3 Year Reefer

Fish Think Pink · Oct 2, 2021

reefluvrr said:
Welcome to R2R,

Goniporas and LPS in general like higher nitrates and phosphates. My hammer, frogspawn, and gonis grew and double and triple in size when my phosphates were above 0.15 and phosphates in the 15-20 range.

Now in a cleaner tank with lower phosphates 0.05 and nitrate about 5-10, I find that I have to feed them to help them slowly grow...

Rene' said:
I think I have figured out why flower pot corals are hard to keep.... They like dirty water!
Mine has lived for 1 1/2 years, and now it's on its way out. It was very happy in my old 50 gal tank with a hang on filter. Hi nitrates and nitrites were always a problem. The flower pot thrived.

When I moved up to a 90 gal with a sump, the flower pot has struggled ever since. My parameters are all 0 in the newer tank.

Just guessing here, but I think that's why people have a hard time keeping them.

All my other corals are growing at a crazy speed, but the flower pot is almost dead.

Welcome! Glad you joined.

I find spot feeding with Reef Roids mixed into Red Sea AB+ and sometimes with a bit of phyto has mine doing very well even with low nitrate and phosphate number (though in fairness, my numbers were WAY high when I got my goniporas (pink & red), and I've got a whiteish alipora(sp? fewer petals) not doing as well BUT my stupid left side clown fish wants to live in white one... I spot feed them each evening, but vary/alternate the Reef Roids with phyto (sometimes live but sometimes Reef Nutrition's Phyto Feast).

Have you considered starting your build thread? I found its a great place to document my tank's evolution for myself. Like you, I started tank first then joined, so I'm still finding myself going back collecting pictures & updating historically as well as current state. Once you create your first post in your thread and link it to your account, they will give you build badge (look left, under my ID)