Causes of slow growth?

[Bryce Peterson]

+1 on the responses. I also believe Xenia's contributed to my slow coral growth. I dont know if they just pull too many nutrients (my guess), or some sort of chemical warfare. I finally pulled my xenias (mostly) and my stony corals have colored up nicely and I have seen much better growth.

 

[Chrisss]

Bring that calcium and carbonate way down that's off the ricktor scale it's been proven many times that running that high has no benefit at all

I was trying to raise Alk to be 11.6 ish(For sps/lps) and I guess Calcium raised also! I have stopped dosing Kalkwasser in my top off going to get new readings Monday before water change. Also going to pick up another fish during the week also for a increase in bio load! Will see what happens, thanks for the responses again

 

[Chrisss]

+1 on the responses. I also believe Xenia's contributed to my slow coral growth. I dont know if they just pull too many nutrients (my guess), or some sort of chemical warfare. I finally pulled my xenias (mostly) and my stony corals have colored up nicely and I have seen much better growth.

Always in the back of my mind that chemical warefare was playing a role but never really believed it... did you do any other changes beside taking out Xenia or that was the only thing? I dont mind taking it out if I know for sure that my other corals growth will continue, but like I said before my Xenia are exploding but Zoas are dying? I don't think Xenia can take that much nutrients. My corals are growing just slow... and for coloration I guess I might have some pale corals or not as colored as I hoped but I am using T5Ho not Leds so that might be a reason too

 

[brownsalt92]

https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/210035/
Here is a good thread to read lots of useful info in here. Took notes on it learned alot of useful info on what sps/ a tank needs to have good growth and color.

 

[Bryce Peterson]

Always in the back of my mind that chemical warefare was playing a role but never really believed it... did you do any other changes beside taking out Xenia or that was the only thing? I dont mind taking it out if I know for sure that my other corals growth will continue, but like I said before my Xenia are exploding but Zoas are dying? I don't think Xenia can take that much nutrients. My corals are growing just slow... and for coloration I guess I might have some pale corals or not as colored as I hoped but I am using T5Ho not Leds so that might be a reason too

I don't have any scientific data to back it up, just better growth and poly extension. I use LEDs, but would use t5 if I could go back and do it again. I am really impressed with the colors using t5s.

 

[Chrisss]

https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/210035/
Here is a good thread to read lots of useful info in here. Took notes on it learned alot of useful info on what sps/ a tank needs to have good growth and color.

OOOO been looking for a read about this topic for a while, the guy in the Video on the third page is literally me. Same problems, same thought process, same experience(Might actually be me haha). Wish I had more time to read (made it to page 10), going to continue reading more tomorrow. Looks like this might be a solution though or at least help.

Thank you for the link!

 

[Chrisss]

I don't have any scientific data to back it up, just better growth and poly extension. I use LEDs, but would use t5 if I could go back and do it again. I am really impressed with the colors using t5s.

I switched from Leds to T5ho, had no growth with Leds, now I see a little so I guess that is an improvement and corals arn't closed all the time now so that is a plus

 

[brownsalt92]

OOOO been looking for a read about this topic for a while, the guy in the Video on the third page is literally me. Same problems, same thought process, same experience(Might actually be me haha). Wish I had more time to read (made it to page 10), going to continue reading more tomorrow. Looks like this might be a solution though or at least help.

Thank you for the link!

Your very welcome. I thought I was doing good reefing until I read this. But I'm on the right track now. So I need time and patience.

 

[Chrisss]

Your very welcome. I thought I was doing good reefing until I read this. But I'm on the right track now. So I need time and patience.

Exactly! You finally gets the numbers everyone wants then you look at how to get better coral growth and its a complete 180. You have to switch your whole equipment process and try to figure out whats the problem. Definitely going to order some Higher quality test kits and Nitrate in a few days and go from there.

