What is causing my corals to not grow?!

[BryanM]

I see a few replies saying it might be light. If its a light issue, wouldnt some corals still grow? For example, my waving hand xenia and zoas should extend their necks and still grow because they are hardy and acclimate to most light. Especially the zoas because i have them high and low jn the tank.

Also, what about my macro in sump? That isnt growing... even algae on glass is rare.

Honestly the only parameter that bothers me is your phosphate level. I would start to lower this if you haven't already. A GFO reactor is what I use.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Yes but i replace it once a month so i can def up that to once biweekly but i do run it. Why do you ask?

You have a lot of leathers, in fact the tank is packed and when they are so close to other corals they release toxins that slowly affect other corals and inhibit their growth. I wonder if thats whats happening since even the macro algae in the sump is stunted. It might be worth changing it bi-weekly and see if that has an effect.

 

[Lasse]

As many have suggested - I would first bring down your Ca, Mg and KH if your measurements are correct. I would also check the salinity with another device to or do a DIY calibration solution for the device you use - here is a great article about that

I have a slight feeling that your salinity is indeed very high not 1.025

Sincerely Lasse

 

[namlessdude]

Honestly the only parameter that bothers me is your phosphate level. I would start to lower this if you haven't already. A GFO reactor is what I use.

I tried sooo hard but nothing is bringing it down! I got that black aquaforest media (i think its GFO and threw it in a bag and in my sump and tried the white balls too but it never goes down. I think i hit a .75 at one point but it stayed stuck there.
Maybe ill go nuclear and change the media every two days. I will also try to change carbon often and consistently and if that helps things then ill know its the leathers and maybe rehome them.

 

[Freenow54]

Are you running any activated carbon?

Interesting Question. I know nothing the two guys that I told you about that own cultured by science told me to stop using media altogether carbon being one . I have always believed in carbon. who am I to argue with guys with their credentials . Can you lead me to a link about that ? I am reading this because I have the same problem even the extremely high Magnesium. I tied contacting you again under conversations but no luck

 

[BryanM]

I tried sooo hard but nothing is bringing it down! I got that black aquaforest media (i think its GFO and threw it in a bag and in my sump and tried the white balls too but it never goes down. I think i hit a .75 at one point but it stayed stuck there.
Maybe ill go nuclear and change the media every two days. I will also try to change carbon often and consistently and if that helps things then ill know its the leathers and maybe rehome them.

With phosphate that high I think you do need to change out the GFO every other day.

 

[namlessdude]

With phosphate that high I think you do need to change out the GFO every other day.

Would phosguard work as well or does it have to be gfo?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Interesting Question. I know nothing the two guys that I told you about that own cultured by science told me to stop using media altogether carbon being one . I have always believed in carbon. who am I to argue with guys with their credentials . Can you lead me to a link about that ? I am reading this because I have the same problem even the extremely high Magnesium. I tied contacting you again under conversations but no luck

Yeah those are good guys at cultured by science. But personally I do beleive in carbon, and I change it out every 1-2 weeks.

Coral warfare is a real thing. These articles confirm that carbon removes the toxins from soft corals.

https://reefs.com/the-science-of-activated-carbon-hlle-allelopathy-and-purity/https://reefs.com/activated-carbon-can-completely-detoxify-palytoxin/

 

[Rhetoric]

My response to why people quit in the first year thread:

It's all the things nobody's says, even if you read EVERYWHERE and EVERYTHING.

You can do everything right and fish still die.

You can do everything right and coral die.

You can do everything right and algae grows.

You can do everything right and 6 months later the $100 dime sized frag is the same size.

How frustrating to not understand that before you start. Always looking for an answer, when its just part of the hobby.

Stop changing things and be patient.

 

[BryanM]

Would phosguard work as well or does it have to be gfo?

Phosguard works well, if you use it in a reactor it should not be tumbled like GFO is. I rinse my GFO before use, and I would also rinse phosguard if I used that.

 

[JGT]

I dont have a test kit for that :(

Suggest you get one. Nitrates are important, especially with leathers and softies..

 

[Freenow54]

Yeah those are good guys at cultured by science. But personally I do beleive in carbon, and I change it out every 1-2 weeks.

Coral warfare is a real thing. These articles confirm that carbon removes the toxins from soft corals.

https://reefs.com/the-science-of-activated-carbon-hlle-allelopathy-and-purity/https://reefs.com/activated-carbon-can-completely-detoxify-palytoxin/

Beauty . I found out who sells Poly labs and bought some great info Thanks

 

[Lasse]

At face value doing nothing else just based on your levels, I would lower your Alk level and stop dosing Mg if you are and let both drop. I think your Alk is on the very high side as well Mg. I may also revalidate that salinity level with another device. If you’re dosing Mg just stop that altogether. No need to keep that up.

