Teeter
Active Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2023
- Messages
- 122
- Reaction score
- 74
- Location
- Oviedo
- What state or country do you live in
- Florida
Hey all,
I've had a 47 gallon mixed reef set up for about 2.5 years now. The journey up until this point has been very rocky, and a multitude of factors has led to many corals along the way dying (some slow, some quick), but in the past 7 or 8 months, I've gained a lot of progress in the area of keeping things stable and healthy. For example: the upper area of my tank is dominated by large (and occasionally roaming) bubble tip nems, which have been a whole mess on their own, but I've noticed they have almost completely stopped roaming since I began doing things like consistent water changes and rarely adjusting lighting outside of acclimation. Outside of chemical warfare, like my nems occasionally encroaching on chalices that have taken a lot of damage as a result, most of my corals have remained visibly healthy with good polyp extension, vibrant colors, etc., but few have actually grown. Out of the dozens of corals I have, the only ones that have visibly grown have been:
- two Favia frags
- a handful of zoas (some of which grow very quickly, while others like Exospheres haven't produced polyps in months)
- a big toadstool
- an acan
- a purple gorgonian
The rest of my corals, for the most part, haven't grown at all, or at least not to any visibly noticeable extent. My params are:
Salinity: 1.026 ppm (I have raised this over time from 1.024)
pH: ranges between 8.2 and 8.7 throughout the day, constantly monitored with an Apex probe
Temp: 79F (I use an inkbird + fans/heater to keep steady)
Alk: 9.3 (Raised slowly from around 7.4 measured in January of this year)
Nitrate: varies, but usually between 4 and 10 ppm
Phosphate: varies, but usually between .04 and .14 (depends on feeding frequency, especially when I use coral food)
Calcium: 425 ppm (this one confuses me; I've used multiple test kits to eliminate any chance of manufacturer errors, but I CONSISTENTLY read 425, regardless of time between water changes)
Magnesium: Have only tested a few times, but have gotten 1440ppm each time, though I haven't tested for mag in months
I've also done a couple ICP tests that have been relatively consistent with my own test results.
For lighting, I use 2 Radeon XR15 Blues on the Mobius AB+ template @ 50% intensity, with a photoperiod of around 8 hours.
For flow, I have an MP10 on one side that ranges between 800-1000 GPH depending on time of day/random flow speed, and a Nero 3 on the other that stays around 1000 GPH. The return pump is a MightyJet, so no issues with flow there.
I also run a mini BRS reactor that has a mix of GFO and Carbon, which I've found makes a significant difference in water clarity. I change the media every 5-7 days.
I can provide any other information that might be needed to help me understand where I need improvement. I've recently been stepping into the realm of Gonis, as they've always been a favorite of mine, so I really want to focus on promoting good health and growth for them. I'm really just trying to identify any potential reasons for my corals just refusing to grow, and any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
I've had a 47 gallon mixed reef set up for about 2.5 years now. The journey up until this point has been very rocky, and a multitude of factors has led to many corals along the way dying (some slow, some quick), but in the past 7 or 8 months, I've gained a lot of progress in the area of keeping things stable and healthy. For example: the upper area of my tank is dominated by large (and occasionally roaming) bubble tip nems, which have been a whole mess on their own, but I've noticed they have almost completely stopped roaming since I began doing things like consistent water changes and rarely adjusting lighting outside of acclimation. Outside of chemical warfare, like my nems occasionally encroaching on chalices that have taken a lot of damage as a result, most of my corals have remained visibly healthy with good polyp extension, vibrant colors, etc., but few have actually grown. Out of the dozens of corals I have, the only ones that have visibly grown have been:
- two Favia frags
- a handful of zoas (some of which grow very quickly, while others like Exospheres haven't produced polyps in months)
- a big toadstool
- an acan
- a purple gorgonian
The rest of my corals, for the most part, haven't grown at all, or at least not to any visibly noticeable extent. My params are:
Salinity: 1.026 ppm (I have raised this over time from 1.024)
pH: ranges between 8.2 and 8.7 throughout the day, constantly monitored with an Apex probe
Temp: 79F (I use an inkbird + fans/heater to keep steady)
Alk: 9.3 (Raised slowly from around 7.4 measured in January of this year)
Nitrate: varies, but usually between 4 and 10 ppm
Phosphate: varies, but usually between .04 and .14 (depends on feeding frequency, especially when I use coral food)
Calcium: 425 ppm (this one confuses me; I've used multiple test kits to eliminate any chance of manufacturer errors, but I CONSISTENTLY read 425, regardless of time between water changes)
Magnesium: Have only tested a few times, but have gotten 1440ppm each time, though I haven't tested for mag in months
I've also done a couple ICP tests that have been relatively consistent with my own test results.
For lighting, I use 2 Radeon XR15 Blues on the Mobius AB+ template @ 50% intensity, with a photoperiod of around 8 hours.
For flow, I have an MP10 on one side that ranges between 800-1000 GPH depending on time of day/random flow speed, and a Nero 3 on the other that stays around 1000 GPH. The return pump is a MightyJet, so no issues with flow there.
I also run a mini BRS reactor that has a mix of GFO and Carbon, which I've found makes a significant difference in water clarity. I change the media every 5-7 days.
I can provide any other information that might be needed to help me understand where I need improvement. I've recently been stepping into the realm of Gonis, as they've always been a favorite of mine, so I really want to focus on promoting good health and growth for them. I'm really just trying to identify any potential reasons for my corals just refusing to grow, and any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