 

[Chrisss]

I did a water change today and took down numbers of my tank so with skimmer at half power for the last week and no more kalk topoff in my tank I have-

Alk - 9.8
Calcium - 475
Magnesium 1500 ( Don't know why so high I don't dose mag)
PH - 8.2

Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 0 (API)
Phosphate - 0 (Hanna checker)

I finally see some growth on my pink birdsnest however the tips are white but it is growing! I did read up on that thread about dosing Nitrate and it looks like my best bet right now. My Seachem Flourish Nitrogen and Red Sea test kit comes tomorrow so I'm going to start dosing tomorrow. I am still running Biopellets in a reactor and GFO in a reactor, probably going to stop GFO tomorrow when I start dosing Nitrates. But leave the Biopellet reactor going.

Just wondering if that is a good idea or if I should keep both offline or just the GFO or just Biopellets?? @brownsalt92

 

[brownsalt92]

I did a water change today and took down numbers of my tank so with skimmer at half power for the last week and no more kalk topoff in my tank I have-

Alk - 9.8
Calcium - 475
Magnesium 1500 ( Don't know why so high I don't dose mag)
PH - 8.2

Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 0 (API)
Phosphate - 0 (Hanna checker)

I finally see some growth on my pink birdsnest however the tips are white but it is growing! I did read up on that thread about dosing Nitrate and it looks like my best bet right now. My Seachem Flourish Nitrogen and Red Sea test kit comes tomorrow so I'm going to start dosing tomorrow. I am still running Biopellets in a reactor and GFO in a reactor, probably going to stop GFO tomorrow when I start dosing Nitrates. But leave the Biopellet reactor going.

Just wondering if that is a good idea or if I should keep both offline or just the GFO or just Biopellets?? @brownsalt92

I'm no expert but I will help where I can.
What mag tester are you using? Maybe a false reading??
Yes to red sea test kit!!! Api is no good for the nitrate test.
My api was reading 0 and I used red sea and it was 64+...

Also if you are gonna stop the gfo switch to active carbon.
Active carbon in a reactor is good for 1-2weeks.

I run mine in a 2 fish phosban150 you want flow through it but not to tumble the carbon.

Helps take out bad toxins keeps water nice and clear etc.. This is what I use now.

As far as bio pellets I don't really know about them I read a particular and i t sounds like its a good thing for tank.

Just remember from the article when dosing it dose check a hour later. Dose test dose test and then test next day it will gobble up the initial start of dosing . but you will get to a stable number then you will have to cut way back on on the dosing. Refer back to the article for advice.

I'm no expert I've been fighting my tank for a month and finally got something to show but my nitrates are still high and my phosphates. But I will say I'm thrilled that my jf fox flame. Has stopped bleaching and is encrusting and is almost back to when I bought it. On the base. Here was my disaster in the second pic gotta start somewhere with sps. You live and learn. I read on here for hours lol.

 

[brownsalt92]

And youll need some phosphates to... Fish poop

 

[Chrisss]

Hmm good point with the dosing every hour was just gonna dose once a day but I guess first time its going to get absorbed. I am running Rox 0.8 carbon that stuff is amazing was never going to not take it out no reason too haha. Just a little iffy about the GFO / Biopellets. I know I need phosphates but can't tell by a checker need to see algae in tank I guess, I do have some so I'm guessing that's where the phosphate are going too. But I am going to buy another Wrasse just to add to the increase bioload. But from reading that thread does not seem like any side effects from dosing Nitrate so that's what attracted me

@brownsalt92

 

[brownsalt92]

Hmm good point with the dosing every hour was just gonna dose once a day but I guess first time its going to get absorbed. I am running Rox 0.8 carbon that stuff is amazing was never going to not take it out no reason too haha. Just a little iffy about the GFO / Biopellets. I know I need phosphates but can't tell by a checker need to see algae in tank I guess, I do have some so I'm guessing that's where the phosphate are going too. But I am going to buy another Wrasse just to add to the increase bioload. But from reading that thread does not seem like any side effects from dosing Nitrate so that's what attracted me

@brownsalt92

Yea that's good just keep nitrate 2-5 ish and ph like a .02 kinda sorta just remember redline theroy is c106 no3 16 po4 1 as a base line kinda sorta just a example

 

[brownsalt92]

Po3

 

[brownsalt92]

Po4**