What is the Trick to Get SPS Polyp Extension During the Day?

[Labridaedicted]

I’m getting zero doing the day and occasionally some very small PE on one or two acros at night.

all still have color none are dead just not a bright as the tank I got them from

What's your dosing regimen and what's your nutrient levels?

 

[bushdoc]

As a scuba diver with 3000+ logged dives I can attests that water flow on MOST coral reefs changes at night ( less velocity and turbulence), some reefs are less effected, for example Tilas and atolls in the middle of the ocean.
There is a certain flow velocity above which coral growth is reduced, so I decrease my flow to lower values at night.

 

[Labridaedicted]

I will also note that I get good extension on only about 60% of my acros even with all the work I do to make it happen. Some species are better than others at it

 

[Cbones1979]

What's your dosing regimen and what's your nutrient levels?

Dose all for reef daily. Dosing AB+ at night.

nitrates 5-8
Phosphates .10 ish normally

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Dose all for reef daily. Dosing AB+ at night.

nitrates 5-8
Phosphates .10 ish normally

What are you doing for nutrient control/export

 

[Cbones1979]

What are you doing for nutrient control/export

I have a reall good Santa Monica scrubber I run for 18 hrs a day and a skimmer I had to turn down recently and but it dry skims pretty well on the third click. Also water changes every 3 weeks

 

[Spare time]

Don’t use filter socks and stuff like that. You want all those unwanted particals flowing in the water. Corals love that stuff. I don’t run a skimmer or any mechanical filtration for that matter. Locals always say I have the best polyp ext they have seen besides pictures online

That is assuming all of those particles are particulate foods and plankton

 

[Spare time]

Dose all for reef daily. Dosing AB+ at night.

nitrates 5-8
Phosphates .10 ish normally

Dose the reef energy during the day.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I have a reall good Santa Monica scrubber I run for 18 hrs a day and a skimmer I had to turn down recently and but it dry skims pretty well on the third click. Also water changes every 3 weeks

Sounds like they’re stressed or irritated if you have no PE at night. Have you checked for stray voltage? You also could have too much flow.

 

[jhuntstl]

Need to confirm with another ICP, but I am suspecting silica is why I am seeing so much PE. I also have very high po4(.9+), but I had good PE before I mistakenly left a PO4 doser on longer than intended.

 

[Spare time]

You might also have them under too intense light

 

[HomebroodExotics]

That is assuming all of those particles are particulate foods and plankton

What else would it be?

 

[Cbones1979]

Dose the reef energy during the day.

Just started doing that

 

[Cbones1979]

You might also have them under too intense light

Really? Measuring 200-300 par at the max which is only 3-4 hours of the day.

 

[Cbones1979]

Sounds like they’re stressed or irritated if you have no PE at night. Have you checked for stray voltage? You also could have too much flow.

Yes I have a probe in and have done the cuticle test

 

[Spare time]

Really? Measuring 200-300 par at the max which is only 3-4 hours of the day.

Just one idea, especially if its overwhelmingly blue/violet. If you get great color but little polyp extension, they may be photosaturated.

 

[Cbones1979]

Just one idea, especially if its overwhelmingly blue/violet. If you get great color but little polyp extension, they may be photosaturated.

Is it true that blue light will measure less on a par meter? Some of these came from a tank which much more par.
I’ll probably let things sit w/o the clown goby. Wait for icp test to come back, and do a water change while feeding during the day to see if they change

 

[Spare time]

Is it true that blue light will measure less on a par meter? Some of these came from a tank which much more par.
I’ll probably let things sit w/o the clown goby. Wait for icp test to come back, and do a water change while feeding during the day to see if they change

I believe its more that blue/violet light has a lower "par" value that will achieve photosaturation compared to the same intensity at a more spread out value

 

[Mortgaged Reefs]

I want to be able to feed SPS and LPS during the day. My tank is in my office so I am not there at night. I see many pictures of PE during the day. What is the trick?

I dose Red Sea AB+ at noon and midnight. That way I see them during the day. Like others have said if you put them on a doser they will learn the pattern.

 

[Spare time]

What else would it be?

There are non "food" particulates that float in the water. Molt remains from various little critters, indigestible substances in food, sand particles, sometimes precipitants, dust, hair, and other random things that can make their way in. I understand your point though, and its a reason I don't run a skimmer on my tank. I have just seen some ungodly dirty sumps from tanks where the socks were never changed but then again that's obviously not all tanks (hence your positive experience).