Its my standpoint too

This was right sfter water change. Here is the trend in my values. I just tested mag for the first time and i was dosing 3 part aquaforest 1+2+3+ ehich i stopped for a bit and did not see any difference. I started again and things seemed tk get worse. I am using IO salt and rught sfter a water change things look SOOO GOOD for a day or 2 before back to baseline.

My bold. You nearly have no corals that use either calcium, magnesium or alkalinity - still dosing - My advise - stop dosing it

Things go better after WC. Stop dosing it and do a series of 10% WC for ten days or more. This will correct both your high Ca, MG and dKH. Also, it will stabilize your salinity if you use the amount of salt per liter that your brand requires for 1.026 (35 PSU)

I see a few replies saying it might be light. If its a light issue, wouldnt some corals still grow? For example, my waving hand xenia and zoas should extend their necks and still grow because they are hardy and acclimate to most light. Especially the zoas because i have them high and low jn the tank.

Also, what about my macro in sump? That isnt growing... even algae on glass is rare.

IMO - 1.0 in PO4 does not kill the type of coral you have. The fact that you have no algae on the windows and that you macro´s do not grow either indicate that your basic problem (the one you should deal with in first case) isn´t high PO4

I can´t say if you have a light problem too but if you reset your system the way I describe above - you can deal with that later on. The same with PO4 and any toxins.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Since most of the non growing corals are soft corals, I don’t think any stated parameter is a problem.

Might be a pathogenic bacteria, or a toxic material in the water, either a natural toxin or a metal.

Are you using Ro/di for the water?

 

[Freenow54]

Its my standpoint too



My bold. You nearly have no corals that use either calcium, magnesium or alkalinity - still dosing - My advise - stop dosing it

Things go better after WC. Stop dosing it and do a series of 10% WC for ten days or more. This will correct both your high Ca, MG and dKH. Also, it will stabilize your salinity if you use the amount of salt per liter that your brand requires for 1.026 (35 PSU)


IMO - 1.0 in PO4 does not kill the type of coral you have. The fact that you have no algae on the windows and that you macro´s do not grow either indicate that your basic problem (the one you should deal with in first case) isn´t high PO4

I can´t say if you have a light problem too but if you reset your system the way I describe above - you can deal with that later on. The same with PO4 and any toxins.

Sincerely Lasse

Is there a way to lower Magnesium ? Other than just stopping putting it in? Mine was extremely high for no reason I am aware of . I was using Fritz high Alk salt

 

[Rocks reef]

500 par from those lights mounted at that height seems somewhat unlikely.

You have a large shadowing zone in the middle of your tank, if it were me I would probably move the lights a few inches closer together.

Given the fact the other side shows 200 at about the same level.
I have a feeling it’s light. If you notice, from about halfway down, the PAR is less than 100 for most of the tank.

 

[Lasse]

Is there a way to lower Magnesium ? Other than just stopping putting it in? Mine was extremely high for no reason I am aware of . I was using Fritz high Alk salt

WC with salts that not contain raised levels of Mg Fritz High Alk seems to target higher concentrations.

I will correct my post #33 with the note that is important that no salt with elevated Ca, Mg or alkalinity (dKH) is used. Red Sea blue bucket it one of these salts that is good to use in a "reset"- There is others but it is important is that they create natural values

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Rocks reef]

I tried sooo hard but nothing is bringing it down! I got that black aquaforest media (i think its GFO and threw it in a bag and in my sump and tried the white balls too but it never goes down. I think i hit a .75 at one point but it stayed stuck there.
Maybe ill go nuclear and change the media every two days. I will also try to change carbon often and consistently and if that helps things then ill know its the leathers and maybe rehome them.

No need to rehome them. I have a bunch of leathers with my euphyllia and SPS. My corals grow, slow but they grow. Just like they should. I do run carbon for 12 hours a day and change it every month. If I ran it 24/7, I would change it every two weeks.
Are you taking pictures of certain corals and compare to say one taken a month ago? It is easier to judge growth.

 

[Rocks reef]

My response to why people quit in the first year thread:

It's all the things nobody's says, even if you read EVERYWHERE and EVERYTHING.

You can do everything right and fish still die.

You can do everything right and coral die.

You can do everything right and algae grows.

You can do everything right and 6 months later the $100 dime sized frag is the same size.

How frustrating to not understand that before you start. Always looking for an answer, when its just part of the hobby.

Stop changing things and be patient.

Absolutely agree. Most tanks really don’t hit a good balance until well after the first year, often times two years.

 

[Rocks reef]

Suggest you get one. Nitrates are important, especially with leathers and softies..

Your tank is spectacular. Are you running carbon?