Corals looking bad and not growing

[blazedbeef]

Hi everyone I set up my first reef tank about eight months ago, and recently I’ve been having problems with my tank. I only keep softies and lps. I’ve gotten my trumpet and hammer coral to almost fully split, but then I stopped getting good polyp extension and growth. My zoas are also closed and seem to be losing polyps. My parameters are
Salt-1.25
Alk-10.3
Mag-1400
Nitrate- 0
Phos-0
Nitrite-0
Ammonia-0
I know the corals I keep like nutrients so I feed heavy and spot feed phytoplankton at least once a week, but I think my skimmer might be over skimming. I also upgraded my lights to the AI prime 3 months ago and I’ve been fairly lost on how to use them. Here are pictures and a video along with my lighting schedule that I keep running at 50% intensity. I’d appreciate anyone’s help thank you!

 

[Impala67]

Well first things first bump up the salt to about 1.27. Also white light does not help coral growth and can cause coral distress low the white bump up the blues/purple also a little more green. Set the time for the light by going off of the the time the sunrise happens and the sunset for me the sun rises at 7:00 so mine is set for 7:00 and the sun sets at 8 so I set mine for 8 and also have a moonlight setting for one hour. Turn off the skimmer for a couple days turn up the flow as well. What’s your lighting par where you have the coral? Also what’s the temp in the tank?

 

[PeterB113]

I'd lower the intensity of your schedule a little bit. Just press 2fingers on your schedule and drag down. Also nitrate and phos a 0 is not good. I'd slowly raise it over time

 

[blazedbeef]

Well first things first bump up the salt to about 1.27. Also white light does not help coral growth and can cause coral distress low the white bump up the blues/purple also a little more green. Set the time for the light by going off of the the time the sunrise happens and the sunset for me the sun rises at 7:00 so mine is set for 7:00 and the sun sets at 8 so I set mine for 8 and also have a moonlight setting for one hour. Turn off the skimmer for a couple days turn up the flow as well. What’s your lighting par where you have the coral? Also what’s the temp in the tank?

I had the salt jump to 1.28 last week and my frogspawn seemed to be fading. I’ll making the lighting adjustments and shut off the skimmer. I haven’t been able to check my park or rent a meter yet. I keep the tank at 78. Thanks for the help!

 

[blazedbeef]

I'd lower the intensity of your schedule a little bit. Just press 2fingers on your schedule and drag down. Also nitrate and phos a 0 is not good. I'd slowly raise it over time

Okay thank you! I’ll turn the skimmer off for a few days. Do you have any suggestions on what % to lower it to?

 

[Impala67]

I'd lower the intensity of your schedule a little bit. Just press 2fingers on your schedule and drag down. Also nitrate and phos a 0 is not good. I'd slowly raise it over time

You do not want your nitrate it’s great that it’s at zero phos needs to be a little higher though but you do not need nitrate nor do you want it!!!!

 

[PeterB113]

Okay thank you! I’ll turn the skimmer off for a few days. Do you have any suggestions on what % to lower it to?

There's no real set number. My tanks also only been running about 9 months and it's took me about 3months to finally get a good light schedule. I would constantly post on here trying to get help with it but the best way is just to observe how your corals react. I made a custom schedule that I'm finally happy with and so are all my corals. Getting good growth and color now. For the first few months my schedule was very close to what your running now. Here's a screenshot of my schedule. If I were you I'd start by lowering it about 10% then lower more over the next week or 2 until things start to look better then tweak it from there and leave it alone forever lol.

 

[PeterB113]

You do not want your nitrate it’s great that it’s at zero phos needs to be a little higher though but you do not need nitrate nor do you want it!!!!

Idk man I've heard having 0 nitrate is a issue that corals need some nitrate and phos in the water or else they lose color espically in SPS. People even dose nitrate so I don't think a product like that would exist if nitrates are always supposed to be 0. Just my opinion I keep my tank at around 5ppm nitrate and get great growth and color.

