Beginner LPS Question: Favia vs Blasto and Acan Lord Requirements

[Meloco14]

Hi all, new to LPS corals, I started with a couple blasto merletti frags, a couple different favia frags, and a couple acan/micro lord frags, as I read they are fairly hardy for beginners. After 3 weeks, one favia started receding, followed by another a couple days later and then a third after that. I posted about it here and got suggestions that favia need to be fed more than most people realize, so I have begun feeding coral food as well as aminos. The corals don't particularly look any better, but they haven't gotten worse, so hopefully they will recover in time. My only other thought is maybe my tank is too nutrient poor for favias, as my phosphates are 0 and nitrates are below 5. I have begun to feed slightly heavier as well as turning off my skimmer more often. Throughout all of this, my blastos have been doing great, and my acan lord and echinata have also been doing fine. Does it make sense that favias need more nutrients or food than blastos and acans? Just trying to figure this out, as all other parameters are constant for all of the frags, as well as light intensity and flow levels. If favias are known to be more demanding than these other corals that would explain my issue. Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks

 

[glb]

I’d say your low numbers are contributing. I keep my softie/LPS tank at NO3 5-8ppm and PO4 0.03-0.05. My corals start looking bad if nutrients zero out. Good luck!

 

[Meloco14]

Thats what I am thinking, just looking for reassurance. Thank you!

 

[DOJOLOACH]

Thats what I am thinking, just looking for reassurance. Thank you!

How has raising nutrient levels turned out?

 

[Meloco14]

How has raising nutrient levels turned out?

I haven't been able to raise them through feeding more and reducing skimming. I have neophos and neonitro coming so I will be able to actually dose them. I also just reduced the lighting period on my fuge and took out some of the chaeto. My most recent nitrate test (api) was 5, and hanna phosphate continues to read 0. I got my first ICP test back and it shows phosphate at .0236. So they are still pretty low. Only 3 small fish in a 90gal display so I guess not enough bioload yet to provide higher nutrient levels.

 

[arussellnsg]

I’d say your low numbers are contributing. I keep my softie/LPS tank at NO3 5-8ppm and PO4 0.03-0.05. My corals start looking bad if nutrients zero out. Good luck!

Same

 

[schuby]

I question why are you running chaeto when your nutrients are so low? I would never dose PO4 & NO3 while continuing to run macro-algae: they are opposite actions.

 

[Meloco14]

I question why are you running chaeto when your nutrients are so low? I would never dose PO4 & NO3 while continuing to run macro-algae: they are opposite actions.

I set this tank up triton method style. So large refugium with chaeto. I did think of this the other day, if I were to do it again I would hold off on running the fuge until the tank is well established and showing nitrate and phosphate levels. Hindsight is 20/20, and I was following the recommendations of the triton method. I really do think this is a big contributor, I went very slow with this tank, cycled well, added a lot of bacteria and live sand from multiple sources, oversize skimmer (as per triton method) and very slow stocking. I never had any significant nitrate or phosphate levels. Just not a good environment for favias yet. I will not get any more LPS until the tank bioload is larger and I consistently have those levels. And I did decide it's stupid to be dosing nitrate and phosphate, so I am feeding heavier and reduced light cycle on fuge and minimal skimming. I considered removing the chaeto but I've read its hard to get right now, so I don't want to give it up and have trouble getting more. Blastos are doing great, growing new heads. My acan/micro lord is recovering after increasing spot feeding. My favias and echinata do not seem to be recovering, just hanging on. Gonis are doing well, which were supposed to be the "more difficult" of the group. Live and learn...