I can't grow frags! Help me!

tdo · Oct 2, 2015

hello all. I have a approx 65 gallon tank with a 20l sump half full. With rock displacement and sump I'm guessing I have about 65 gallons of water in the tank. I have a calcium reactor running and has been dialed in for about a good 3 months. I have 2 mp 40s on anti sync on the ends of the tank at about 70 percent. The tank is 36x24x18 so I think I have enough flow. I have a reef octopus sro-1000 skimmer running 24/7. Fuge with chaeto and eheim 1262 return pump. I have a ten bulb power module running the lighting, full power for 5 hours, two bulbs 1.5 hours better and 1.5 hours after. So enough with the setup itself...

My water tests are
Calcium 440 using Red Sea kit
Alk 8.2-8.5 using Hannah checker
Mag 1350 using Red Sea kit
Phosphates is at .1 using Hannah ulr checker
Nitrates are at 2.5 using elos kit

I am using reef crystals for water changes. I change 5 gallons every week.

So my tank is going on a year old now. I used dead rock and seeded with a piece of live rock from an established tank. My problem is, I can put as many frags in as I want, and the exact same thing happens to them all... The base encrusts like crazy, and then they just stop. I have picked up frags from numerous sources and the results are the same. I have super colorful frags, but that's all they are. Weird thing is, I have picked up a few maricultured mini colonies or whatever they are considered, and I can take frags from them and in a few weeks it is like it has completely grown back. So what is my problem? Everyone struggles with color, but I'm struggling with growth. Well just growth on the frags, not the maricultured pieces. Any advice?

All maricultured pieces in my tank have kept the amazing colors that I originally bought them for. I have great polyp extension from most of the sps in my tank. Like I said before, the frags that I have picked up all have amazing color to them, just no real vertical growth.

hatfielj · Oct 2, 2015

A year isn't enough time in my experience. Keep things rock solid stable for the next year and you'll start to see growth. It looks like you've got everything dialed in. You're not moving them around are you? Keep them where they are and don't touch them. Keep your hands out of the tank as much as possible.
I've had frags in my system for over a year that have done nothing but encrust a tiny bit, then all of the sudden they'll decide to start growing.
I'm assuming since you have good color that you don't have any pests?
Only thing you didn't comment on was feeding. Do you feed your corals? I would recommend trying to feed oyster eggs or something similar for hard corals. That might spur them to grow a little.
Also, 10 t5's over an 18" tall tank is a lot of light. What bulbs do you run? It is possible to have too much light with acros. That could potentially cause them to not do much if they don't like how much light they are getting.

tdo · Oct 2, 2015

I have been dosing aquavitro fuel 1-2 times weekly. I haven't noticed any pests, and I am super concerned about them, just haven't ever seen any.

I actually have the frags on frag racks at this time. The rocks are stacked up on the back wall and just frag racks in the tank for all the frag plugs. I don't move the frags around at all. Well I will put them back if they get knocked over by a snail.

Bulbs wise I am running 5 blue plus, a coral plus, an aqua blue special, 2 purple plus and an actinic. I have a blue plus and the actinic in use for the sunrise and sunset. Most of the frags are in the 250-350 par range. I do have the light about 14 inches above the water level. All bulbs are about 3 months old.

hatfielj · Oct 3, 2015

Sounds like lighting is fine. I am going to venture to guess that it may actually be related to them being on frag racks. Frag racks aren't a secure place for acros to grow. IF they are getting bumped around by snails or if they are moving around in the flow they won't like that. Acros really need to be anchored down to be happy (that's why they encrust). That may only be part of the problem though. Not sure what else it could be. Interested to hear what others have to say...

jdms2k87 · Oct 3, 2015

hatfielj said:
Sounds like lighting is fine. I am going to venture to guess that it may actually be related to them being on frag racks. Frag racks aren't a secure place for acros to grow. IF they are getting bumped around by snails or if they are moving around in the flow they won't like that. Acros really need to be anchored down to be happy (that's why they encrust). That may only be part of the problem though. Not sure what else it could be. Interested to hear what others have to say...

I can second this, iv had similar experiences as the op and had nice colorful frags that weren't showing any growth and established colonys growing rapidly.
Got fed up after a year and removed what i could from the plugs and mounted on a rock and within 3 months i had seen twice the growth vs on the plug..