 

[jimk60]

You do not want your nitrate it’s great that it’s at zero phos needs to be a little higher though but you do not need nitrate nor do you want it!!!!

No. You definitely want some nitrate to go with your phos.

 

[Impala67]

Idk man I've heard having 0 nitrate is a issue that corals need some nitrate and phos in the water or else they lose color espically in SPS. People even dose nitrate so I don't think a product like that would exist if nitrates are always supposed to be 0. Just my opinion I keep my tank at around 5ppm nitrate and get great growth and color.

I agree with you on the phos but the nitrate going to have to disagree with you all I know is nitrate brings algae and algae brings problems!!

 

[anthonygf]

I would run the skimmer but with the cup removed for oxygenation if it is in the sump. I have my skimmate draining into my filter box to keep most of the liqued nutrients, any heavy solids will get trapped in the filter pad. My nitrates at 25 and phosphate is 0.102 and have no algae. I had more algae when my N03 was at 5ppm and P04 0.03-0.06, and my corals look a little happier now.
I run my mag close to 1500 without going over, helps slow the algae growth. What is your calcium at?

 

[anthonygf]

Here is my 75 six months apart. Pipe Organ coral is a recent addition.

 

[anthonygf]

My 46 gallon bowfront last year just before upgrading to the 75.

 

[anthonygf]

I agree with you on the phos but the nitrate going to have to disagree with you all I know is nitrate brings algae and algae brings problems!!

Some algae is good, it keeps the CUC fed. Lots of stuff munch on algae, fish, pods etc. It is normal to have some algae. Zero N03 is not good, lots of reefers including myself had problems with Po4 or No3 at zero.

 

[blazedbeef]

I would run the skimmer but with the cup removed for oxygenation if it is in the sump. I have my skimmate draining into my filter box to keep most of the liqued nutrients, any heavy solids will get trapped in the filter pad. My nitrates at 25 and phosphate is 0.102 and have no algae. I had more algae when my N03 was at 5ppm and P04 0.03-0.06, and my corals look a little happier now.
I run my mag close to 1500 without going over, helps slow the algae growth. What is your calcium at?

Thanks for the help! I have a 25g all in one should I still take the cup out?

 

[blazedbeef]

There's no real set number. My tanks also only been running about 9 months and it's took me about 3months to finally get a good light schedule. I would constantly post on here trying to get help with it but the best way is just to observe how your corals react. I made a custom schedule that I'm finally happy with and so are all my corals. Getting good growth and color now. For the first few months my schedule was very close to what your running now. Here's a screenshot of my schedule. If I were you I'd start by lowering it about 10% then lower more over the next week or 2 until things start to look better then tweak it from there and leave it alone forever lol.

Thank you! I did some research and followed your schedule and came up with this I appreciate the help!

 

[PeterB113]

Thank you! I did some research and followed your schedule and came up with this I appreciate the help!

Looks good I still think intensity is a little too hight but it all depends on how many lights you have, how big the tank is, how high you have them mounted etc. My advice would be to lower it more over time until you find the intensity your corals are happy with. It will take time. Wish you the best of luck!

 

[anthonygf]

Thanks for the help! I have a 25g all in one should I still take the cup out?

Yes if it will overflow into sump or back compartment.

 

[Tired]

You need those nutrients up. It's not just that corals like some nutrients- they need them to carry out basic cellular functions and survive. Zero phosphate in particular is dangerous for corals, and invites dinoflagellates to possibly bloom due to lack of competition. Dinos are a nasty pest that will poison your invertebrates (including corals) to death.

For a majority of tanks, at least 0.03ppm phosphate and 5ppm nitrate is a good number. Many corals will happily take much higher nutrients. Take your skimmer off (it's to remove excess nutrients and dissolved organics, and is therefore not needed unless your tank is too dirty), and don't do water changes until the nutrients are starting to get too high or your general trace elements are too low.

 

[anthonygf]

I recommended leave skimmer running and remove the cup not just to raise nutrients but to also help with gas exchange, oxygenation.