Low coral growth

[mossanimal]

So I put seawater and liverock that I bleach cured (from a previous tank) in my 90 gallon tank in early June. In July, I put in 15 pounds of Gulf liverock as a seed to start the cycle. At the end of September (after cycling) I added two clown fish and and some GSP, Cyphastrea, and zoas. I've also put in a BTA and toadstool. My lighting is two 165W Phlizons and I filter with a sump with protein skimmer and a separate deep mud refugium with mangroves (the mangroves are not yet growing...still in the propagule stage). I also have a refugium in my sump with light cycle but so far I haven't gotten a lot of growth of the Graciliaria that came with my live rock.

I dosed with copepods around the time I added my clown fish and I have a thriving population throughout the tank. I dose with phytoplankton every morning.

Up until a few weeks ago I was getting zero readings for nitrates and phosphates so I started feeding more heavily and probably went overboard (using ReefRoids) as I'm now at 0.5-1 on phosphates and 10 on nitrates. My pH has consistently been around 8, alkalinity around 160 and calcium 400-420.

I started getting a lot of GHA even when my nutrients were low and it continues to be a minor nuisance (I do have a hermit crab and 20 or so Margarita snails as well as a Gulf purple urchin as CUC). Yesterday I added a blenny and cleaner shrimp. I never have to scrap my glass (copepods all over it)... but haven't gotten any coralline algae growth yet.

Anyway..... my corals LOOK good with good color but I have had very little, if any, growth. At this point... .how do I narrow it down? Is it the young age of the tank? Instability of nutrients or my lighting? I've gotten very confusing info on how to set these Phlizons. I started at 10% white and 60-70% blue... but now I'm running them at 10% white and 100% blue. I know that stability is the key and that I need to settle in on a consistent light and feeding schedule.

So....just looking for some input on where I am and if I should be expecting more growth from my corals at this stage.
Other than the GHA, everything LOOKS good... just no growth.

 

[blaxsun]

Ideally you want your phosphates in the 0.10-0.15 range. Levels of 0.5-1.0 (or higher) can stunt or limit coral growth (not saying this is the case, but it is something that's relatively easy to look into and address).

 

[mossanimal]

Ideally you want your phosphates in the 0.10-0.15 range. Levels of 0.5-1.0 (or higher) can stunt or limit coral growth (not saying this is the case, but it is something that's relatively easy to look into and address).

yeah okay. It's finally dawned on me that I was having my phosphates taken up immediately by all the GHA that started growing and I responded by dumping in more with ReefRoids and overfeeding. I just did a big water change (my first since starting this tank)... so I will see what happens from here.

 

[Reefer Matt]

So I put seawater and liverock that I bleach cured (from a previous tank) in my 90 gallon tank in early June. In July, I put in 15 pounds of Gulf liverock as a seed to start the cycle. At the end of September (after cycling) I added two clown fish and and some GSP, Cyphastrea, and zoas. I've also put in a BTA and toadstool. My lighting is two 165W Phlizons and I filter with a sump with protein skimmer and a separate deep mud refugium with mangroves (the mangroves are not yet growing...still in the propagule stage). I also have a refugium in my sump with light cycle but so far I haven't gotten a lot of growth of the Graciliaria that came with my live rock.

I dosed with copepods around the time I added my clown fish and I have a thriving population throughout the tank. I dose with phytoplankton every morning.

Up until a few weeks ago I was getting zero readings for nitrates and phosphates so I started feeding more heavily and probably went overboard (using ReefRoids) as I'm now at 0.5-1 on phosphates and 10 on nitrates. My pH has consistently been around 8, alkalinity around 160 and calcium 400-420.

I started getting a lot of GHA even when my nutrients were low and it continues to be a minor nuisance (I do have a hermit crab and 20 or so Margarita snails as well as a Gulf purple urchin as CUC). Yesterday I added a blenny and cleaner shrimp. I never have to scrap my glass (copepods all over it)... but haven't gotten any coralline algae growth yet.

Anyway..... my corals LOOK good with good color but I have had very little, if any, growth. At this point... .how do I narrow it down? Is it the young age of the tank? Instability of nutrients or my lighting? I've gotten very confusing info on how to set these Phlizons. I started at 10% white and 60-70% blue... but now I'm running them at 10% white and 100% blue. I know that stability is the key and that I need to settle in on a consistent light and feeding schedule.

So....just looking for some input on where I am and if I should be expecting more growth from my corals at this stage.
Other than the GHA, everything LOOKS good... just no growth.

How long have the coral been in the tank? It seems like 2-3 weeks from your post?

 

[Lavey29]

Even though you used nice live ocean rock, weekly water changes are essential on new tanks for stability. GHA is no big deal and hust part of the maturity process. Number of natural ways to deal with it but the easiest involves wet hands. Get parameters in order and stay the course with water changes. Add diverse cleaner crew with urchins and turbos. After the one year mark my coral growth exploded as the tank was much more stable and predictable.

 

[mossanimal]

How long have the coral been in the tank? It seems like 2-3 weeks from your post?

How long have the coral been in the tank? It seems like 2-3 weeks from your post?

Hmmm.. no that's not right. Better look at my post again. It's been more like a month and a half. Haha... looking at the actual dates I guess nothing has been in there that long I guess watching your tank progress is like watching water boil.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

It looks like your tank is only running for a month, its very optimistic to expect coral growth that fast, be patient lol

 

[mossanimal]

It looks like your tank is only running for a month, its very optimistic to expect coral growth that fast, be patient lol

It’s been running for over 5 months. The corals were stocked just over a month ago. I need to edit my post. But… yes. I’m being impatient.

