Can I help my corals grow faster and extend larger?

[Chris H Reef]

Hey all,

I have a 75 gal with a Kenya tree, Xenia, gsp, 2 zoas, hammer, and a leather. My tank has been been running for about 6 months with a few corals added at a time.

They seem to all be doing pretty well but they aren’t extending as far as they were when I got them. Is there anything I can do to help them grow and extend?

Sal: 1.025
Nitrate: 40
Ph: 8.2

 

[KrisReef]

Can you post a picture?

Some corals will expand more with less light, but some corals will expand less with poor conditions in flow, high nutrients, and just to make a reef keeper angry? A pic might help folks see what you are talking about. GL

 

[Chris H Reef]

Can you post a picture?

Some corals will expand more with less light, but some corals will expand less with poor conditions in flow, high nutrients, and just to make a reef keeper angry? A pic might help folks see what you are talking about. GL

Here they are under the white lights.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Here they are under the white lights.

The hammer looks bleached. What lights are you running?

 

[BristleWormHater]

40 nitrate is a little high, try halving it if you can.

 

[BristleWormHater]

40 nitrate is a little high, try halving it if you can.

Also dosing something like red sea ab+ to feed your coral would help them grow

 

[NonstopSoda]

Dosing phyto has been making my corals open up a ton and growing much more

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

What fish are in the tank? With 40 nitrate there must be a few.

 

[Chris H Reef]

The hammer looks bleached. What lights are you running?

I’m running 2 nicrew lights 45% white 65% blue. Unfortunately I don’t know the par. Is too much light or too little possibly causing bleaching?

 

[Chris H Reef]

What fish are in the tank? With 40 nitrate there must be a few.

I have 2 clowns, fire fish, shrimp, 5 snails, 2 cardinal fish, and a small powder brown tang.

I was actually mistaken as well, my nitrate is showing 20ppm

 

[Chris H Reef]

Also dosing something like red sea ab+ to feed your coral would help them grow

Is there any downside like algae to dosing this?

 

[Chris H Reef]

Dosing phyto has been making my corals open up a ton and growing much more

Is there any downside to dosing phyto? Also what is that?

 

[BristleWormHater]

No

Is there any downside like algae to dosing this?

Not if you do it right. Correct me if I'm wrong but you only have lps and softies? If so I would half the recommended dose and only dose twice per week instead of daily. Ab+ is a nutrient supplement so it will add some phosphates if it is not all consumed by the coral, which could lead to algae.

 

[Chris H Reef]

No

Not if you do it right. Correct me if I'm wrong but you only have lps and softies? If so I would half the recommended dose and only dose twice per week instead of daily. Ab+ is a nutrient supplement so it will add some phosphates if it is not all consumed by the coral, which could lead to algae.

Yep just softies and lps. I think I’ll get a bottle and start dosing some like you said. I appreciate the advice!

 

[BristleWormHater]

Is there any downside to dosing phyto? Also what is that?

Phytoplanktin is a group of extremely small algaes. Your corals will feed on it and any filter feeders you may have. Additionally it will outcompete nuisance algae in the tank and reduce nitrate & phosphates. Only downside is that if you dose to much it could cause a bloom and your water will fog up for up for a few hours, but it has no negative effects on your tank.

 

[BristleWormHater]

Phytoplanktin is a group of extremely small algaes. Your corals will feed on it and any filter feeders you may have. Additionally it will outcompete nuisance algae in the tank and reduce nitrate & phosphates. Only downside is that if you dose to much it could cause a bloom and your water will fog up for up for a few hours, but it has no negative effects on your tank.

By the way the nuisance algae, nitrate, and phosphate lowering only applies to live phytoplanktin

 

[BristleWormHater]

If you choose to dose phyto I would recommend live phtyofeast Reef Nutrition Phyto-Feast Concentrate Marine Phytoplankton 6 oz | Saltwater Aquarium Reef Coral Food https://a.co/d/9qO74Zf
Or something else containing isochrysis phytoplanktin, which is proven to be more effective than the more common nanchloropsis, I know @Reef By Steele and Algaebarn have options.

 

[Chris H Reef]

No

Not if you do it right. Correct me if I'm wrong but you only have lps and softies? If so I would half the recommended dose and only dose twice per week instead of daily. Ab+ is a nutrient supplement so it will add some phosphates if it is not all consumed by the coral, which could lead to algae.

So I got a bottle on AB+ and did a half dose on Sunday. Planning on half dosing 2x a week. How long do you think it would take to see my corals start extending again and growing?

 

[KrisReef]

So I got a bottle on AB+ and did a half dose on Sunday. Planning on half dosing 2x a week. How long do you think it would take to see my corals start extending again and growing?

If the addition of A/B+ solves the issue then it should be obvious in short order.

The problem with simple solutions is that the underlying problem is not necessarily simple.

Corals need good water quality and motion and light and food to survive. How they look in an aquarium environment may take months or years for the coral to be comfortable and thrive in place. Lots of “great” reef keepers have one or more corals that just don’t grow in their system and we don’t really know why. Some day we might figure it all out but go slow with changing things and watch and record and report back with your findings.