Color/Growth Success Stories

[tetris]

I think we've all seen plenty of "Why won't my corals color up/grow?" threads... I'd like to go down a different avenue with this thread. If you've been fortunate enough to achieve a growth/color breakthrough of some kind, please share what you most attribute that success to. Obviously it's hard to narrow this down to one thing, so please feel free to lay out the complete solution that worked for you.

I'll begin...

Problem:

My corals were very pale and some were beginning to STN from the base. My parameters were:

Salinity: 1.026 (Or so I thought)
Phosphate: 0.00
Nitrate: 0.00
Calcium 420 ppm
Alkalinity 8.8 dKH
Magnesium 1500

These parameters were right in line with many TOTM's. I didn't get what was going on and it was driving me crazy.

Solution:

I began to re-calibrate my refractometer after every use with calibration fluid. Turns out my refractometer becomes wildly inaccurate even after just several days of no use. While I thought my salinity was 1.026, it was actually around 1.027 or 1.028. After correcting the salinity, the STN stopped and tissue began to grow back.

My corals were no longer STN'ing, but were still very pale. Many TOTM's have phosphate readings of 0.00. While this may work for others, it didn't work for me. I bought several more fish, bought frozen foods (as opposed to only feeding pellets), and started feeding much more heavily. On top of that, I started doing weekly 10% water changes (instead of 20% monthly), and set the skimmer to skim more heavily as well. This worked for me and the results are getting better daily.

One of the best purchases I've made is the Hannah Po4 reader. I bumped up my phosphate to 0.04 and am going to try to keep it there. Strong nutrient import and strong nutrient export has worked for me so far. Besides that, making a conscious effort to complete maintenance tasks as they come due has also, I believe, attributed to the success I've had so far to overcome the color/growth hurdle.

 

[Acronic]

It is wise to recalibrate your refractometer every time there is a +- 5 degree Celsius change in ambient temperature.

 

[Nate R]

I think you hit it right on the head but one thing I would add that I tell people looking to be succesfull with sps or a reef in general is to look at some ones tank or totm for example and copy it. Plain and simple

No use reinventing the wheel, taking bits and pieces from everybody's ideas just except the fact that if someone you know is killing it take a step back and follow there lead because what ever there doing and or the combination
Of everything there doing works.

Stability and time is your best friend

Good write up btw!

 

[NatureNerd]

Good advice above, but also realize there are many paths that lead to the top of the mountain. Find the way that works for you, based upon what has proven to work for others and what you are actually willing to do.

I know a guy who does 20% water changes every week. His tank looks great. I am not willing to do more than a 5g bucket per week. My tank looks great too but I have to feed less and export nutrients more. Find what works for you.

As far as growth rates, the key for me has been stable water conditions. I'll get flamed for this, but I do not test anymore. The numbers came up the same for years. I have the same routine so I only test if something looks different or there has been a change. Remember this is an old tank.

 

[Reefnub]

^----+1

I never tested in my whole life and my corals bloom. Kalk top off and 20-30g water changes every 2-3weeks. Works for me and i'm happy with my results. :bounce3:

 

[allsps40]

Adding a ATO with kalk is what finally push my corals color to the point of good. Before I had alk swings and SG would fluctuate to much to keep sps happy. Also keeping the water a bit on the dirty side instead of sterile. I keep my no3 at 5-10ppm and that really helps with color in my sps, I try to shoot for the low side of 5ppm. I do this by feeding well a few times a week. I have no idae what my po4 is right now. I always run GFO but dont have a good po4 test. Whenever I have it check by LFS on Hanna po4 is always at or very near 0.00.