 

[2020 Worst Year]

It’s been running for over 5 months. The corals were stocked just over a month ago. I need to edit my post. But… yes. I’m being impatient.

1 month is nothing probs still acclimating to the tank

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

It’s been running for over 5 months. The corals were stocked just over a month ago. I need to edit my post. But… yes. I’m being impatient.

But you added the coral at the end of Sept....

 

[Dom]

So I put seawater and liverock that I bleach cured (from a previous tank) in my 90 gallon tank in early June. In July, I put in 15 pounds of Gulf liverock as a seed to start the cycle. At the end of September (after cycling) I added two clown fish and and some GSP, Cyphastrea, and zoas. I've also put in a BTA and toadstool. My lighting is two 165W Phlizons and I filter with a sump with protein skimmer and a separate deep mud refugium with mangroves (the mangroves are not yet growing...still in the propagule stage). I also have a refugium in my sump with light cycle but so far I haven't gotten a lot of growth of the Graciliaria that came with my live rock.

I dosed with copepods around the time I added my clown fish and I have a thriving population throughout the tank. I dose with phytoplankton every morning.

Up until a few weeks ago I was getting zero readings for nitrates and phosphates so I started feeding more heavily and probably went overboard (using ReefRoids) as I'm now at 0.5-1 on phosphates and 10 on nitrates. My pH has consistently been around 8, alkalinity around 160 and calcium 400-420.

I started getting a lot of GHA even when my nutrients were low and it continues to be a minor nuisance (I do have a hermit crab and 20 or so Margarita snails as well as a Gulf purple urchin as CUC). Yesterday I added a blenny and cleaner shrimp. I never have to scrap my glass (copepods all over it)... but haven't gotten any coralline algae growth yet.

Anyway..... my corals LOOK good with good color but I have had very little, if any, growth. At this point... .how do I narrow it down? Is it the young age of the tank? Instability of nutrients or my lighting? I've gotten very confusing info on how to set these Phlizons. I started at 10% white and 60-70% blue... but now I'm running them at 10% white and 100% blue. I know that stability is the key and that I need to settle in on a consistent light and feeding schedule.

So....just looking for some input on where I am and if I should be expecting more growth from my corals at this stage.
Other than the GHA, everything LOOKS good... just no growth.

A full tank shot will tell us a lot. Can you post one?

 

[mossanimal]

A full tank shot will tell us a lot. Can you post one?

But you added the coral at the end of Sept....

That was a mistake in my post. Can’t see where to edit. Those were put in the tank in August. I get it that it’s still too early to be concerned about this.

 

[mossanimal]

A full tank shot will tell us a lot. Can you post one?

The big south facing windows make it hard to get a good shot with glare. I need to get some at night.

 

[Lavey29]

As some mentioned, the key to this hobby is patience. If you do your part, the corals will do theirs. Rent a par so you know exact numbers too for your set up. I did this and found I was running way to low par. I turned lights to 100% intensity and boom corals took off.

 

[Dom]

The big south facing windows make it hard to get a good shot with glare. I need to get some at night.

Chin up; things don't look too bad. Your corals have color. And while everything seems to be surviving, it isn't thriving.

Based on the pictures, I'd say that you need to set up a husbandry schedule and stick with it, as the tank has a somewhat dirty appearance.

I would look into increasing flow as this will cause much of the detritus to be suspended in the water column, leading to it being picked up by filtration.

Where lighting is concerned, there are two things to consider: light spread and light intensity. When we speak of light spread, we are speaking of the area which a light covers.

And when we speak of light intensity, it isn’t enough that your light spread covers the entire footprint of your tank. It must do so with the proper light intensity as well.

The tank is only 90 gallons, which is an 18 water change, weekly. With the proper setup, it is a manageable quantity to change on a weekly basis.

Finally, be patient. A reef tank is not a traditional fixture which you set up in your home. Unlike a TV, you don’t pull it from a box, plug it in and enjoy. It must be constructed and nurtured so that it will grow into the magnificent display you see it as in your mind’s eye. Much in the way that a summer garden is cultivated to grow into a state of rich colors and aromatic blends, a reef tank is the cultivation of a marine environment.

 

[mossanimal]

Chin up; things don't look too bad. Your corals have color. And while everything seems to be surviving, it isn't thriving.

Based on the pictures, I'd say that you need to set up a husbandry schedule and stick with it, as the tank has a somewhat dirty appearance.

I would look into increasing flow as this will cause much of the detritus to be suspended in the water column, leading to it being picked up by filtration.

Where lighting is concerned, there are two things to consider: light spread and light intensity. When we speak of light spread, we are speaking of the area which a light covers.

And when we speak of light intensity, it isn’t enough that your light spread covers the entire footprint of your tank. It must do so with the proper light intensity as well.

The tank is only 90 gallons, which is an 18 water change, weekly. With the proper setup, it is a manageable quantity to change on a weekly basis.

Finally, be patient. A reef tank is not a traditional fixture which you set up in your home. Unlike a TV, you don’t pull it from a box, plug it in and enjoy. It must be constructed and nurtured so that it will grow into the magnificent display you see it as in your mind’s eye. Much in the way that a summer garden is cultivated to grow into a state of rich colors and aromatic blends, a reef tank is the cultivation of a marine environment.

Thank you. I've since put in a 120 Jebao Gyre that has greatly increased flow and rock is looking quite a bit cleaner now.