Calling all SPS Lovers... How's my growth? Seems Slow to me? Any Recommendations

Charlie’s Frags

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Thanks @Piranhapat for the encouragement. I would be really happy if it is just time that produces results. I haven't really seen any encrusting yet either.

I have done multiple ICP tests - see below for my Triton, API and Coralvue tests all done on the same day:

Triton
ATI

Coralvue
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I too use tropic marin pro and Icp analysis has tested levels of arsenic. I contacted tropic marin about the issue and they ran an independent Icp test that showed arsenic in the same range tolerance but claim it’s not harmful, which seems true so far as I have 60+ happy acros. Here’s an icp analysis I did on a freshly made batch of tropic marin pro.
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sgrosenb

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Hi all - a short update here. It looks like some of my corals are declining in health. I'll post some pictures in a bit. Some of them are turning a bit pale, and a few have white spots at the tips where the flesh seems to be coming off. It doesn't necessarily look like "burnt tips" but it might be. In my original post there is a link to all my parameters; from what I can tell they are perfect for SPS (8.2 Alk, 500 Cal, 1300 Mag, NO3 5-10, etc etc etc).

One parameter that might be a little bit high is PO4 - on my Hanna checker it comes in at ~0.15, but in my ICP tests it comes in right around 0.03. Either way, my question is this: with NO3 right around 5-10ppm consistently, and PO4 somewhere between 0.03-.015, could a lack of nutrients possibly be a problem? I have a skimmer running 24/7 and also a pretty big refugium of chaeto. Could those two items be out-competing the coral for nutrients, even though my NO3 and PO4 are reading in-line? Just curious if that's possible; my understand was that if you can measure NO3 and PO4 in the water column, you're nutrients are good to go. But that might be too simplistic of an assumption.

Thanks,
Scott
 

brmreefer

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Hey Scott,

Running with your second paragraph, I would have the same assumption in regards to lack of nutrients. For my system, I dose Amino Acids and heavy on phytoplankton. Just from personal experience, I have noticed improvement with acro and clam growth, compared to pre-dosage. I cannot pinpoint those two items as the absolute reason for improvement, but maybe something to consider for your system, so please take that for what's its worth (anecdotal). My system runs as a low nutrient system and I have a big skimmer (running 24/7) and a large refugium that has lots of macros. Hope that helps and that your are able to pinpoint the source of your issue. ;)
 

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