How long before you should see some sucess in coral growth.

[Daniel@R2R]

I agree with those who said that it depends on keeping tank stable and parameters in line. Maintenance is IMO the biggest factor in success.

 

[Taxus812]

You bring up something I was wondering about. I don’t want this to come across negative. I genuinely want to know. Here is the question. What exactly is stable. I mean what is an acceptable variance from test to test for each component being tested to be count as stable? The statement is super subjective and used a lot.

Use some my values for example. Aquarimate makes them look like there are a lot of peaks and dips. However over 4 months (20 tests) I was between 410 and 460 (my desire is 440) take out three test and its 425 to 450 ( it smooths the curve out dramatically). I also know I can do two tests back to back and get different results (Hanna calc testers take some learning to be consistent for example). So to me Terry new reefer, see 420 to 450 as stable. (Note: I am religious about my maintenance and water changes)

I would love to see what 4 months of weekly tests on a stable tanks tests actually looks like.

 

[W1ngz]

I'd love to see the 'recommended' ranges for some sort of definition of stable as well. The values I typically target and the +/- I'm willing to tolerate are:

Salinity: 35.0 ppt (refractometer, calibrated each testing session) +/- 0. Your salinity graph makes me twitch with anxiety.
Alk: 8.0 dKH +/- 0.3
Cal: 430ppm +/- 10
Mag: 1400ppm +/-50

 

[adrianr514]

You bring up something I was wondering about. I don’t want this to come across negative. I genuinely want to know. Here is the question. What exactly is stable. I mean what is an acceptable variance from test to test for each component being tested to be count as stable? The statement is super subjective and used a lot.

Use some my values for example. Aquarimate makes them look like there are a lot of peaks and dips. However over 4 months (20 tests) I was between 410 and 460 (my desire is 440) take out three test and its 425 to 450 ( it smooths the curve out dramatically). I also know I can do two tests back to back and get different results (Hanna calc testers take some learning to be consistent for example). So to me Terry new reefer, see 420 to 450 as stable. (Note: I am religious about my maintenance and water changes)

I would love to see what 4 months of weekly tests on a stable tanks tests actually looks like.

Generally for Cal you want to be +/- 15ppm from your desired level however that doesn’t mean starting at 455 and ending at 425 is okay even thought they are within 15 points of your desired range. In reality you have lost a total of 30ppm all together. You goal is that through either water changes or supplementation your numbers don’t swing more than 15ppm. I’m this scenario even though 425 is still greatly acceptable your corals started with and were used to the abundance of Cal with 455ppm. As the amount of calcium drops they have to regulate their intake to the available Cal. This gives you an uneven growth period for the corals. Same goes with Alk and Magnesium. Alk you generally don’t want swings higher than .7 dkh and magnesium is a lot more lenient with about 100ppm. That’s what is meant by stable.

 

[GThompson]

There is a little more wiggle room on perfect water than a lot of people know. In the wide open ocean salinity is a little more stable. But around most reefs it can vary due to rain and river runoff. So keeping it dead on is really not necessary but optimal. My water varies from 1.028 to 1.021. Can’t really see a difference JMO

 

[W1ngz]

My water varies from 1.028 to 1.021. Can’t really see a difference JMO

That will vary a lot based on what you have in the tank to look at. I can't think of any long-term tank full of corals that wouldn't show symptoms with insane salinity variations like that.

 

[Kodock]

For me it was 3 months for softies and 7 months for SPS. It sneaks up on you.

 

[Deano the reefer]

I have a 210 dt and just put in some frags a few months ago after upping my alk 11, calc 520, mag 1400, strontium 12, and ph at 8.4. Crazy growth even on my favia. 8.4 on ph was tough but figured out it was too much co2 in the house so i made my own scrubber using a di canister and cartridge inline with my quantum skimmer intake. Was at barely 8.0 before. Don’t use buffers to raise your ph....your alk can go through the roof

 

[Taxus812]

I have a 210 dt and just put in some frags a few months ago after upping my alk 11, calc 520, mag 1400, strontium 12, and ph at 8.4. Crazy growth even on my favia. 8.4 on ph was tough but figured out it was too much co2 in the house so i made my own scrubber using a di canister and cartridge inline with my quantum skimmer intake. Was at barely 8.0 before. Don’t use buffers to raise your ph....your alk can go through the roof

Already learned me lesson on buffers. You can see th train wreck early on in my testing (before I got a coral)

 

[motortrendz]

Well if you saw my tank at 3 months i was starting add frags, 6 months not one of the same frags were in there. And I knew better bc I've been doing this for years. But was in a rush to get back to what I had. (I got divorced broke down the tank a year later finally bought my own house and started over) 7 months in some stuff stated to take hold but no acros. Drove me nuts. It took the tank almost a year before acros would stay alive(not grow and definilty not keep their color) at about a year and a half frags would keep color. At about 2 years everything would grow and retain color or if it was brown would get color. Now at 3 years only thing I worry about is making sure my nutrients dont drop too low and cause nusance algae outbreaks. Point is it takes time. And stability.

 

[Taxus812]

Just doing an update. One post recommended I do a 30% water change and test daily. I said hell I'm game and here are my results.

I mixed water to 35.4 ppm salinity with Tropic Marin Pro reef salt. I started with a 30% water change. Testing was done about the same time every day. I started testing after the water change.

The result are as follows. (Note my phosphate likely dropped because I forgot to feed this morning and my fish were very unhappy with me .)

I do not dose anything. Tests are with Hanna and red Sea test kits. (current reagents)

Nitrate

Phosphate

Calcium

Magnesium

Alkalinity

PH

Salinity

What I learned.
1) I could not do two test and get the same reading back to back. I learned how to get closer however. I now rinse my cuvettes with distilled water before testing. If I had rinsed with vinegar and didn't rinse well I got some interesting readings.

2) I think I have some calcium in my RODI. (I do know I have extremely high concentrations of Calcium Sulfate in my well water) Rinsing in distilled made the endpoint clearer and a bit lower. I'm going to test my RODI and see if I can get a reading.

3) Most of my phosphate is coming from my pellets food. If I feed a pinch in the AM I can keep it between .03 and .15 if it is around there ill be happy.

4) Since I have been feeding more my nitrates are up. I really don't know how to bring them down without loosing phosphate. I don't have an algae issue (little bit of green hair) and my cyano is just about gone so I suppose I don't care.

Well hope this was interesting. I feel way more relaxed and I just don't have any new corals in my near future. I may add some If some just come by my way. If these grow then cool. Ill be happier.

Hell It may be funny seeing 1 year pics and still have a nice clean but near coral free tank.

 

[bkhlouf]

Take your time and don’t rush anything. Parameters have to be consistent. My tank is 3 months old and I have zoas growing like weeds But I’m on top of the details and lighting as best as I can be. And I get really good support from my local coral shop. @oceans corals in Mobile,Al

Good job . Can you share with us your light schedule and colours intensity to get these result.