What am I doing wrong. Just surviving

[theiceman5207]

Hello everyone! I hope someone can give me some advice I own a Fiji Cube 81INT system with the following equipment
Fiji Cube 20 sump
Reef octopus SSS110 skimmer
BRS media reactor running carbon and GFO
small fuge in sump with chato that is slowly disintegrating
2 GYRE XF330 - soon to be swapped for MP40's
2 AI Hydra 32HD - runs Saxby settings from AI signature series these also have diffusers on them.
The system has been stable for 2 years now and last testing was as follows
ALK - 9.4dKH
CAL - 421PPM
MG - 1460 PPM
NO3 - 2.5 PPM
PO4 - 0.1 PPM usually lower but was trying higher recently to see if anything would change
pH - 7.9
Temp - 78F
SG - 1.026
With the above being stated It seems like nothing will grow in my tank fish are happy and healthy but corals are all roughly exactly the same as the day I bought them. Even the coralline algae after two years is almost non existent. Would anyone have any suggestions to why even my zoa's and monti cap have barely spread off their original frag plugs. everything looks good but seems to just be surviving.

 

[fishski13]

Although you listed your parameters, I would figure out how stable those parameters are. Big swings in any of them can cause no growth in the coral.

 

[T-J]

Numbers look good, but how stable are they?
Also, what kind of PAR are you getting in the tank?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Perhaps a different light schedule as light creates the building blocks for coral known zooxanthellae

 

[theiceman5207]

Although you listed your parameters, I would figure out how stable those parameters are. Big swings in any of them can cause no growth in the coral.

Have been testing on a schedule since the beginning of the year every other day and parameters are outside the following ranges ever.
ALK - 8.5 to 9.5 and never more than a 1dKH per week or so
CAL - 420-450
Mg - always runs a bit high 1400 - 1500
PO4 - 0.01- 0.07 current level the highest I’ve ever ran this tank.
NO3 - never above 5ppm only test this one once a week
Temp has an ink bird and ato keeps salt level dead on 1.026

 

[theiceman5207]

Numbers look good, but how stable are they?
Also, what kind of PAR are you getting in the tank?

Checked par I own an apogee mq-510
Top of rock work - 160-230par avg
Mid - 100-150
Bottom - 100
Far edges- 50-75

 

[theiceman5207]

Perhaps a different light schedule as light creates the building blocks for coral known zooxanthellae

Any suggestions on schedule.

 

[mdb_talon]

Personally i would try feeding more...which may require more nutrient export as well, but in my experience heavy feedings can do wonders for coral health and growth. I think sometimes we rely too much on the photosynthetic part and forget that just about all coral also evolved to eat solid foods. Whether it be fish waste,pods/etc in a healthy system/phyto, or dedicated coral food(in my case i try to ensure all the above) i think underfeeding is often an issue with coral growth and health.

 

[lazlodawg]

Checked par I own an apogee mq-510
Top of rock work - 160-230par avg
Mid - 100-150
Bottom - 100
Far edges- 50-75

 

[theiceman5207]

Personally i would try feeding more...which may require more nutrient export as well, but in my experience heavy feedings can do wonders for coral health and growth. I think sometimes we rely too much on the photosynthetic part and forget that just about all coral also evolved to eat solid foods. Whether it be fish waste,pods/etc in a healthy system/phyto, or dedicated coral food(in my case i try to ensure all the above) i think underfeeding is often an issue with coral growth and health.

I 100% agree with your point but I feed reef roids, reef chili, or AB+ two to three times a week I’d feed more but worried about the phosphates honestly.

 

[mdb_talon]

I 100% agree with your point but I feed reef roids, reef chili, or AB+ two to three times a week I’d feed more but worried about the phosphates honestly.

Ya i hear ya. I feed so much and always struggle with nitrates at 0 so i keep doing more and more lol. Coral love it, but phosphates do creep up, but i am big believer in lanthium chloride so i control that way when it just phosphates going up.

However if you are already feeding heavy then lack of food is probably not the issue.

 

[T-J]

Checked par I own an apogee mq-510
Top of rock work - 160-230par avg
Mid - 100-150
Bottom - 100
Far edges- 50-75

Those numbers are on the low end for SPS and other stony corals.
If you're keeping zoas, you should be fine.

 

[theiceman5207]

Ya i hear ya. I feed so much and always struggle with nitrates at 0 so i keep doing more and more lol. Coral love it, but phosphates do creep up, but i am big believer in lanthium chloride so i control that way when it just phosphates going up.

However if you are already feeding heavy then lack of food is probably not the issue.

Just for the record too typed the response and immediately gave more reef chili to them. Lol

 

[Lavey29]

Have you done a recent ICP to check everything in the tank?

 

[theiceman5207]

Those numbers are on the low end for SPS and other stony corals.
If you're keeping zoas, you should be fine.

Like too bump them up but it starts washing out the Zoa’s fast

 

[DanTheReefer]

Following along.

Mine took about 18 -24 months to start taking off and now it’s become a real hassle trimming it back, if you had dry and rock and sand like I did that’s probably why.

That said, some grows a lot faster than others, hard to keep everyone at full potential.

 

[theiceman5207]

Have you done a recent ICP to check everything in the tank?

I have not. I know I should just haven’t gotten around to it yet

 

[DanTheReefer]

If you have chloramine in water supply, can’t overstate importance of a good carbon block or two in your RO unit, think a good chlorine test kit is just as important as alk

 

[theiceman5207]

If you have chloramine in water supply, can’t overstate importance of a good carbon block or two in your RO unit, think a good chlorine test kit is just as important as alk

no chloramines used by my water plant (walking distance from home. great water btw) and regurly check for breakthrough of chlorine with LaMotte test kit

 

[ninjamyst]

Crank up light slowly and feed more. You are running a lot of equipment so may as well feeeeeed more. Alk a little high IMO.

Please post photos of your tank.