Alk and calcium

[kavie_44]

So my alk and calcium levels are good. calcium is 457 ppm and my alk is 8.2-8.4 dkh. It’s been like this for months now but I haven’t noticed much growth in any of my corals. I use reef chili every other day but still not seeing much growth. Was wondering if adding small doses of kalkwasser via a drip would be good or if there’s anything else I could dose that might help

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What corals are we talking about?

Can you describe the tank setup?

 

[tbrown]

Lighting levels and nutrient levels can also play a big role in coral growth.

What types of corals are you trying to grow?

 

[kavie_44]

Lighting levels and nutrient levels can also play a big role in coral growth.

What types of corals are you trying to grow?

I have a plethora. Toadstool leather, Hairy mushroom, sunburst monti, green star polyp, Kenya tree, and some zoas. Over the course of 9 ish months they shrunk ever so slightly.

 

[kavie_44]

What corals are we talking about?

Can you describe the tank setup?

Good flow, good lighting. par on most of my corals is what it should be, although my monti gets around 190. Idk

 

[tbrown]

So the only coral requiring Alk and Calc in that list is the Monti. The rest are soft corals with little requirements since they don't build skeletons.

All of those will feed off of the nutrients in the water. Some can be spot fed successfully.

 

[tbrown]

What are your nitrates and Phosphates?

 

[kavie_44]

What are your nitrates and Phosphates?

they stay low. phosphate .03 ppm and nitrate very low 0.0-0.5 ppm

 

[tbrown]

they stay low. phosphate .03 ppm and nitrate very low 0.0-0.5 ppm

That's why you're having little growth. That's soft coral "food".

 

[kavie_44]

That's why you're having little growth. That's soft coral "food".

your right. any recommendations on how to increase my nitrate/phospahate? any trace element brands you'd recommend also??

 

[tbrown]

your right. any recommendations on how to increase my nitrate/phospahate? any trace element brands you'd recommend also??

Brightwell has NeoNitro.and NeoPhos. Best way I can offer is to feed more.

 

[tbrown]

Brightwell is easy to use but feeding fish won't overdose the tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

your right. any recommendations on how to increase my nitrate/phospahate? any trace element brands you'd recommend also??

Feed more and/or dose food grade sodium phosphate, sodium nitrate, calcium nitrate, or ammonium:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/