Corals will not grow!

[Jessetip10]

Hello everyone my reef tank is about 6 months old. I have tested the water almost every week since setting up this tank. My levels are ammonia-0 nitrite-0 nitrate-5-10 ph-8.0 alkalinity-11 calcium- 400 phosphate - 0 maybe .25 according to api test kit and then salinity is 1.026. I use immagitarium saltwater that’s always salinity matched and temp matched to do water changes. I’ve never tested iodine or magnesium I have dosed iodine but it’s like two drops every two weeks. The tank is 14 gallons and I have a cascade canister filter an aqueon heater a fluval power head and an ai prime light. I have a tail spot blenny and two clownfish an emerald crab two bumblebee shrimp some cerith snails some blue legged hermits and some bumble bee snails. Like I said it’s been running for about 6 months and everything was going great the ph did drop a little when I first set it up and I added some reef buffer to bring it back up but it won’t go past 8.0. The temperature stays around 78 and sometimes it’ll get really hot here in SC and in my room it got to a few times but I don’t really think one degree should affect coral growth. I’ve had one Zoa frag die but everything else is closed up except the mushrooms and one frag of scrambled egg Zoas and a Duncan I got a couple days ago it’s only softies and lps I tried sps and they bleached but that was about 2 months ago they did fine for about a month then they just bleached. I did water changes once a week but my nitrates were zero so I dosed neo nitro and it brought it up to 5-10 I’m just confused as to what I’m doing wrong do I need to fix something? Or just stop doing water changes and leave it alone?

 

[jabberwock]

Tank is young. You need more time.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Is the imagitarium saltwater the prepackaged seawater, or are you using the freshwater salt?

 

[Lavey29]

With 0 nitrates and 0 phosphate your corals were starving to death. If you have corrected that issue as you indicate it will still take some months for the corals to recover and show signs of growth.

 

[Jessetip10]

Is the imagitarium saltwater the prepackaged seawater, or are you using the freshwater salt?

It’s prepackaged seawater I always check the ph and salinity before adding it in my tank just to make sure. Should I invest in an rodi unit and just start mixing my own? I just figured since it’s so small there’s really no reason to buy a rodi unit and salt to mix my own when I’m only doing one gallon water changes.

 

[Jessetip10]

With 0 nitrates and 0 phosphate your corals were starving to death. If you have corrected that issue as you indicate it will still take some months for the corals to recover and show signs of growth.

Okay I will make sure there is always atleast 5 nítrate in there thank you for your input I really appreciate it. I’m good at growing plants in my freshwater tank but corals are like another world.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

are you using rodi water or tap water?

You're using API tests which usually give 0 nitrate and 0 or .25 phosphate. You might be dosing even though you dont need to. You need better test kits.

EDIT - I also question the flow of any tank that has only one powerhead, flow is very important to corals

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

The temperature swings might be partially to blame... A cheap fan blowing across the top of the tank can really help.
Also, are you topping off with fresh water between water changes? Salinity swings can happen quickly in small tanks.

Good luck

 

[Jessetip10]

are you using rodi water or tap water?

You're using API tests which usually give 0 nitrate and 0 or .25 phosphate. You might be dosing even though you dont need to. You need better test kits.

EDIT - I also question the flow of any tank that has only one powerhead, flow is very important to corals

Okay I’ve ordered a Jeabo wave maker that arrives tomorrow. The powerhead is rated for 425gph and the canister filter should put off some current with the return right? It was reading 0-.25 phosphate and 0 nitrate and then I dosed the nítrate and i am seeing some cyano growth now so maybe your right about not needing to dose. I don’t use rodi water I just use prepackaged saltwater and distilled water as top off.

 

[Mical]

One word - PATIENCE

 

[Uncle99]

It’s prepackaged seawater I always check the ph and salinity before adding it in my tank just to make sure. Should I invest in an rodi unit and just start mixing my own? I just figured since it’s so small there’s really no reason to buy a rodi unit and salt to mix my own when I’m only doing one gallon water changes.

For sure, doing your own RODI is a fab idea, then YOU know what’s in your water. In every 24 hours, should remain 11 or maybe 10.5.

Your Alk is 11dkh and that’s fine, but, what’s your saltwater mix to? Hopefully it mixes close to 11. Any more than .5dkh flux in Alk will cause corals to sulk.
Also check that phosphate level to ensure your stable in the range of 0.05-.15ppm, .25 max, phosphate availability is required by virtually everything.

Nitrate at zero I can’t believe, I’d get a second opinion on that first.

No white light? I’d add a tiny bit of that, at least a few hours.

Time wise, your at a good point, just ensure you keep everything on point, with little flux, time will do the rest for you.

Good luck.

 

[Jessetip10]

For sure, doing your own RODI is a fab idea, then YOU know what’s in your water.
Your Alk is 11dkh and that’s fine, but, what’s your saltwater mix to? Hopefully it mixes close to 11. Any more than .5dkh flux in Alk will cause corals to sulk.
Also check that phosphate level to ensure your stable in the range of 0.05-.15ppm, phosphate availability is required by virtually everything.
Time wise, your at a good point, just ensure you keep everything on point, with little flux, time will do the rest for you.
Good luck.

Thank you for the advice the tank in your profile picture is a dream!

 

[Lavey29]

Okay I will make sure there is always atleast 5 nítrate in there thank you for your input I really appreciate it. I’m good at growing plants in my freshwater tank but corals are like another world.

I transferred over from fresh too. Some things are similar in concept but salt is much less forgiving of mistakes. LPS like 10 nitrates and .05 to .1 phosphate. Lights 10 hours with strong blue and uv. Minimal white red and green. Flow low to moderate for LPS. Enough so sand isn't moving around.

 

[Jessetip10]

I transferred over from fresh too. Some things are similar in concept but salt is much less forgiving of mistakes. LPS like 10 nitrates and .05 to .1 phosphate. Lights 10 hours with strong blue and uv. Minimal white red and green. Flow low to moderate for LPS. Enough so sand isn't moving around.

Im running my lights for about 11 hours 1 hour of sunrise then 7 hours of full intensity which the blues are set to like 40% and white is set to 15% and red is 5% no green at all then it goes to nothing but blue and Uv for about 2 hours and then it ramps down for an hour. Is 11 hours to long?

 

[Lavey29]

Im running my lights for about 11 hours 1 hour of sunrise then 7 hours of full intensity which the blues are set to like 40% and white is set to 15% and red is 5% no green at all then it goes to nothing but blue and Uv for about 2 hours and then it ramps down for an hour. Is 11 hours to long?

No if you have a slow ramp up and down. You want like 75 to 100 par on the sand. 150 to 250 mud tank 300 and higher for top of the tank. These numbers are for mixed reef with softs. LPS and sps corals.

 

[Roatan Reef]

Imagitarium water is quick and easy for a tank of your size, but it lacks many trace elements and minerals you get from making your own saltwater with Reef Crystal's, Red Sea Mix, and many others. I would start making my own saltwater if I were you.