Alk not dropping, SPS not growing

[Bbio]

Slow growth can explain the stability in your parameters, especially if your feed input is low.

Since these parameters seem fine and your corals are otherwise healthy, I'd personally look into the lighting first. Is it possible to increase some of the other colors (i.e. not blue)? SPS often appreciates a good spectrum of light from what I've seen and heard. I know people who swear by T5's and halides for that reason when it comes to acros.

That's just what I'd try first, even if it sounds a little "outside the box".

I started with my lights on 60%bv 15%WGR until I got a PAR meter. I found out I was getting ~100 on the sand bed and ~150 at the top of the rock. I slowly raised it over a month or two to 100%BV 25%WGR which is where it sits now. I’m getting ~150 on the sand bed and ~250 at the top of the rock work.

 

[exnisstech]

I struggle to keep N/P up. I excessively overfeed dry and frozen foods, only change filter socks when they clog and overflow into the skimmer section, have my skimmer turned way down to where I only empty the cup about once or twice a month, have a really small photoperiod for my fuge and dose N/P

Sounds like my SPS tank. I have ammonium on a doser to keep nitrate 5-10 I have dosed phosphate as well but that's finally staying above 0 now.

 

[Bbio]

I struggle to keep N/P up. I excessively overfeed dry and frozen foods, only change filter socks when they clog and overflow into the skimmer section, have my skimmer turned way down to where I only empty the cup about once or twice a month, have a really small photoperiod for my fuge and dose N/P

Sounds like my SPS tank. I have ammonium on a doser to keep nitrate 5-10 I have dosed phosphate as well but that's finally staying above 0 now.

In your opinion should I keep dosing? In the last 10 months N/P have bottomed out twice but I have not dosed in about a month and they seem to be stable at N: 3-5 and P: 0.02-0.05

 

[exnisstech]

If your LPS are looking healthy I would just keep an eye on it. I'm pretty much good with anything but zero and don't fret it much.
I am seeing a good response dosing ammonium in my sps tank so I'm going to continue as long as nitrate stays 5-10.
I'm surprised my LPS aren't minding the higher flow and lighting. The blasto has babies hanging off.
Par is a bit over 200 on the LPS rack increasing to well over 500 on the acro high in the back.
PS this was a tank move and still a work in progress.

 

[Bbio]

If your LPS are looking healthy I would just keep an eye on it. I'm pretty much good with anything but zero and don't fret it much.
I am seeing a good response dosing ammonium in my sps tank so I'm going to continue as long as nitrate stays 5-10.
I'm surprised my LPS aren't minding the higher flow and lighting. The blasto has babies hanging off.
Par is a bit over 200 on the LPS rack increasing to well over 500 on the acro high in the back.
PS this was a tank move and still a work in progress.

How deep is that tank? My tank dimensions aren’t great. It’s a 31” tall tank with 30” water depth. My rock work is only 16” tall at the tallest peaks.

I want to add more, maybe some arches for sps but I’m worried about weight. I have 160lbs of rock directly on the glass. The internet says 1/2” tempered glass can support 1500lbs of weight and I’m right at around 1360 with the water.

I wasn’t considering the affects of water depth on par and with how much water there is above my rocks, the par difference between rock peak and sand bed is not much so I feel like if I want a mixed reef I have to tread a line between almost too much light for LPS and just barely enough for SPS or I’m going to fry my LPS even if they’re on the sand bed.

I get 1000 PAR at the water surface at all channels max intensity but only 300 at the top of my rock work and 250 on the sand bed with the stock 180° reflectors. If i raise the PAR meter another ~7” off my rock work I get 450-500 PAR. At the current settings.

 

[ReefBottoms]

Respectfully, the first year you arnt gonna see huge gains. Imo growth he exponential, and getting the ball rolling is slow. I don’t think you have enough coral uptake to require dosing. It’ll come, just keep doing a good job with stability and enjoy the show

 

[fish_collector]

I feel you may be too focused on PAR readings, it really isn't that valuable from tank to tank, light to light, it's the spectrum that seems to be what's important. Fwiw, my SPS tank really took off when I let the nutrients run higher than what is generally accepted. If your test readings are as low as you say they are, when taking into consideration the inherent margin with test error, your nutrients may very well be near zero. I'd suggest you get nitrate to 10-15 and phosphate to 0.1 to 0.2 and I'd do it with more fish. Mine are both much higher than that.

This Merlin’s Staff hasn’t grown not even a millimeter, but it’s shooting up branches from where it’s been encrusting. This guy is easily 1 1/2 years old.

 

[exnisstech]

How deep is that tank?

48x22x22" here a side view.

As @fish_collector mentioned it takes time. The coral above are from frags but it took over 3 years to get to this point and it wasn't without loses.
Maybe take a look into ammonium dosing for nitrate. For phosphate I used one of Randy's DIY recipes.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-chart.1123913/

I've had to dose N and P off and on for the entire time. I only have 4 fish two are tangs and I feed 3-4 times a day. I suppose if I had more fish it might help but I like the behavior of the fish I have and I don't want to upset the harmony.