How to maintain a mixed reef?????

[deerhunter06]

So I have sps growing pretty good, as good as I would say LEDs (radions) can possibly grow them.

My question is I want my GSP to grow up my back wall. I like that look. I have had the GSP for over a year and nothing it stays looking healthy but never grows. I have other LPS like a torch coral that has done well and some acans that have slow growth, but nothing from the GSP. I do not make an effort to maintain ULN but I do a 20% water change monthlyish, and I dose kalkwasser in my ato my alk Calc and MG stay where they should. Haven't checked phosphates in long time but have no pest algae in my tank, but there is some macro algae that comes up from time to time but is quickly eaten.

Should I let the tank go a couple months with no water changes? Dirty up the water a bit?

 

[hart24601]

So I have sps growing pretty good, as good as I would say LEDs (radions) can possibly grow them.

My question is I want my GSP to grow up my back wall. I like that look. I have had the GSP for over a year and nothing it stays looking healthy but never grows. I have other LPS like a torch coral that has done well and some acans that have slow growth, but nothing from the GSP. I do not make an effort to maintain ULN but I do a 20% water change monthlyish, and I dose kalkwasser in my ato my alk Calc and MG stay where they should. Haven't checked phosphates in long time but have no pest algae in my tank, but there is some macro algae that comes up from time to time but is quickly eaten.

Should I let the tank go a couple months with no water changes? Dirty up the water a bit?

"So I have sps growing pretty good, as good as I would say LEDs (radions) can possibly grow them."

So they are growing better than under MH, congrats! Ok... that is my only dig at the light wars.

I have found that mixed reefs can be pretty tough to keep everything happy. What intensity are they under and what is the flow there? That might keep them from growing very fast. I wouldn't dirty up the water exactly, but I would try target feeding them or feeding the tank more in general. Of course if you are target feeding make sure they food is the right size and you can see them capture the food. That might dirty up the water, but I don't think that should be a goal, just keep nitrates detectable. If you get phosphate too high all the other stony coral in there will not be too happy.

 

[deerhunter06]

"So I have sps growing pretty good, as good as I would say LEDs (radions) can possibly grow them."

So they are growing better than under MH, congrats! Ok... that is my only dig at the light wars.

I have found that mixed reefs can be pretty tough to keep everything happy. What intensity are they under and what is the flow there? That might keep them from growing very fast. I wouldn't dirty up the water exactly, but I would try target feeding them or feeding the tank more in general. Of course if you are target feeding make sure they food is the right size and you can see them capture the food. That might dirty up the water, but I don't think that should be a goal, just keep nitrates detectable. If you get phosphate too high all the other stony coral in there will not be too happy.

I think u misunderstood. I think leds are not as good as MH but my sps is growing as good as LEDS can actually grow them.

 

[deerhunter06]

Or did I misunderstand and u were taking a jab at MH lol?

 

[hart24601]

I was taking a jab at MH! Or at least a jab at the LED/MH arguments - but I don't want to start another one, lol.

But really I am a huge fan of feeding for growth, there have been a few papers published that show feeding coral (the right sized food) makes a gigantic amount of difference to growth. It's more important for growth IME than the lighting type if the coral is kept in the proper PAR range that is. I bet GSP can consume a large variety of food, have you tried cyclopeeze or the new replacement? Turn off pump and put some on it and see if the GSP captures the food.

 

[deerhunter06]

I was taking a jab at MH! Or at least a jab at the LED/MH arguments - but I don't want to start another one, lol.

But really I am a huge fan of feeding for growth, there have been a few papers published that show feeding coral (the right sized food) makes a gigantic amount of difference to growth. It's more important for growth IME than the lighting type if the coral is kept in the proper PAR range that is. I bet GSP can consume a large variety of food, have you tried cyclopeeze or the new replacement? Turn off pump and put some on it and see if the GSP captures the food.

That's a good idea I don't feed anything so I'll give it a shot thanks !