Give me your input on things to adjust

[ndz98]

I'm really trying to figure out what I can do better or adjust in order to get better growth out of my corals. I've got some zoas, montipora, Acan, favites, frogspawn, hammers, trumpets, and gsp. The gsp, montipora, zoas, and Acan have been in my tank for several months and I just can't seem to get much growth out of them. I'd say I probably average maybe one new polyp per month on a couple zoas. Everything else looks like it hardly grows. I target feed my corals reef Roids about 2-3 times per week. I do water changes about 2-3 weeks apart. My parameters are pretty good I would say. The only thing I feel like maybe could be the problem is my lighting intensities but I'm not sure. At my lights peak intensity in the middle of the day it gets 35-45k lux on the surface of the water. From what you can see in my lighting schedule, do you think I should adjust it at all? Any input is great!

Led 1 is moon. Led 2 is blues. Led 3 is whites.

Typical parameters-
Alk- between 8-9 dKH
Calcium- between 430-450 ppm
Salinity- 1.026

 

[hybridazn]

what kind of led lighting are you using? Can you post a pic of your tank?

 

[ndz98]

what kind of led lighting are you using? Can you post a pic of your tank?

Completely forgot to add that in before. Im using an SB Reef Box Extreme.

 

[hybridazn]

Oh ok, easy fix I believe. Your giving the corals too much light. The corals you listed that are struggling tend to light less light, especially acans. I would turn down the whites to around the level of the Blues, if not a little lower and see if that helps.

 

[ndz98]

Oh ok, easy fix I believe. Your giving the corals too much light. The corals you listed that are struggling tend to light less light, especially acans. I would turn down the whites to around the level of the Blues, if not a little lower and see if that helps.

And that's what I was thinking too. I notice the Acans don't look as happy when I have the light intensity that high. But on the flip side, my gsp barely comes out at that intensity. I also thought that montipora need a high amount of light.

I did try lowering the light intensities not long ago to see what would happen and the gsp didn't come out at all, zoas kind of didn't seem to like it too much but were alright. Acan looked a little better but not anything crazy different.

The other thing too is the frogspawn, hammers, and trumpets are all new additions but they seem to really open up a lot with that intensity I have set now.

 

[ndz98]

Oh ok, easy fix I believe. Your giving the corals too much light. The corals you listed that are struggling tend to light less light, especially acans. I would turn down the whites to around the level of the Blues, if not a little lower and see if that helps.

Also if I turn down the whites I will lose lux. Should I be worried if my lux isn't at around 35-45k on the surface?

 

[hybridazn]

Also if I turn down the whites I will lose lux. Should I be worried if my lux isn't at around 35-45k on the surface?

I wouldn't. To me it seems the corals are getting too much light, turn them down and bit and see if it helps. It's the easiest and most logical place to start.

 

[ndz98]

what kind of led lighting are you using? Can you post a pic of your tank?

I just realized I screwed up... LED 1 is blue, 2 is white, 3 is moon. Sorry about that.

 

[twilliard]

Lighting is just half the equation
If you want to kick growth into gear look at your alkalinity
Now when raising alkalinity you have to make sure the nutrients are available for the faster growth.

 

[ndz98]

Lighting is just half the equation
If you want to kick growth into gear look at your alkalinity
Now when raising alkalinity you have to make sure the nutrients are available for the faster growth.

How high should I be trying to keep alk? And when you say I need to make sure the nutrients are available are you still talking about the Alk or do you mean I need to give them more reef Roids?

 

[twilliard]

Slowly to 10.5/11 dkh
If your nutrients are low the coral can pale out.
What is your no3 and po4 currently at?
Also may want to think about taking your same feeding amount but spread to twice a day

 

[ndz98]

Slowly to 10.5/11 dkh
If your nutrients are low the coral can pale out.
What is your no3 and po4 currently at?
Also may want to think about taking your same feeding amount but spread to twice a day

Raising Alk 1 dKH a day is okay, correct?

I don't know what those levels are as I don't have tests for them. I am going to look into buying them.

So I should target feed the corals reef roids twice a day 2-3 days a week? I also should add in i started feeding my Acan, mushrooms, and trumpets some pellets.

 

[twilliard]

Without knowing po4 and no3 don't feed more (algae may bloom from the po4)
Instead take the amount you feed in one day, cut that in half and feed twice a day.

 

[ndz98]

Without knowing po4 and no3 don't feed more (algae may bloom from the po4)
Instead take the amount you feed in one day, cut that in half and feed twice a day.

I'm just curious but why twice a day instead of one?

 

[twilliard]

It will help with the growth.
For instance with my tank
I feed flake (for po4) in the am, feed frozen prepared at noon (carbon source which breaks down into no3 and po4) and then flake again at night (for po4)

 

[ndz98]

It will help with the growth.
For instance with my tank
I feed flake (for po4) in the am, feed frozen prepared at noon (carbon source which breaks down into no3 and po4) and then flake again at night (for po4)

Oh I thought you just wanted to know what I feed my corals directly. I do feed pellets every morning and frozen food at night every day. The reef Roids I do at night three times a week. So you still suggest split the reef Roids in half and do in morning and night?

 

[twilliard]

Oh I thought you just wanted to know what I feed my corals directly. I do feed pellets every morning and frozen food at night every day. The reef Roids I do at night three times a week. So you still suggest split the reef Roids in half and do in morning and night?

Yes that would be a good plan but have to watch po4 and no3 also.

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

Feeding makes a big difference when on a schedule to keep the water filled with nutrients. But on the flip side, you need things set up to handle that excess nutrients. Remember the ocean has pretty limitless food supply 24x7.

But before proceeding further, get a Hanna 736 checker and a nitrate test kit. I would suggest salifert.

Once you figure out where that is, I would also suggest getting dosers for the alkalinity at least, if not for calcium and magnesium as well. Again, stability is key because the corals then sense it, and will begin to turn up their metabolism in turn.

Watch the Red Sea vids on youtube for the Reef Care Program. I highly suggest it, but even if you don't go that route (because it's super simple and the best system I've used out of 15-20 combos) at least you'll get a better grasp on how all the extra stuff works beyond water changes. Lighting is super important, but not as much as food and handling waste imo..

 

[ndz98]

If I get the phosphate and nitrate test kits how often do I need to test the water? Is it something that is going to have to be tested constantly or something I need to test once a week?

 

[phantomreefing]

You should take a look at the red sea accelerated program. I think you will find the information very helpful.

Based on what I've seen your light intensity has nothing to do with it. I looked at your corals the polyp extension is great. Typically you see the coral struggling when they are shriveling up, yours is not the case.

I have a variety of zoas and growth depends on which ones you have. The higher end ones take much longer. But, typically I have notice that they grow much better in my frag rack which is placed higher on the tank.

In regards to feeding, I hate to tell you this but you are wasting your money feeding the zoas. They seemed like they are consuming the food but they are not! They are just reacting to water jet you are blasting them.

Like previously stated you really have to watch your phosphate and nitrate levels.

Too much is bad and you will get no growth and too little and the corals suffer. You have to be right on the middle.

With the amount of feeding, I highly recommend that you develop a routine and do weekly 10% water changes and to state the obvious use RODI water. That will replenish all the elements needed for growth. That is exactly what I do and I get great growth on my mixed reef tank.

Lastly, I have notice when I dose lugols solution to my tank the palys seemed to soaked up and they grow like weeds.

Good luck!