Let’s Get This Green Slimer Growing!

[Mrtakeoff53]

Hey fellow reefers! I’ve had a green slimer in my tank about 2 months and it’s growing at a good clip (3/4” per month). It had 3 axial polyps when I got it but one was shaped strangely and pointed down and was subsequently shaded. It never did start growing in my tank. So I decided to frag the non-growing arm to see if 1) The arm will form a new axial polyp and grow now that it gets direct light and 2) the frag will regrow the axial polyp in the same place or base out and start growing from the base.

It’ll be a fun little experiment. Here are some starting photos so you can see the progress as we go. I’ll post pictures weekly, if not more.

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

Week 1 Update: exposed skeleton is starting to heal. No real growth noticed from the fragged piece. Also, another axial polyp may be forming on one of the longer branches. We’ll see!!

 

[Sailfin11]

Very nice piece! Looks like its growing well for you

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

Very nice piece! Looks like its growing well for you

Thanks! I put it in my tank and it took off! One branch changed recently. It looks like the axial polyp has gone away. It’s strange. Hopefully it continues to grow well. I know it’s a ‘beginner’ acro but I love it.

 

[Backreefing]

Cool for you

 

[Reef_in_Denver]

Welcome to your new addiction.

I think many of us got our feet wet with green Slimer, I for sure did.

Don't feel ashamed about posting success with a beginner acro, it's still an acro!

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

Week 2 update: The main coral Break site has healed over nicely. I am beginning to see what could be a axial coralite growing in the center of the new skin. That’s promising! There has been no real progress from the frag. Fingers crossed it grows fast!

On another note, the main coral has started to grow an arm it had previoisly started to stop growing. This is interesting to watch and track

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

Another week, another update. Coral has fully healed at the break site. It also has produced a nub, which I think is a new branch forming. Also, the frag seems to be growing a touch. No growth at the base yet though. We’ll see what the next few weeks hold.

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

Well it’s been almost 3 months and the green slimer has grown a ton! The frag started basing out and is growing well! Give it another 3 months and it’ll be huge!

 

[fishguy242]

hi ,like weeds they grow,are awesome ,keep on fragging

 

[Zoajohn]

Awesome progress! Can you post parameters and lighting info for comparison??

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

Awesome progress! Can you post parameters and lighting info for comparison??

Sure thing!
pH:7.7-7.9 (I have 5 kids, live in FL and have a well sealed house)
Salinity:1.026
Alk: 7.7-8.2
Cal: 420-450
Mg:1250-1350
N03: less than 15
PO4:0.10

I give myself a range for more parameters to avoid chasing numbers.

I only dose Kalk via my ATO water at 2 Tablespoons per 5 gal ratio. As my corals grow, I have to add more kalk. I feed pellet food in the morning and a frozen mix from a local guy at night (only have 4 fish). It’s a higher nutrient system and my corals seem to like it.

For my lights I run a Reefbreeders 24” V2+. I used to run a Kessil A360WE but had A TON of shadowing and too low par. I don’t have any PAR readings but I run at 65% blue channels, white at 28% and red/green at 10% from 12-4 PM. Light comes on SUPER low at 6 am and ramps up. Light finally goes out at 10 PM. It may seem like a long light cycle but the first 2 hours and last 2.5 hours of light are at less than 10% illumination and provide little to no useful PAR. It’s more for me to look at the tank for a bit under all blues after the kids get to bed. Haha. I LOVE the Reefbreeders light. It is amazing. My corals LOVE IT. They didn’t need any acclimation during the switch and grow so much faster now that they get more light. Hope this helps!

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

Well it’s been a few months and my tank went through a rough patch. It’s on the mend now and my green slimer is growing like crazy! I also have a small Red Planet nub that is taking off. I love watching coral grow!

 

[TripleTruble]

Wishing my slimmer would take off he open but not showing growth

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

That’s what my WD acro is doing. Great color but absolutely zero growth

 

[Cory]

Hows the slimer now?

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

I am moving so I had to break down the tank. I sold it to a local reefer. It was growing like a weed when I sold it. You can see in this picture to main colony up front, another piece in the middle and then a huge frag on the frag rack. It was starting to branch like crazy too!