My corals won't grow! Lighting issues???

[thedru13]

I am going to go with not needing a new light. Spend your money red sea reef foundations test kit, or similar. Then get a 2 part dosing system. Calc and alk are essentials, like lighting or food for a reef. $75-100 dollars fix vs wasting money on a new light you probably don't need. Instead getting 2 things you absolutely do need long term, even if not right this moment.

You can't have fish without fish food, you can't have corals without supplementing calc and alk. You started with a good amount with your salt mix and 100% new water, overtime due to consumption the amount has come down. If it is not LOW now it will be soon. Then corals stop growing, and can eventually even die.

As you add more corals, and tank matures it will consume different amounts so you need to monitor it just like other stuff.

Read these.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Pic/article.cfm?c=3578&aid=2223
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

Good articals but would not go down the dosing rabbit hole just yet. Would do more testing and get a better understanding of what might be lacking. also what kind of salt is are you using? Sometimes this can be an issue and not provide enough or to much nutrients. Usually no quick fix. Old adage nothing good happens quick in salt water.

 

[eliramos]

My coral growth was stagnant for well over a year
Even with regular weekly water changes.
I had a lot of lps and they wouldn't grow it was driving me crazy
Well those lps were going through that alk mag and calcium like nothing. I started getting it tested and dosed accordingly.
Within the next month my Duncan exploded, all my frogspawns split and now all six of my torchs heads are splitting.
Just like we need vitamins to grow so do they[emoji16]

 

[john.m.cole3]

Spectracide... really??? seems sketchy... but I'm here for advice so... how much do you initiate dosing with?

 

[john.m.cole3]

API... i know, i know

Red Sea or Salifert test kits are my next investment it sounds like

 

[TD13]

Potassium nitrate is what I use to raise no3 and does not effect any other element



I ran my lights (with proper acclamation ) at 100% blue and 80% white

You put that in your tank?!

API... i know, i know

Red Sea or Salifert test kits are my next investment it sounds like

Red sea is the way to go, I love their tests and you can get the re-agent refills easily and they're pretty affordable.

 

[thedru13]

Salifert are the tests I use. Not the easiest but like them the best.

 

[twilliard]

You put that in your tank?!



Red sea is the way to go, I love their tests and you can get the re-agent refills easily and they're pretty affordable.

Yes it is totally tank safe

 

[john.m.cole3]

Thanks a bunch for all of the advice guys. You just saved me a bunch of money. I feel like I more clear direction now. This forum rocks!

 

[Matthew Kaplan]

Stay away from Red Sea products in general use elos or Nyos test kits. I know a bunch of people who have had problems with Red Sea I used them than tested my MAG with two other kits and what I thought was 1350 from Red Sea the other two kits told me 950 will never use another Red Sea products ever again in any kind of salt water tank

 

[john.m.cole3]

Update: Bought some Salifert and hanna checker test kits. Values wouldn't remain stable. I found the origin of my problem. I never calibrated my refractometer with 35 ppt solution. After I did that, my parameters got stable and I'm have soft and LPS coral growth!

Reef Crystals 10% weekly change only, no dosing anything
Alk 9.1
Calc 430
Mag 1500
NO3 10 -25
PO4 .03
Temp 78

Just wanted to post an update so someone else might be able to learn from my rookie mistakes. Now it's time to set up a bigger tank now that I learned so much on this first one.

Have a good weekend everyone!

 

[twilliard]

Red sea pro no3 is practically bullet proof and good catch John!

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

I too would suggest feeding a little more to get nitrate up vs dosing to get it up.
And start dosing alk/calc/mag, they do need it after all.

 

[Mike in CT]

I have had this happen as well. Now I calibrate every time!

 

[Kershaw]

With feeding a little more. Try turning up your whites a bit. About 5% a week.

 

[john.m.cole3]

Red sea pro no3 is practically bullet proof and good catch John!

I have low vision with pigmentation issues and the red sea kits are hard for me to sea... (that was intentional, lol). I'm using Salifert now nut am open to anything easy to read.

 

[john.m.cole3]

With feeding a little more. Try turning up your whites a bit. About 5% a week.

I try that and once I get to 40% my zoas start to shrivel up and close. @0 % whites is what my shrooms prefer. I'm upgrading tanks this weekend and will be switching to T5 so BYE BYE orbit, it was fun but...

 

[john.m.cole3]

I too would suggest feeding a little more to get nitrate up vs dosing to get it up.
And start dosing alk/calc/mag, they do need it after all.

read my recent update about my parameters. this is all without dosing anything.

 

[twilliard]

Feeding more increases Po4 and elevated levels of that does not fare well

 

[john.m.cole3]

Feeding more increases Po4 and elevated levels of that does not fare well

the ability to isolate one single variable (nitrate) w/o affecting other variables is the primary benefit of nitrate dosing. The benefactor of nitrate dosing in a true zero nitrate system is added coral coloration and growth. This is now my knowledge as I have learned from a few good guys on this forum. @twilliard , @Russ265

 

[bxtrom]

I think you have the white way to low.... Let it ramp up and eventualy their should new no reason not to run that mother full power... If you ad some new corals yeah start low again and work your way back ... but blue is not going to give you growth ,,, I would suggest staying away from SPS or LPS for a while ... I would get 2 years comfy with softies and then move up ... I wish I had more but thats what I see ... BUMP them Whites UP brotha