Goniopora Help

[gspence2109]

I just purchased my first Goniopora last week and have not seen any activity. I this normal? How long does it take for it to come out and say Hi! I'm Alive! Anyone have any suggestions? Water parameters were checked and are pretty much perfect. Water Flow is low to moderate. Light is medium.

 

[Reeferdood]

Hello and welcome to the forums!..
Tell a little more about your setup and how long has it been running?
The rocks are pretty white so I am guessing it is fairly new. Has it completely cycled yet?
When you say pretty much perfect does not tell anyone anything to go by so please try to be specific.

 

[gspence2109]

I have had the tank up and running for 3 months now so yes it is fairly new ( I am a Rookie Reefer). But I learn quickly! Any advice Reeferdood?
Phosphate level 0
Nitrate level under 20 ppm
Nitrite level 0
Calcium 440 ppm
Magnesium 1400ppm
Alkalinity 3.5

 

[WV Reefer]

I just purchased my first Goniopora last week and have not seen any activity. I this normal? How long does it take for it to come out and say Hi! I'm Alive! Anyone have any suggestions? Water parameters were checked and are pretty much perfect. Water Flow is low to moderate. Light is medium.

Turn up the flow! . Both of my Goniopora like a lot of light and a lot of flow. (I have a green and a red.)

 

[gspence2109]

Ok, I will give it a try. I have an IceCap Gyre pump running in Gyre Mode at 10% and 20%. I did'nt want to blast anything with more flow...

 

[gspence2109]

Turn up the flow! . Both of my Goniopora like a lot of light and a lot of flow. (I have a green and a red.)

Ok, I will give it a try. I have an IceCap Gyre pump running in Gyre Mode at 10% and 20%. I did'nt want to blast anything with more flow...

 

[Reeferdood]

My advise would be to bring up the phosphate slightly and lower your nitrates to about 10 ppm, no need to test for nitrite any longer unless you have a crash.
Also as suggested more flow is good. What kind of lights are you using?

 

[gspence2109]

My advise would be to bring up the phosphate slightly and lower your nitrates to about 10 ppm.
Also as suggested more flow is good. What kind of lights are you using?

Yes, I just added some Dr. Tims Active Pellets to my media reactor, should lower my nitrates a bit. I am running Current USA Orbit LED light. Blue at 100%, white at 70%, Red and Green at 40%.

 

[Reeferdood]

Bio pellets take a while to actually start to work. How are you keeping your phosphates at 0 and how are you testing?

 

[gspence2109]

My advise would be to bring up the phosphate slightly and lower your nitrates to about 10 ppm, no need to test for nitrite any longer unless you have a crash.
Also as suggested more flow is good. What kind of lights are you using?

Well now I am a bit confused. Everyone says to keep phosphates to 0 but it does affect Corals if you do. So how do I raise them slightly without causing harm to other livestock?

 

[gspence2109]

Bio pellets take a while to actually start to work. How are you keeping your phosphates at 0 and how are you testing?

I just switched from the All in One Biopellets to the Dr. Tims so I think that was keeping me at 0. I am doing biweekly water changes of 5 gallons.

 

[Reeferdood]

Well now I am a bit confused. Everyone says to keep phosphates to 0 but it does affect Corals if you do. So how do I raise them slightly without causing harm to other livestock?

Unless you are trying for a ULNS you want a slightly dirtier tank. How you raise phosphate is more fish and less GFO..

 

[WV Reefer]

Well now I am a bit confused. Everyone says to keep phosphates to 0 but it does affect Corals if you do. So how do I raise them slightly without causing harm to other livestock?

I personally wouldn’t chase numbers. I would work on keeping the numbers stable.
My phosphate levels would scare the crap out of most reefers.

 

[Reeferdood]

I personally wouldn’t chase numbers. I would work on keeping the numbers stable.
My phosphate levels would scare the crap out of most reefers.

lol, mine too

 

[gspence2109]

I use the Seachem Multi Phosphate test kit

 

[gspence2109]

lol, mine too

So higher phosphate is ok??

 

[Reeferdood]

I run mine @ 1ppm....

 

[WV Reefer]

So higher phosphate is ok??

Sometimes.

—I know it’s not the answer you want hear. lol

I run a “dirty” reef, which is a high nutrient reef. I do not use a skimmer or a filter. I do not dose or add anything to my reef. I use water changes weekly to import/export everything I need.

Every tank is going to be different but stability is the ultimate key. Your reef is still young and will need time to “settle in”.

 

[gspence2109]

Well now I am a bit confused. Everyone says to keep phosphates to 0 but it does affect Corals if you do. So how do I raise them slightly without causing harm to other livestock?

I run mine @ 1ppm....

OHH Great! my wife will be thrilled to hear that I need to add more fish! (sarcastic).

 

[Reeferdood]

Agreed with above..