SPS growing... but no Polyp Extension.

[steve_london_uk]

Hi all.

So I put in an SPS coral about a month ago. Looked amazing in the shop (as they always do) and for a few days in my tank but I seem to have lost any visa or PE.

However...it is growing!! I only sat it on a rock as a temporary placement and I now can't move it as it has grown over onto the rock.

I have attached two pictures, one from when it was first in and the second how it is now.

Can anyone explain why there is no PE? Water parameters seem fine and other SPS do have extension. I'm confused. Especially as it's growing so why ain't it happy!?

Could not enough light be a factor!

 

[Tahoe61]

Lighting, flow and chemistry?
The tank doesn't look very old?
Without specific values it's pointless to speculate regarding possible contributing factors. Are nitrates and phosphates too high, too low? How does that relate to alkalinity.

 

[Mwatts12]

Are those rocks white?

 

[steve_london_uk]

Sorry yes should have been more specific.

Temp 26c
Salinity 1.025
PH 8
Alkalinity 6.8 *
Nitrates 10
Phosphate 0.04
Calcium 430
Magnesium 1420

* trying to raise this. I got it up to 10 doing +1Dkh per day, left it a few days to work out the consumption but forgot about it and did a water change so got to start again. But even when it was 10 there was still no PE.

One Gyre and Jecod wavemaker on random.

2x Radion XR30W's on about 30% running AB+ for 10 hours per day.

Coral placement is middle height under the gyre so should get the return flow back to it.

It is a relatively new tank, around 6 months. Waiting to source some coralline to seed the tank.

Equipment is RSR350. Reefmat 500. Red Sea Skimmer. UV, fluidised Rowaphos, and chaeto reactor. I did find I had stray voltage in the tank (no faulty equipment and was a build up of everything.) so just made a titanium ground rod so it channels it away. Not sure if that would have anything to do with it.

Rock was dry rock, live sand and some nitrifying boost potion.

 

[steve_london_uk]

.......

 

[steve_london_uk]

Lighting, flow and chemistry?
The tank doesn't look very old?
Without specific values it's pointless to speculate regarding possible contributing factors. Are nitrates and phosphates too high, too low? How does that relate to alkalinity.

You quite facetiously pointed out that you couldn't give an answer with no information on the OP so now it's there do you mind sharing your advice?

 

[thedon986]

Could be light, could be the alk swinging up and down, could be low phosphate, could be age of tank. The first pic those rocks are basically white so this tank is relatively new? SPS in a system under 1 year(ish) can be a coin flip. Some SPS just kick it for no apparent reason even in well established systems.

 

[Tahoe61]

You quite facetiously pointed out that you couldn't give an answer with no information on the OP so now it's there do you mind sharing your advice?

If you don't quote me I have no way of knowing you provided that information.
I will be happy to share when I have a free moment.
Thank you for taking the time to assist others in assisting you. :)

 

[steve_london_uk]

Could be light, could be the alk swinging up and down, could be low phosphate, could be age of tank. The first pic those rocks are basically white so this tank is relatively new? SPS in a system under 1 year(ish) can be a coin flip. Some SPS just kick it for no apparent reason even in well established systems.

Thank you Thedon. From what you've said I reckon you're bang on with the Alk swing. Once I stopped dosing it actually came back beautifully. Then as soon as I started raising it again it's started to close up. I'll have to get the automatic doser on to keep it more stable.

Thank you for your reply.