Sarco acting funny.

[Toolio]

Howdy all. Well, this is weird. My Sarcophyton (I call it toadstool) which I have fragged many times over 6 months is acting funny. Normally it opens to like 8-10". For a week or so, it has not opened and there is algae growing on its cap. I cannot see a sheen layer like I normally do. Any thoughts here?
All other corals look great. I did add a coral last week. It was sold as a toadstool mushroom leather sarco hehe. I would describe it as finger-like with tons of little star polyps, when open makes it look fuzzy. Yellowish with white polyps. Prob doesn't help much I know. Tank param is 55 gallon. Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate=zero. 79 degrees. 1.024 SG. Ca= 420 Alk=3.75. pH=8.1. Sarco has been in this tank for 6 months. pH has always sucked. This is my UG/Plenum/DSB tank.
Any thoughts would be helpful, this sarco is my buddy. Does anyone else get this attached to 1 coral?

 

[Anthony Calfo]

no worries... the algae growing on the (mucus tunic) "cap" (capitulum) of this coral is a clear sign of inadequate water flow. Your Sarco forms this tunic for a variety of reasons, but largely to slough metabolites/for growth. It should not linger more than a couple of days... if so, its a sign of poor water flow, and algae settles (stifles) upon it. Please do blast it off with a bulb/turkey baster or other moderate flow burst... then improve your circulation my friend

 

[Toolio]

Thanks Anthony. Will do. You know, this sarco is located under the "flow" of the HOB aquaclear 500, which puts small air bubbles into the tank. Does he hate this or would he prefer direct, powerhead action? NOTE: he has been in same location for many months without this problem to date. Also, my bio load in this tank may be at its limits........ this sarco, 1 huge toadstool 14"head, 1 lrg lobophytum, that new softie, 30 clauvaria/briarium/star polyp plugs, 30 toadstool/mushroom sarco plugs, 20-30 assd. mushrooms.....

 

[Anthony Calfo]

airbubbles are very irritating to Sarcophyton corals (other corals too)... and the laminar flow you are applying (one direction) is severely irritating to most corals (its unnatural flow). Your coral may finally be showing the signs of wear from it all

do some keyword searches for "water flow" topics. Very interesting stuff.