SPS growth

[classklown90]

what on average do you guys get growth wise on your sps? i have some that are fast like my poci and purple stylo but my pink birdsnest has hardly grown in like 3 months. i dont get it. I dont test for alk but i test for everything else and its all in acceptable range. I do a WC weekly of 5 gallons on my 40B. Lighting is 2 165w dimmable LEDs at 50%

 

[classklown90]

my caps grow pretty good too but my tenius and validia seems to be slow. is this the corals or is there something I can do

 

[caudill187]

Acros love halides for growth but I've had some grow well for me under good LEDS. Alk needs to be stable, Ca++ 350-500. Good flow. Enriched rotifers can serve as a good food and promote growth. Some species just grow slowly, even in perfect conditions.

 

[VelasCorals]

what on average do you guys get growth wise on your sps? i have some that are fast like my poci and purple stylo but my pink birdsnest has hardly grown in like 3 months. i dont get it. I dont test for alk but i test for everything else and its all in acceptable range. I do a WC weekly of 5 gallons on my 40B. Lighting is 2 165w dimmable LEDs at 50%

Alk should be the 1 thing you do test for over everything else when it comes to SPS. A drop or swing can wipe it all out. You need to make sure you calc and alk are balanced. If you have trouble getting them balanced then check your mg.

 

[classklown90]

yea ive been told that, ive been fine for 2 years but I think im gonna oick up a hanna and start testing for alk

 

[KoleTang]

All corals grow at different rates. The variation is ridiculous. There is no telling how fast things will grow. There are only very vaque growth rates like: Very slow, slow, moderate, fast, very fast, and contagion speed :tongue:

 

[classklown90]

All corals grow at different rates. The variation is ridiculous. There is no telling how fast things will grow. There are only very vaque growth rates like: Very slow, slow, moderate, fast, very fast, and contagion speed :tongue:

true, i guess im just mad that the nicer ones hardly grow lol

 

[rizon25]

My montis and digis grow pretty fast but my blue tenius and tri color valida are pretty slow growers. Just for reference:

Tri color valida July 2012 to October 3, 2012:

Blue Tenius Sept 09, 2012 to October 3rd 2012

 

[classklown90]

Okay so I seem to be doing things right then. that validia really colored up

 

[Rick]

I've had much faster growth and better color under t5 than MH or LED the softer light is easyer to absorb plus no shadows
I have a green & gold milli that went from a 1.5" frag to a 6x7" table in 10-12 months and I've fragged it ALOT

 

[davidsuli]

Alkalinity have to be stable, but u have to wait for the coral to encrust, then it will take off

 

[classklown90]

Awesome thanks for all the responses guys

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[Rick]

Dosing pumps are very beneficial

 

[classklown90]

Are they reliable?

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[Chameleon]

under t5 than MH or LED the softer light is easyer to absorb plus no shadows

LOL I like this...softer light easier to absorb...lol

 

[Rick]

This is true the fluorescent bulbs produce an even light versus MH or led that peak at certain points therefore the par levels are even across the tank , the light is more easily absorbed by the zooxanthellae thus resulting in accelerated coral growth, we had one tank running 8'x4'x18" one half was running 3x400watt and the other 12x54watt t5 the fluorescent side smokes the halides in growth

 

[Chameleon]

that doesn't make a case for softer light being easier to absorb. It just means the light has better distribution...
If the same amount of light is hitting the coral in both cases it can absorb the same.
Different amounts of light in the photeosynthetically active regions good for corals are obviously getting to the corals in the two scenarios.
'Soft' light has nothing to do with it. I see amazing growth in the ocean and the sun is definitely not a 'soft' light.

 

[Chameleon]

Back to topic...I have some acros that seem to put on 1/4-1/2 inch every couple weeks or so. Others seem to take a whole year to grow between 1/2-1 inch. Some fast ones for me are green slimer, pink lemonade, tri colors, millis. Some medium ones are most tort, some deepwaters, tenius. Some slows are mostly all deepwaters. For other non acro sps montis tend to be very fast, even monti setosa. I have a few medium montis like some of the deep ridged thick ones. Birdsnest seem to be slower in high light but in medium light in my tank they flourish. I have seen monti caps go from 1/2x1/2 inch to 6 inch or bigger in 6 months or less. In most cases the bigger the starting frag the quicker I see quick growth (vertical).