How to get my SPS to grow rapidly

[Torx]

Here's my 2 cents. On a 45 gallon system IMO your water changes should be more frequent. Smaller, frequent water changes will provide more stable parameters and more stable export of nutrients. The smaller the raise and decline of parameters in your system, for everything including phosphates and nitrates, the more stable the system is going to be. Anyone who has had even a small spike in any parameter knows that it takes longer than a week for corals, especially sps, to recover and start growing again. Doing water changes every two weeks allows for parameters to swing more than doing a change once a week. I also definaty agree that having phosphate levels of .3 is too high. Don't worry about achieving a certain ultra low level but do try and get those down to a lower levels. Again just my 2 cents.

All very true. Technically with a 45 gallon, and weekly water changes, you shouldn't need to dose anything...well unless you are right stocked full with SPS.

 

[magnoliarichj]

Dose amino acids. Run skimmer 24 7.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My next adventure

 

[preston469]

Update on the Phosphates 0.03 ** lol They are never at 0.3 Typo, This all pretty much answers my questions I will upload some picks in the next couple of days. The ones that aren't growing are the frags that are about 1/2" to 3/4".

Thanks for all the replies and helpful tips! this site is truly awesome!

 

[preston469]

This is a few phone pics

 

[Ellery]

Preston,

What I have found is that smaller frags take longer to grow out. Somewhere in the forums I remember reading that the SPS corals follow 3 phases: 1) Encrusting to develop a solid base, 2) Growing out, then finally 3) reproducing. really small frags spend most of their time at phase 1 for a while. I had a pink/purple stylo that didn't do squat for 6 months before it started taking off. Also other than water changes I would test weekly to maintain stability as everyone else has mentioned previously.

Also in addition to water quality the light quality is also a factor too. When I first started with SPS, back in 1999, I was a cheap DIY ******* and started with 2x Iwasaki 6500K 250 W MH on my 90g w/ 6" DSB, rubbermaid Refugium Sump, and a Seaclone 100 (yes- this barely worked) and all my LPS and SPS grew like gang busters but the colors looked like **** brown.

You'll have to balance your color spectrum to get the best of both worlds. Lean more toward 6500K for growth or more Actinics for color. When I used MH I ended up liking XM15K or Phoenix 14K bulbs. Now I am using 100% Full spectrum LEDs on my 300gal system. 100%Blue with maybe the whites peaking at 70-80%. My Frag tank is set just to 100% Blues for now to get some color going since I'm not really going to max growth right now.

 

[b_rad_G]

I don't buy in to the more frequent water changes. I would almost say more water changes probably hurt more than they help. If nutrient export is sufficient there is no reason for more than a 10-15% biweekly change. Unless you can exactly match the big 3 your tank will swing some. (Not very stable) not to mention all the trace elements that vary in almost every bag of salt! Add the rapid reduction of nitrate and phosphate you have put more stress on everything in your tank.

Frequent water changes are IMO old school thinking. The phrase was dilution is the solution to pollution. I Prolly heard that 100 times back in the day but now we have efficient skimmers and excellent phosphate removal methods. So to the people advocating water changes what is the benefit? What are you removing by frequently changing water? What do you think you are adding? (Trace elements is not a valid answer because I can dose "trace elements").

I realize I will be flamed for this post but its old school thinking and for the most part is just wrong. WC do have a time and a place but it will not help stability. It will not likely change coral health unless you have a problem already. Fix the problem instead of putting a band aid on it.

 

[Torx]

Yes, trace elements. Yes, you can dose, but is someone testing for ALL trace elements to dose correctly? Dosing in a small tank is pointless and extremely touchy. My 29 gal grew great sps with 5gal/week water changes. No skimmer, no reacter and no dosing. Even used DIY LED lighting.

 

[Battlecorals Verified Sponsor]

I don't buy in to the more frequent water changes. I would almost say more water changes probably hurt more than they help. If nutrient export is sufficient there is no reason for more than a 10-15% biweekly change. Unless you can exactly match the big 3 your tank will swing some. (Not very stable) not to mention all the trace elements that vary in almost every bag of salt! Add the rapid reduction of nitrate and phosphate you have put more stress on everything in your tank.

Frequent water changes are IMO old school thinking. The phrase was dilution is the solution to pollution. I Prolly heard that 100 times back in the day but now we have efficient skimmers and excellent phosphate removal methods. So to the people advocating water changes what is the benefit? What are you removing by frequently changing water? What do you think you are adding? (Trace elements is not a valid answer because I can dose "trace elements").

I realize I will be flamed for this post but its old school thinking and for the most part is just wrong. WC do have a time and a place but it will not help stability. It will not likely change coral health unless you have a problem already. Fix the problem instead of putting a band aid on it.

I agree with this and think you are spot on with all of yopur points. I used to be mr waterchange and I think it was to a fault. Once I slowed up on my weekly wcs to monthly I am certain my system has responded positively. I think you are right about the instability that occurs with frequent WC's. Just my own observation

 

[b_rad_G]

Yes, trace elements. Yes, you can dose, but is someone testing for ALL trace elements to dose correctly? Dosing in a small tank is pointless and extremely touchy. My 29 gal grew great sps with 5gal/week water changes. No skimmer, no reacter and no dosing. Even used DIY LED lighting.

But what trace elements are you adding? Were they used by corals? How do you know they are diminished? How do you know the salt you are using isn't deficient anyways or possibly have too much? I am not saying you are wrong all I'm asking is how you know you need trace elements what elements are being used and if your salt mix even has the correct elements.

 

[Torx]

Well unless you test for all of them, too many to list if you have ever looked it up, and that would take a room full of test kits. Most just trust that our salt is sufficient for our tank, which is why different people have different results on a tank. IO works great for me, but others require salt with higher elements and higher trace elements. With that said, neither of our opinions can be judged as right or wrong unless you have a plethora of test kits. He does only have a 45 gal tank. Shouldn't have to dose, 5 gal a week water changes should fix all his level issues with no dosing of anything. But everyones tank is different.

 

[Aquaph8]

I agree with this and think you are spot on with all of yopur points. I used to be mr waterchange and I think it was to a fault. Once I slowed up on my weekly wcs to monthly I am certain my system has responded positively. I think you are right about the instability that occurs with frequent WC's. Just my own observation

I think frequent is great but the more frequent you get the smaller the change you should do. I run a low Alk and hate doing large changes cause all the salt mixes seem to be a lot higher. I still feel I need the changes though due to my fish load ( It's a sickness)

 

[scoobysnack77]

I agree with this and think you are spot on with all of yopur points. I used to be mr waterchange and I think it was to a fault. Once I slowed up on my weekly wcs to monthly I am certain my system has responded positively. I think you are right about the instability that occurs with frequent WC's. Just my own observation

hey adam, i want to get more rapid growth of my sps and you mentioned to me about the 6500k iwasaki bulb. should i use that one even though the [FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]new iwasaki 6500k 41R bulb actually specs out around 7600K, but is still listed as 6500K? i saw reef brite makes a 6700k bulb thats specs out as such. any suggestions would be appreciated [/FONT]