Common Reasons for Little to No PE?

MammothReefer

MammothReefer

Active member
I'm kinda at loss trying to figure out why some of my corals have very little to no-pe, while the same coral in others tanks are hairy and bushy.. I do have high nitrates, but from everything I've read outside of algie there isn't much detrimental effects of high nitrates (although I have been activity trying to reduce them)

Many of the corals started out with decent PE then it went away, only 1 or 2 Montipora have great PE, (as well as lps of course, stylos, and porcillpora) While most if not all of my Acropora SP have terrible pe, with a couple showing some PE @ Nite.. but even at nite it's nothing like what the exact frag will get in others tanks..

Basically here is a run down of my system

Tank 225 w/RK2 Sump, and a 60 gallon frag tank..
Skimmer BM250 & AS3 G3 (w/ozone)
Salt used reef crystals exclusively for the last few years up until this passed month I am now about to do my 3rd 20% Waterchange w/HW
Lighting 2x400w SE Helios 20k w/2x80w t5 Bulbs (ati pro coral, and ati blue++)
Flow Return pump 2000gph Sedra
2xTunzee 6100s
2xTunzee 6???? I can't remember the number but the less the 3000 gph controllable ones don't seem to be for sale anymore) (all setup on a controller)
Dose Vodka daily.
Feeding habit, pellets, mysis, cyclops

Parameters
Salinity 1.025-1.026 (Top off constant stable within .01)
Calc 380
Alk 9-9.5
Ph 8.05-8.15
Phosphate 0 < .25 (lowest my test kit goes)
Temp 79-79.5
Nitrate (20ppm) OUCH!
Nitrite (don't test)
Magnesium (less then 1590) OD'd on Mag due to bad test kit.. haven't checked in a month but haven't dosed I'm guessing it's dropped from 1590 since then.
Potassium (don't test) torn on if i should get a test kit or not
Iron (don't test)
Iodine (don't test)
ORP (380-400)
Strontium (don't test)
Boron (don't test)
Carbon (24/7 in filter sock changed weekly at this point in time)
Filter socks changed bi-weekly

Known issues.. STN at base of come corals while tips are growing and healing. Random RTN on colours that have colour and "appear to be healthy" Unable to Keep Green monitpora caps, and sunset montis (no issues with red caps or other daneas can keep green monti plateformis)

Inhabitants, Mixed reef mostly SPS
Way to many RBTAS, (working to remove them), 4 leathers (3 toadstools one misc leather) 1 XL Squamous, and 1 L Derasa, various enchinos (small), Euphilya (frogspawn, XXL Bubble, and 2 Elegance M), acans, and rhyzo and brown procillopora food supply for filefish in 60g frag tank

Fish (4 tangs, 2 swallow tails, 1 evil jewel damsel, pair of evil fiji damsels (angels, and damsel on the 2 remove list), 6-7 misc "peacefull damsels", 1 watchman goby, pair of clowns, and a couple of wrasses..

Outside of my nitrates and mag.. nothing really stands out as being so insane.. i'm pretty much at a loss.

Suggestions, and thoughts would be great.
 
i've heard of many hippos that started nipping once they get big, mostly zoas but i guess anything could seem tasty


if the acros are growing but don't have pe id lean toward a nipping fish.

you don't list any greens as being fed, with all those tangs i hope that was simply an oversight.
 
ya i feed nori daily.. spaced on adding it above, I can't say I've ever seen my hippo "nip" at stuff though, my jewel dose.. he is on his way to the sump or another tank (if i can find a home) but to think 1 fish would systematically hit every sps i have seems odd to me. The corals just don't look as healthy as they do in my friends tank.. I'm not sure where i'm off.. I know her N's are really low so i'm working on that.
 
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but ya..it could very well be that.. I keep putting off my tank overhaul (where i remove everything and place it in the sump, get all but 1 of the anenomes of my rocks, and remove all the fish that may be causing problems.. ) then put the display back together and do a nice sized wc..
 
taggin along. having similar issues. some have told me it might be my leathers. have a huge toadstool and a few big pieces of sinularia. something about them releasing toxins and chemicals int he water, some chemical warfare. but then again my montis are doing fine and growing. but the more sensitive acros are the ones not growing, browning and no PE
 
oh ya, I just wanted to add I've checked and checked for Red Bugs, or AEWFS and haven't found anything, even gone as far as fw dipping a coral that was dying, and nothing strange came off in the fw dip.
 
Temperature, flow, light intensity are the things I think of.

How old are the pieces, it can take a long time for pieces to adapt to your conditions.

Placement, sure it might be good for color but......

PE is the last thing it seems as SPSers we chase after we get good coloration. It also happens to be the most finicky to obtain. Honestly, I doubt those who have "falling out of the coralite" PE, could tell you why they have it.

How do we know its a good thing to begin with? It is said when anenome are starving they swell to increase surface area to catch more light, this could very well be along those lines. Maybe you are doing something very right, than wrong.

Lower you flow for a few hours and raise your lights at the same time, see if that encourages them.....I would think it would and easy to try.
 
From my experience, I've got some corals that are, as dots so perfectly put it "falling out of the coralite" PE, and it actually gets very little flow, to most of my other acros, which don't get great flow, but they get medium flow, and do not have much PE, only a little bit. Same tank, same lights, only difference is flow, and I know that some people say more flow makes the polyps come out more, and other people say the opposite. Who knows. Maybe try less flow? I don't think that's a healthier (for the coral) option, but maybe that's why some people get lots of PE and some don't?
 
I agree, PE is an overrated indicator of coral health.
You are dosing vodka and your nitrates are 20? How much vodka? Are you increasing this?
 
Thanks for the input but I really don't think it's lighting or flow, I have frags of the same pieces that are in my display, in my frag tank where flow is significantly less, as is lighting (1) 250w vs 2) 400w + 2)80w t5s) and the reaction is the same.. When it comes to pe, I've noticed that tanks that do have Pe generally have much quicker growth, better colour ect.. it could be the result of something else but I've rarely seen a colour SPS w/great PE in an unhealthy system.
 
woot I love HW Marinemix! I just did my 2nd 90gallon (20%) wc with it.. and my corals are starting to show signs of wanting to think about having PE hahahah..
 
B,

Try running a GRIP of carbon in your tank in a media reactor if possible. I used to have issues with PE until I got rid of all my softies on my current tank. Three toadstools can produce a lot of slime.
 
I have excellent PE and great color. I would attest it to my kalk reactor keeping my Ph @ 8.3-8.5 all the time. I also target feed daily with DT's oyster eggs (so they aren't extending due to starvation!)

I have also seen a sailfin nipping on acros. So I wouldn't rule anything out.
 
I had some vermatid snails irritating one of my acros and I think they eventually starved... Just a guess...
 
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