Why dont my shroom "grow like weeds"?

causeofhim · #1 08/08/2005, 10:18 PM

In my 55 gal mixed reef I have softies, LPS, SPS, and RBTAs. Everything grows and is very healthy. My shrooms get larger but seem to be the only thing that doesn't multiply. I would like them to, I like them. I would also like to start a nano tank for my classroom with low light corals. So would be nice to have some extra shrooms to put in there.

I have 440 watts of VHO (220 antic, 220 antic white). A Iwaki 30-RLT with an eductor that gives me a lot of flow. I have a EuroReef ES5-20, in a sump/fuge with chaeto and mangroves. I add kalk with top off water.

I have had multiple species of shrooms and rics for about 6-8 months. So, why dont my shrooms seem to "grow like weeds" like so many other peoples?

kass03 · #2 08/09/2005, 03:02 AM

Since I started adding seachems reef plus over a year ago to my tank everything seems to be growing better.
My rics split and mushrooms grow.
Don't know if that will help you as there are alot of factors as why they would.

kass

InvertLover · #3 08/09/2005, 07:18 AM

Do you run carbon? If you don't you may want to start. Could be chemical warfare! Also, you can always frag away... But if you do end up with a lot of mushrooms, IMO you should run carbon, since mushrooms pump out some pretty intense chemicals.

coralfarm123 · #4 08/09/2005, 01:48 PM

Sometimes it just takes a little while for them to fully adjust to their new home. Once they start splitting they usuall grow like weeds. Discoma usually grow and split pretty fast. Ricordea and other types of "bumpy shrooms" tend to grow slower and split less.

MrYenko · #5 08/09/2005, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by coralfarm123
Sometimes it just takes a little while for them to fully adjust to their new home. Once they start splitting they usuall grow like weeds. Discoma usually grow and split pretty fast. Ricordea and other types of "bumpy shrooms" tend to grow slower and split less.

Ill agree with that... Ive had a pair of mushrooms ( a red one and a blue one) in my nano since December '04 or so. They grew and grew for months, until a month ago, and now I suddenly have 7 red shrooms, and 5 blue ones.

When they split, they dont screw around.

chipmaker · #6 08/10/2005, 05:30 PM

So what your saying is if my principal majority of soft corals is shrooms, I need to be usiing carbon in my filter?

InvertLover · #7 08/11/2005, 01:10 PM

It's really a good thing to do. If you do a lot of water changes, or if you have a huge water volume, then you prolly don't need to run it as aggressivly. But if you're trying to frag them, then always run it, b/c they will release more toxins then normal when they get stressed like that. I'm not sure about the effects of mushroom toxin of other mushrooms... I don't have a tank(s) set up to to trials on, and I havn't read anything. So that may be fine, or may not be. Your call as far as the risk goes btwn shrooms

furforfour · #8 08/11/2005, 11:36 PM

Where are your mushrooms located in the tank? If they are high in your tank under 440 watts that is probably too much. Try putting them very low in the tank or on the sandbed and see what happens.

causeofhim · #9 08/11/2005, 11:43 PM

They are low and some in the shadows.

furforfour · #10 08/12/2005, 02:46 AM

Hmmm.... what are your water parameters?

perpetual98 · #11 08/15/2005, 04:10 PM

I've got shrooms all over. Some do well in low light, and some do better in higher light. My blue ones and red ones seem to like lower light. My green frilly just loves basking under the halides.

Is that the tank that you got from me? Can I get an RBTA from you if they ever split?

Later,
Eric

causeofhim · #12 08/15/2005, 05:42 PM

perpetual98:
Yes and Yes!

causeofhim · #13 08/15/2005, 05:47 PM

The tank is great! Thanks. I built a full canopy for it and it sits in my living room. The 55's are a bit narrow for aquaskaping but it works perfect in the room. I really couldn't beat the cost.

Here is a blurry pic. I'll take a better one and send it to ya to show you what I did.

perpetual98 · #14 08/15/2005, 06:07 PM

Lookin' good! I was going to plumb the 55 with an overflow to the 20L that I had drilled. Is that what you ended up doing? I just couldn't resist the other 120G tank that I got though. Added depth makes aquascaping so much easier.

Later!
Eric

causeofhim · #15 08/15/2005, 06:59 PM

Yep. Overflow down to the 20 sump in stand. I have a EuroReef 5-20 in the sump, a bit of chaeto, and a phosban reactor. Using just a Quiet One 4000 for a return and an Iwaki 40RLT to a closed loop.

perpetual98 · #16 08/15/2005, 07:13 PM

Very cool! I'm glad you put it all to good use! Are you going to the meeting this weekend?

causeofhim · #17 08/15/2005, 08:56 PM

Yes, I'll be there.