So I put seawater and liverock that I bleach cured (from a previous tank) in my 90 gallon tank in early June. In July, I put in 15 pounds of Gulf liverock as a seed to start the cycle. At the end of September (after cycling) I added two clown fish and and some GSP, Cyphastrea, and zoas. I've also put in a BTA and toadstool. My lighting is two 165W Phlizons and I filter with a sump with protein skimmer and a separate deep mud refugium with mangroves (the mangroves are not yet growing...still in the propagule stage). I also have a refugium in my sump with light cycle but so far I haven't gotten a lot of growth of the Graciliaria that came with my live rock.
I dosed with copepods around the time I added my clown fish and I have a thriving population throughout the tank. I dose with phytoplankton every morning.
Up until a few weeks ago I was getting zero readings for nitrates and phosphates so I started feeding more heavily and probably went overboard (using ReefRoids) as I'm now at 0.5-1 on phosphates and 10 on nitrates. My pH has consistently been around 8, alkalinity around 160 and calcium 400-420.
I started getting a lot of GHA even when my nutrients were low and it continues to be a minor nuisance (I do have a hermit crab and 20 or so Margarita snails as well as a Gulf purple urchin as CUC). Yesterday I added a blenny and cleaner shrimp. I never have to scrap my glass (copepods all over it)... but haven't gotten any coralline algae growth yet.
Anyway..... my corals LOOK good with good color but I have had very little, if any, growth. At this point... .how do I narrow it down? Is it the young age of the tank? Instability of nutrients or my lighting? I've gotten very confusing info on how to set these Phlizons. I started at 10% white and 60-70% blue... but now I'm running them at 10% white and 100% blue. I know that stability is the key and that I need to settle in on a consistent light and feeding schedule.
So....just looking for some input on where I am and if I should be expecting more growth from my corals at this stage.
Other than the GHA, everything LOOKS good... just no growth.
I dosed with copepods around the time I added my clown fish and I have a thriving population throughout the tank. I dose with phytoplankton every morning.
Up until a few weeks ago I was getting zero readings for nitrates and phosphates so I started feeding more heavily and probably went overboard (using ReefRoids) as I'm now at 0.5-1 on phosphates and 10 on nitrates. My pH has consistently been around 8, alkalinity around 160 and calcium 400-420.
I started getting a lot of GHA even when my nutrients were low and it continues to be a minor nuisance (I do have a hermit crab and 20 or so Margarita snails as well as a Gulf purple urchin as CUC). Yesterday I added a blenny and cleaner shrimp. I never have to scrap my glass (copepods all over it)... but haven't gotten any coralline algae growth yet.
Anyway..... my corals LOOK good with good color but I have had very little, if any, growth. At this point... .how do I narrow it down? Is it the young age of the tank? Instability of nutrients or my lighting? I've gotten very confusing info on how to set these Phlizons. I started at 10% white and 60-70% blue... but now I'm running them at 10% white and 100% blue. I know that stability is the key and that I need to settle in on a consistent light and feeding schedule.
So....just looking for some input on where I am and if I should be expecting more growth from my corals at this stage.
Other than the GHA, everything LOOKS good... just no growth.