LPS Woes

[pledosophy]

I set up a 50g cube in July, lightly stocked in August and September.

None of the LPS is doing well. My torch has stayed consistent, the Acan Lords are alive but almost no polyp extension. Euphylia has no growth but is open. Chalice has no growth. Gonipora frag has tightened up it's polyps.

I have lost one acan frag and a fungia in the past week for no apparent reason. Both were in the tank about a month.

I broadcast feed two times daily and target feed with a turkey baster and water bottle cover every other day. Target feeding is supplemented with ammino acids.

The acans do not open to collect food like acans have in my previous tanks. I have tried placing the acans in about 6 spots now, same everywhere.

Tank parameters
alk 11.5
Ca 470
Phosphate .25
Nitrate around 25 (salifert so it's one of the color ones. Between 10-25)

Light is a kessil A360x on Kessil's program mounted 10" above the tank.

Water movement is a mp10 on reef crest at 30% for the main movement and a reef octo on it's lowest setting blowing behind/through the rocks at the back of the tank.

I am running carbon as I thought maybe there was some water issue. Changed it twice now. Tank has skimmer, ato, doser etc.

I adjusted my doser to start to bring my alk down a bit, shooting for 9-10.

I'd like to add another 10 frags and some SPS soon but am going slow until what I do have is thriving.

Fish wise I have a pair of clowns that hang out in their anenome mostly, a midas blenny, a leopard wrasse, a cleaner shrimp (have not seen it close to the LPS), a couple of crabs (also not seen by the LPS) and a handful of snails.

Any advice?

 

[reef lover]

I expect once you get thw alk down things will be happier.

 

[Ellis Syke]

I set up a 50g cube in July, lightly stocked in August and September.

None of the LPS is doing well. My torch has stayed consistent, the Acan Lords are alive but almost no polyp extension. Euphylia has no growth but is open. Chalice has no growth. Gonipora frag has tightened up it's polyps.

I have lost one acan frag and a fungia in the past week for no apparent reason. Both were in the tank about a month.

I broadcast feed two times daily and target feed with a turkey baster and water bottle cover every other day. Target feeding is supplemented with ammino acids.

The acans do not open to collect food like acans have in my previous tanks. I have tried placing the acans in about 6 spots now, same everywhere.

Tank parameters
alk 11.5
Ca 470
Phosphate .25
Nitrate around 25 (salifert so it's one of the color ones. Between 10-25)

Light is a kessil A360x on Kessil's program mounted 10" above the tank.

Water movement is a mp10 on reef crest at 30% for the main movement and a reef octo on it's lowest setting blowing behind/through the rocks at the back of the tank.

I am running carbon as I thought maybe there was some water issue. Changed it twice now. Tank has skimmer, ato, doser etc.

I adjusted my doser to start to bring my alk down a bit, shooting for 9-10.

I'd like to add another 10 frags and some SPS soon but am going slow until what I do have is thriving.

Fish wise I have a pair of clowns that hang out in their anenome mostly, a midas blenny, a leopard wrasse, a cleaner shrimp (have not seen it close to the LPS), a couple of crabs (also not seen by the LPS) and a handful of snails.

Any advice?

alk is high, so is phosphate and calcium for the livestock you have. Also, very new tank with not stable proper parameters will prohibit growth.

 

[littlebigreef]

I agree with @Ellis Syke, your tank just needs time to mature. All the snake oil, cured live rock and commercially available pods won't mature your system like time will. I'd suggest holding off on any more additions until the beginning of the new year as it sounds like you already have quite a few thing things in there. As for that, you're probably not going to see much growth out of your lps at first, these guys generally take a while to display noticeable growth.

It sounds like you're otherwise in good shape and have made excellent investments.

My only question would be whether you're making your own water or if you're buying it from a grocery/fish store. A TDS meter is a good cheap thing to have so you can test and make sure you're working with good water.