DISCOSOMA LOOKS DIFFERENT AFTER WATER CHANGE

[Ares]

About three weeks into my first tank (Fluval Evo 13.5 gal), I added a Discosoma mushroom to my tank. Took a few days to really open up (first pic). After I did a water change a week later (the first water change I’ve done - 4 days ago today) of about 2 gallons, I noticed that it looks less full/more flat (second pic). I tested the water in my tank the next day and saw that my Ca had dropped from 420 to 380 ppm and my alkalinity dropped from 12 to 10. Everything else stayed the same (pH, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, salinity, phosphates). Any ideas on what to do? Do I just wait it out and see if it adjusts like it did when I first got it?

[Clown79]

Its fine, there isn't anything wrong looking with the mushroom.

 

They often change how they may lay.

 

As for the paramaters changing, sounds like the parameters were off this could be the salt.

 

Did you test the alk of the tank water before waterchange as well as the newly mixed sw water?

 

How are you testing the salinity?

 

Also do you pre stir the salt in the container before using it? This ensures even distribution before adding it to the water. 

[Ares]

New saltwater was 1.026, the water in my tank was 1.0245 (used refractometer), guy at LFS said it would be fine. Only numbers that dropped in my tank were Ca and KH which mushrooms don’t really use because they don’t have a skeleton, right? LFS had saltwater mixing with powerhead in big tubs and I took my 2 gal straight home, but didn’t agitate before doing the water change.

[Clown79]

1 hour ago, Ares said:

New saltwater was 1.026, the water in my tank was 1.0245 (used refractometer), guy at LFS said it would be fine. Only numbers that dropped in my tank were Ca and KH which mushrooms don’t really use because they don’t have a skeleton, right? LFS had saltwater mixing with powerhead in big tubs and I took my 2 gal straight home, but didn’t agitate before doing the water change.

Your lfs lied.

 

Salinity should always match your tank water. 

 

Using salinity that does not match causes swings which leads to problems with corals and parameters.

 

This is why the things i highly recommend

 

1. Don't get advice from lfs. The vast majority are not looking out for your best interest.

 

2. Not buying lfs rodi or their salt water. You have no control on salt used, parameters, or even the quality

 

 

[DevilDuck]

Looks fine to me too, mushrooms do funny things. Grow, shrink, flatten and fluff up. When you feed them they will also take on a cupped shape.

[mitten_reef]

11 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Your lfs lied.

 

Salinity should always match your tank water. 

 

Using salinity that does not match causes swings which leads to problems with corals and parameters.

 

This is why the things i highly recommend

 

1. Don't get advice from lfs. The vast majority are not looking out for your best interest.

 

2. Not buying lfs rodi or their salt water. You have no control on salt used, parameters, or even the quality

 

 

gonna play devil's advocate here, I get it that LFS don't always have your best interests

 

But there are plenty of good LFS out there, that'd be happy to share what salt mix(es) they use, what salinity their water is always mixed at, etc....

 

and also that salinity inconsistency mentioned by OP is hardly enough cause any major anxiety-attack-inducing response.  yes, stable parameter is good. but 0.0015 salinity difference isn't gonna cause anything or anyone in the tank to die or even harm anything - given those specific numbers provided.  

[Clown79]

1 hour ago, mitten_reef said:

gonna play devil's advocate here, I get it that LFS don't always have your best interests

 

But there are plenty of good LFS out there, that'd be happy to share what salt mix(es) they use, what salinity their water is always mixed at, etc....

 

and also that salinity inconsistency mentioned by OP is hardly enough cause any major anxiety-attack-inducing response.  yes, stable parameter is good. but 0.0015 salinity difference isn't gonna cause anything or anyone in the tank to die or even harm anything - given those specific numbers y

Ya, not all but as we have seen with many hobbyists, its more often than not that the problem is the water and advice from lfs.

 

Over time, constant salinity changes will cause issues.

 

I can't in good concious tell a hobbyist its ok to not match salinity and then 4 mnths from now when its drastically changed and they have more issues/problems with salinity & parameters, not end up feeling bad.

 

Because that is what will happen if salinity is constantly off.

 

We always advise matching salinity for that reason.