Halides on for 8hrs a day. No growth ?

[acropora4u]

I have 3 x250w de 20k halides 12 “ above water surface on a 24” tall tank. Tank is 60” long x 36” wide and supplemented by 60” orphek or3 bars on 12 hrs a day. Most corals are about 20” below the lights. Can’t get any growth. Sps just sit there. Calcium 440. Alk 8.5. No3 10 ppm po4 0.05 mag 1350 temp 78-79 ph 7.8 to 8.1

 

[SeaworthyAquatics]

How old is the tank? Any big parameter swings recently? Any pests like red bugs? Sps been in there long? IME sometimes sps can take months to adjust and start growing even if everything is perfect.

 

[phillybean]

That's unusual for sure, how many different SPS? How long have you have the tank/lights running? What Bulbs and how old are they? Do you dose/add anything else?

I have a 30" deep 220 with 250 SE Metal Haliades and my growth is insane.

 

[KevinC]

honestly id say thats pretty low par for a 250w mounted on 12''+ 24" tank.

 

[acropora4u]

Pretty stable. Calcium rector and kalk reactor for supplementation

 

[acropora4u]

That's unusual for sure, how many different SPS? How long have you have the tank/lights running? What Bulbs and how old are they? Do you dose/add anything else?

I have a 30" deep 220 with 250 SE Metal Haliades and my growth is insane.

Tank up for 2 years. Using 250w de 14k and 20k. All acropora. Oh I’ve been in the tank for about a year. Supplement using a calcium reactor and a Kalk reactor

 

[acropora4u]

How old is the tank? Any big parameter swings recently? Any pests like red bugs? Sps been in there long? IME sometimes sps can take months to adjust and start growing even if everything is perfect.

2 years. No swings. No bugs been in reef for almost a year.

 

[WetSleeve]

You’d had to run some par tests..could be to little or to much par.
I’ve had pieces not grow after encrusted for 4-5 months and then I move them to lower par and they start to grow, or vice versa.
It’s nice to have a par meter on hand, certain acros..especially signatures are known to grow better at certain par levels.
With that said though, I’ve found lights are not everything, usually water related..In my experience.

 

[phillybean]

Tank up for 2 years. Using 250w de 14k and 20k. All acropora. Oh I’ve been in the tank for about a year. Supplement using a calcium reactor and a Kalk reactor

How are the colors? Polyp Extension? Do they seem healthy other than slow/no growth?

Do you dose anything else? I also use Acro Power and AF Build & AF Vitality.

Ever do an ICP test? Maybe a trace element is out of wack? I don't think it's the lighting. Sounds silly to ask, but do you have glass in the fixtures between the water and bulbs?

 

[Oregon Grown Reef]

I don't think it's the light and it probably isn't the other numbers. Have you done any recent icp tests? That would help determine if there is something in the tank you don't want like heavy metals.

The only reason I say probably is because higher pH is important for calcification. If you keep a lower ph tank (<8.1), then you're probably going to see very little or no growth. There are anecdotal tanks that have awesome growth and low pH, but pH isn't monitored regularly or accurately so it's hard to tell if they had low pH just when they tested or if it's always low. We all generally accept that the acidification of the ocean is contributing to coral death, so why is it a stretch that it's likely stopping our corals from growing in our closed systems? There are literally 1000x more hydrogen ions at a pH of 8.1 than 7.8. I may be completely wrong, but it's something to think about.

 

[acropora4u]

How are the colors? Polyp Extension? Do they seem healthy other than slow/no growth?

Do you dose anything else? I also use Acro Power and AF Build & AF Vitality.

Ever do an ICP test? Maybe a trace element is out of wack? I don't think it's the lighting. Sounds silly to ask, but do you have glass in the fixtures between the water and bulbs?

colors are ok, same as polyp extension..seems to be holding on, no other TRACE elements added, i am going to send in a ICP test

 

[acropora4u]

I don't think it's the light and it probably isn't the other numbers. Have you done any recent icp tests? That would help determine if there is something in the tank you don't want like heavy metals.

The only reason I say probably is because higher pH is important for calcification. If you keep a lower ph tank (<8.1), then you're probably going to see very little or no growth. There are anecdotal tanks that have awesome growth and low pH, but pH isn't monitored regularly or accurately so it's hard to tell if they had low pH just when they tested or if it's always low. We all generally accept that the acidification of the ocean is contributing to coral death, so why is it a stretch that it's likely stopping our corals from growing in our closed systems? There are literally 1000x more hydrogen ions at a pH of 8.1 than 7.8. I may be completely wrong, but it's something to think about.

i

 

[acropora4u]

I don't think it's the light and it probably isn't the other numbers. Have you done any recent icp tests? That would help determine if there is something in the tank you don't want like heavy metals.

The only reason I say probably is because higher pH is important for calcification. If you keep a lower ph tank (<8.1), then you're probably going to see very little or no growth. There are anecdotal tanks that have awesome growth and low pH, but pH isn't monitored regularly or accurately so it's hard to tell if they had low pH just when they tested or if it's always low. We all generally accept that the acidification of the ocean is contributing to coral death, so why is it a stretch that it's likely stopping our corals from growing in our closed systems? There are literally 1000x more hydrogen ions at a pH of 8.1 than 7.8. I may be completely wrong, but it's something to think about.

i cant get the PH up...i added a carbon doser and that helped but usually stays in the 7.85 to 8.1 range... i mean i also use a bubble king skimmer, a carbon doser and lots of flow but PH still not where id like it. any suggestions to raise PH?
.

 

[WVNed]

Have you replaced the bulbs? I run my SE 250W at 8-10 inches high.

 

[acropora4u]

Bulbs are clocking about four months on them right now and they are 12 inches off the water surface

 

[acropora4u]

I just adjusted the gyre to hit the surface of water to hopefully raise PH

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

What’s your par?

 

[acropora4u]

250 to 450

 

[acropora4u]

What’s your par?

250 to 450

 

[X-37B]

I run 8hrs halides 9hrs or3.

On my standard 120 I run 2 250 watt de 14k phoenix and have no trouble growing acros on the bottom. I have 2 or3 light bars also.
Halides are 14.5" from the surface to the bulb.
Ph has run 7.9-8.1 for 2.5 years with no issues.
Tanks 2.5 years old.
10% WC once a month.
Carx
EZ trace dosed daily.
Alk 8.0
Ca 410
Mag 1350
Po4<.1
No3<5