Can we see your SPS growth pics?

[DraggingTail]

If you don’t do water changes are you dosing something to make up for elements that are in the salt that you get when you do a water change I don’t do water changes either but am starting to think i should

I personally do not recommend not doing water changes.

 

[Ifreitas14]

I personally do not recommend not doing water changes.

I haven’t done one in about 3 months but just did one tonight because some of my sps weren’t looking to happy but all my levels were good so I decided to do a water changes to see if that helps

 

[Hemmdog]

Only 2 months? Is that typical? What is your setup? Lights, fuge, etc?

That’s 4ish months. 360x’s, hybrid with blue+ coral+, Red Sea method with fuge and no water changes until the past month when I switched to zeovit, lots more branching now with zeovit and much faster growth.

 

[X-37B]

If you don’t do water changes are you dosing something to make up for elements that are in the salt that you get when you do a water change I don’t do water changes either but am starting to think i should

I run a carx with tunze media which is manmade not coral bones.
So it only replaces cal and alk.
I dose strontium once a week.
I dose DSR trace and that is it.
I test for strontium and keep it at 8.
I test for iodine and the DSR has it along with mag and others.
I keep it at .06.
Mag stays at 1350-1380.
My k stays at 430-450.
Alk 8
Ca 470.
Check out glenn fong on the site.
The DSR is his and is now available in the US.
If you dont do water changes trace elements will be needed.
On another note I have 2 green slimmer stags that are about 1.5 inches and have not grown upward in the same time frame.
They have encrusted quite a bit.
The lfs I got the slimmer frags from had a green slimmer in the 500 for over a year before it grew upward.
Just while all others were growing fine.
Just goes to show you that all corals exhibt different growth rates depending on light, flow, and parameters.

 

[X-37B]

I personally do not recommend not doing water changes.

I do not recommend not doing water changes if you are new to the hobby.
If you know what you are doing and have been around awhile then thats different.
Most do water changes and it is a heavily debated subject and is not for everyone but can be done. Check out Glenn Fong.
I run his method but use a calcium reactor which he does not recommend or like.
Many ways to do this hobby.

 

[Scubabum]

Top pick was at Year 2 all from frags, bottom pick taken today which will be 3 years in April. I have a few that sit and sit with little to no growth.

 

[BmackCW]

About one year ago, three months ago, just now.

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[DraggingTail]

Very nice responses on here.

Looking for any tips that you are willing to offer in order to make my newly added coral grow faster. I added a video below.

I have 75 gallon system that is going on 2 years old
55 gallon tall tank
20 gallon sump
Hamilton Lighting CEBU Sun MH \ T5 Combo
2 420nm T5s on from 8am to 8pm
2 460nm T5s on from 10am to 6pm
2 400W MHs on from 11am to 2pm (used to be 4pm but lower for new coral)
900 PAR 6 inches, 600 PAR 12 inches, 300 PAR at 18 inches
Refugium on opposite light schedule with Blue, White, Red and Green LEDs with Chaeto
Arctica 1/5 Chiller
2 MP40s on surge
Octo Skimmer 150S

Feed pureed clam, mussel, shrimp, aminos daily
Feed fish LRS Reef Frenzy once a day

Temp 79 degrees, never moves

Parameter log below on Google Sheets.

Or

Latest parameters...

Lots of coralline and green calcareous. Pic below when all the lights are on.

Video under 420nm T5s

 

[DraggingTail]

I run a carx with tunze media which is manmade not coral bones.
So it only replaces cal and alk.
I dose strontium once a week.
I dose DSR trace and that is it.
I test for strontium and keep it at 8.
I test for iodine and the DSR has it along with mag and others.
I keep it at .06.
Mag stays at 1350-1380.
My k stays at 430-450.
Alk 8
Ca 470.
Check out glenn fong on the site.
The DSR is his and is now available in the US.
If you dont do water changes trace elements will be needed.
On another note I have 2 green slimmer stags that are about 1.5 inches and have not grown upward in the same time frame.
They have encrusted quite a bit.
The lfs I got the slimmer frags from had a green slimmer in the 500 for over a year before it grew upward.
Just while all others were growing fine.
Just goes to show you that all corals exhibt different growth rates depending on light, flow, and parameters.

Tell me more about DSR trace, strontium, iodine, K and what you use to test with. I suppose the next level is adding trace elements into the mix for me.

 

[DraggingTail]

Very nice. How long that take?

 

[Kjames]

Tricolor granulosa

6 months

 

[DraggingTail]

Top pick was at Year 2 all from frags, bottom pick taken today which will be 3 years in April. I have a few that sit and sit with little to no growth.

Very nice colonies in there. I want my tank to look like that...

 

[DraggingTail]

Tricolor granulosa

6 months

Thats really good growth. Is it taller or did it just branch out?

 

[SebastianReefer]

8months growth on two pieces and ft pic 2 years with a somewhat crash at a year

 

[Kjames]

Thats really good growth. Is it taller or did it just branch out?

Both - each of those branches are the size of the original frag. Happy with it and learning what makes the colors show.

 

[DraggingTail]

That’s 4ish months. 360x’s, hybrid with blue+ coral+, Red Sea method with fuge and no water changes until the past month when I switched to zeovit, lots more branching now with zeovit and much faster growth.

What is the Red Sea method. Just using all Red Sea products and following instructions? I have Reef Energy (A+B) and Trace Elements (A,B,C,D)

 

[DraggingTail]

8months growth on two pieces and ft pic 2 years with a somewhat crash at a year

Awesome. And cool lobster or shrimp thingy

 

[X-37B]

Tell me more about DSR trace, strontium, iodine, K and what you use to test with. I suppose the next level is adding trace elements into the mix for me.

All 3 I use salifert test kits.
I would recommend looking at Glenn Fong on R2R for info on DSR trace.
I dose strontium because his method has strontium in with calcium.
He doses cal/str and alk with a doser. Same with his trace.
He dose not like or use a carx.
After reading his long post I will answer any questions.
If you have not seen his tanks you will be floored by what they look like and the growth he gets with his method.

 

[SebastianReefer]

8months growth on two pieces and ft pic 2 years with a somewhat crash at a year

Oh lobster in another tank not my reef tank