Slow growth with SPS

[Montiman]

Hello everyone I am having some issues with growth in my tank. I have reacently moved my tank and I have since had no notice able growth from my SPS I understand that it may take a while for growth to start but the tank has been up for nearly 2 months now and I still haven't noticed much. I am looking for some ideas as to ways to boost growth.

4 foot 120

Salinity = 1.025-1.026
Temp~80
Nitrate= undetectable
Phosphate =0.03
Calcium=430
Magnesium = 1250
Alk=9.5-10
pH=7.8-8.0
ICP testing confirms all minor elements are in range though iron and manganese are low

Lighting = 4 t5s and 3 kessil a 360
Flow = wave box stream 3 and old school modded maxi jet.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Dose some nitrates. Also, can you post video of the tank flow?

 

[Montiman]

Dose some nitrates. Also, can you post video of the tank flow?

Here is a video of the flow in the tank. It appears to be adequate to me but I would like to swap the old maxi jet out for another stream 3 when I can.

Current plan is the following

Add co2 scrubber to boost pH

Switch to a salt with a lower alkalinity value

Start amino acid additions

 

[reeferfoxx]

#reefsquad

 

[Maritimer]

How do you keep your nitrates low with that fish load? (O.O)

Nitrates are the only thing I see ... but I'm not an expert, so tagging along . . .

~Bruce

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Best flow I've ever had was maxi jets
lol.
Yea looks ok. You have to look right at the coral and have some particulates in it to see the flow better and count it in inches.


Fwiw. Yep. Two months is not long. Def be patient. The tank looks great. A little young. But it's likely to just explode at some point in its own.
Tanks can be funny like that.

 

[Montiman]

It might just be that the tank is 7 years old and I am wanting the growth I had before the move. Some of the montis were basketball sized and crumbled in the move.

 

[Montiman]

How do you keep your nitrates low with that fish load? (O.O)

Nitrates are the only thing I see ... but I'm not an expert, so tagging along . . .

~Bruce

I use an oversized skimmer, bio pellets, carbon, GFO, and ozone

 

[g.stanek75]

How big is your tank, your fish looks like don't have enough space, maybe need increase the lights

 

[tutmatt3]

One thing I discovered trying to figure out my own growth issues - the moment I got my MG up from 1200/1250 to 1350 - within just 2x days EVERY monti in my tank now has accelerated growth & a prominent white rim.
My birdsnest also now has pointed branches of new growth - when before they were always round & slow.

It's too soon to speak about my acros, since they're still encrusting.

I know that mg in 1250 is good, but just wanted to speak about my acceleration in my non-acro SPS

 

[Montiman]

One thing I discovered trying to figure out my own growth issues - the moment I got my MG up from 1200/1250 to 1350 - within just 2x days EVERY monti in my tank now has accelerated growth & a prominent white rim.
My birdsnest also now has pointed branches of new growth - when before they were always round & slow.

It's too soon to speak about my acros, since they're still encrusting.

I know that mg in 1250 is good, but just wanted to speak about my acceleration in my non-acro SPS

My strategy has always been to match the levels in my salt and since I have used IO for 10 years I have always tried to keep a Mag of 1250 since I am looking at switching to a new salt that may fix the Mag Problem as well.

 

[Montiman]

How big is your tank, your fish looks like don't have enough space, maybe need increase the lights

It is a 4 ft 120. The fish will out grow it but currently aggression and nutrients are not a problem. The plan was to do an upgrade 2 months ago not a move but it just wasn't in the cards hopefully in a year or 2 the upgrade will come.

 

[tutmatt3]

My strategy has always been to match the levels in my salt and since I have used IO for 10 years I have always tried to keep a Mag of 1250 since I am looking at switching to a new salt that may fix the Mag Problem as well.

It's worth a shot.
I know some advise not to do more than 100ppm a day, but I would say go much slower. I did 75 each day for 2x days, and 2-3x of my small small frags RTN'd on me.

 

[Velcro]

Dose nitrate. Ease up on the carbon dosing/biopellets if you can't get nitrate to show up.

 

[Montiman]

It's worth a shot.
I know some advise not to do more than 100ppm a day, but I would say go much slower. I did 75 each day for 2x days, and 2-3x of my small small frags RTN'd on me.

I have raised Mag before for bryopsis control so I am not too worried about it. I have just found that water changes mess with my parameters if my tank is not at the same level as the water change water. For example if I keep Mag at 1350 then every month when I do a 30% water change the Mag drops significantly and this instability is worse than just running the Mag lower. I could always boost Mag in the mix but that's just too complicated IMO.

 

[Montiman]

Dose nitrate. Ease up on the carbon dosing/biopellets if you can't get nitrate to show up.

I am have thought about dosing pure nitrate but I think it may be better to simply feed the coral more as it is likely not the nitrate the coral are using but some compounds like proteins and amino acids that eventually turn into nitrate. Frankly I feed the tank 5-6 times a day and thought that must be enough for the corals but I guess not.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

"Dose Nitrate" That's always the answer around here isn't it? lol
Feed the fish more and also feed the corals. That's a great way to increase growth and nutrients in a bio-pellet tank. Also, run carbon in a reactor that huge leather is prone to putting toxins in the water that can irritate the SPS. Last thing, I'd lower the T5's down to a few inches off the water and what bulbs are in there?

 

[Rakie]

I sincerely believe the old ULNS system needs to die. The people who run ULNS for a long time typically get pale corals, and have to supplement a whole bunch of little bottles.

Some of the most amazing reefs out there don't even test for no3/po4 -- I don't believe they're the devil they should be. Get your nitrates to at least 5, imo.

 

[Montiman]

"Dose Nitrate" That's always the answer around here isn't it? lol
Feed the fish more and also feed the corals. That's a great way to increase growth and nutrients in a bio-pellet tank. Also, run carbon in a reactor that huge leather is prone to putting toxins in the water that can irritate the SPS. Last thing, I'd lower the T5's down to a few inches off the water and what bulbs are in there?

I run carbon and also use Ozone. The Ozone made a huge difference when I added it a year ago. I think it really negated the leather's ills. I have thought of removing the leather but my wife and mom love it so it is staying. Unfortunately the t5s are on legs so they aren't moving.

 

[Cherub]

those fish look way too big for that tank