2 175 MH pendants this weekend.

 

[Pufferpunk]

OK, last night I moved the direction of the pump to point at the leather. Today I added another pump at the other end of the tank. (I'm considering a SQWD now, when I have the $$$.) I saw a few polyps pop out of the devil's hand & it is now shedding (Yay!). I don't understand why they were doing so great all this time w/the same flow & now it needs more.

I am getting 2 175wt MH this weekend.