Growing corals successfully is as easy as 1, 2 and 3!

[BestMomEver]

Liebig's Law of the Minimum states photosynthesis is limited by the least available nutrient and not by the most abundant. Alkalinity acts as the carbon source for photosynthesis (due to the fact that CO2 is often not sufficient. Calcium and magnesium concentrations can fall below 'natural' levels without serious impact on either photosynthesis or skeletal growth. With that said, low water motion can create stagnant water layers around the coral and gradients can exist where elements critical to photosynthesis (iron, copper, manganese) are limiting. IMHO, these are the most critical (in descending order): Water motion, lighting, water chemistry. But if any of these are out of whack, you'll have problems.

See... I’m not the only one! Thanks @Dana Riddle !

 

[BestMomEver]

When u say stable im having trouble understanding how do i get there and keep it stable anybody help knew to growing corals

I’m not sure we’ve met. Welcome to the reef!

 

[ReefGeezer]

I suppose when we talk about requirements we might specify what type of corals we are keeping. For us who like trying not to kill those fuzzy stick thingies, stable alk i.e. swings < 1 dKh per day are essential. If we're talking about softies, maybe not so much.

 

[jgvergo]

The Hanna Checkers are about $50 each and the Salifert kit is $20. The cost of replacing reagents depends on your testing frequency. BRS is my go-to source for this stuff.

 

[VA5]

Red Sea test kit, $50-60 for a years worth of all three .
Using a auto doser makes it easy to maintain levels once you get them stable and figure out how much each reagent to use

 

[mattdg]

Time and patience is the most important factor.

A system that has been up for 1.5 - 2 years, with all parameters kept as stable as possible, proper lighting, flow and nutrients in check, will always out perform a new system with perfect parameters.

 

[ycnibrc]

Water Quality to me is the most important. Water to coral and fish is like air to human. They can live in low flow and low light but they can't live in bad water.

 

[Dana Riddle]

By doing an experimenting with a pico jar project that show water quality is the key, light is secondary and flow is the last.
For flow this pico reef tank only use an air stone as oxygen generator and water moment, lighting is just a good full spectrum that UV, purple 420nm, royal blue 450, blue 460 with 6500K led array at 10W to provide all the light source.

I really can appreciate the time and effort to conduct an experiment like this. Would like to see a video with the air stone on (I assume it is the cylindrical object.) Do you have any PAR numbers to share?

 

[SynGraves]

Water stability is only one piece of the puzzle in my opinion. My water quality is ideal for SPS but my lighting is not up to par. (no pun intended)....(Totally intended )

 

[Rich Klein]

Stability of all of these 3 elements is not the same thing as saying that these elements are the most important. Like many of you out there I had these 3 elements in-line pretty quickly "measurement-wise". But it took time for the entire ecosystem to develop and become stable - stuff that is not easily measured or seen. I think that a lot of my challenges were due to my own inexperience, impatience and beginning with Dry Rock. My tank is now ~ 2.5 years old and my focus has now shifted from keeping corals alive to keeping them from overgrowing and killing each other (placement). How many posting begin with "help - my parameters are perfect, but...".

 

[blasterman]

If specific Ca, Mg and ALK levels are all that's required for a healthy growing SPS tank then please explain why coral reefs are dying in the wild. I'm pretty sure the mean Mg, Ca and ALK level of the oceans hasn't changed much.
I've responded to hundreds of threads over the years where the reefer is maintaining pretty pristine tank conditions with ideal water params, at least params testable via highly profitable test kits, and they can't grow anything. I know what the problem is, I fix it all the time, and it's a broken bi-carb / carb chain caused by excessive Co2 and poor gas turnover, and this is something that's not possible to test for with amatuer kits. Same with hydrogen ion concentration. Also, if proper Ca, Mg, and alk levels are all that's required, then please explain why reefers have different experiences with those ideal levels. I know one guy that grows nutty SPS with Ca levels between 300-350...other claim it's higher. Same with Alk and Mag. Corals have a very wide range of tolerance for those params, but they don't have a high tolerance for low localized pH and poor calcium carbonate saturation. Kinda hard to get reefers to increase gas turnover when they've been brainwashed that if a micro bubble of air hits their SPS it will die.

 

[markfmvl]

I have often thought that people try to make it harder and more complicated than it has to be. It was frustrating at first because we unfortunately killed a lot more than we would have liked. once we got a few things straightened out and stable its much better. We have inexpensive lights, no skimmer, less expensive wave pumps hooked up to a reefkeeper on a random setting, and a 75 gallon sump(cattle trough),with a 20 dollar led grow light and an old florescent shop lamp to grow macro algae, hooked up to a 60,a 40 and a 20. I think having as close to an ecosystem as you can get it plus adequate flow and stability will get you there. Feeding helps to.

 

[Dj City]

The big 3 + correct lighting and flow!

 

[mitch91175]

I am certain there is more to it!! I have had the "big 3" very stable for a year (verified by multiple ICP tests, Hanna checkers, etc.). I am seeing success with most of my corals, BUT the growth has been very slow and ~20% - 30% have died. Coloration on the remaining corals is less than spectacular. I recently rented a PAR meter from BRS and tuned my T5/LED combo lights to the right level (~350 PAR at the surface). I was not too far off on my light settings, so I don't expect a huge change. My flow is cranked up pretty high. I do weekly 20% water changes.

P.S. I spot feed my corals a combination phytoplankton, zooplankton, mysis, Rod's food, flake food and Tropic Marin pellets (I mix it up, spot feeding 3-4 times a week). I also dose Red Sea Coral Colors A/B/C/D.

Soooo so I'm not sure what else to do, but there must be something other than the big 3.

It is definitely not just the big 3. All types of variables can come into play in having a successful reef tank. Here is a list of the ones that come to mind:

Lighting
Flow
Salinity
Temperature
Phosphates
Nitrates
Water Quality
Coral Placement
Coral Nutrition
Tank Maturity

I guess if you wanted you can bundle those into a water quality group and say that you want them to be stable, but it is definitely more than just the 3 that help with a successful reef tank.

Tank maturity is important. There isn't a set amount of time to say when a tank is mature. You just know your tank has matured when you stop killing coral and they thrive.

 

[Hans-Werner]

1) Stable phosphate concentrations
2) Alkalinity 6 to 8 °dKH
3) Balanced trace elements supply (especially the trace metals)
4) Lighting
5) Calcium >350 ppm

I wish I could confirm that flow is very important because it is easy to create and can be applied without much knowledge and experience but I hardly can see any difference whether my pumps are freshly cleaned or nearly clogged with algae.