Coral doesn't want to grow

[blackthunda77]

I know this has been asked before, but I don't want to crash someone else's thread and all situations are different. Long story short, I can't seem to get my corals to grow. Sps seem to pale and then die over the course of a few months. I've had a frog spawn that looks good but no new growth. Sane thing with my Duncan, although a little pale. I have a frag of neon green nepthea, still only about 2", had it for over a year. My 2 scolys seem to be doing good, just not really growing either. Had a really hard time with corraline for the first 2 years, but now it seems to have started up, mostly on the back glass, rocks not so much.

I'm running
2 x 250 radiums with lumen max elite reflectors
2 x vortech mp40s
Jeboa 12000 return
Reef octopus sro5000 skimmer

Nitrate is around 15-20 based on nyos tester. All other parameters can be found in my triton results. P04 is lower now down to about 0.03 since after the triton testing. Just looking for advice, input, a different perspective from a fresh set of eyes.

Also running a fuge in the sump with cheato to try to reduce the nitrates. However, even with my level of n03, the nepthea should still be growing.

https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/aquarium/auswertung-b/icp-oes/42482/


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[blackthunda77]

It's almost as if im starving the tank while I still have n03 present.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[FoxFace Fish]

Check calcium alkalinity and magnesium

To me the SPS dying how they are is either lights or not enough calcium I know my sps and lps turn white when there is not enough calcium

 

[mcgyvr]

IMO and from my personal experience and from the data you have given so far I will make this comment..

Your nitrate is too high for many SPS and your phosphate is too low...
I personally never had good luck when nitrates got over 10.. SPS corals would brown out over time and just die eventually..

But I will say that coral growth in general is slow.. Sometimes its best to take pictures and compare over time..

 

[blackthunda77]

Check calcium alkalinity and magnesium

To me the SPS dying how they are is either lights or not enough calcium I know my sps and lps turn white when there is not enough calcium

If you look at the icp results, my alk is at around 8.3 and calcium around 495

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[blackthunda77]

IMO and from my personal experience and from the data you have given so far I will make this comment..

Your nitrate is too high for many SPS and your phosphate is too low...
I personally never had good luck when nitrates got over 10.. SPS corals would brown out over time and just die eventually..

But I will say that coral growth in general is slow.. Sometimes its best to take pictures and compare over time..

While i agree my nitrates are a little high for more finicky sps, I find it hard to believe the nepthea, which I've had in past tanks with much higher no3, has not grown in over a year. And as for the po4, the icp test shows the po4 around 0.09. It is lower now due to dosing lanthanum chloride.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[blackthunda77]

triton results

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[Tripod1404]

I agree with mcgyvr that nitrate is too high to keep SPS. Also how often are you making triton testing. Stuff like Alk, Ca and Mg can change in a matter of weeks. Unless you are regularly testing with another method, triton is not a viable option.

Also the relative abundance of phosphate vs nitrate is more important than their absolute values. High nitrate and low phosphate is even worse compared to both being slightly high.

 

[blackthunda77]

Thanks for the reply guys. But let's take sps out of the equation as I have none at the moment. Why aren't my softies and lps like frog spawn and favia growing?

The results from Triton for alkalinity, calcium, magnesium were taken after months of not dosing anything. So essentially there is no uptake, hence the no growth.

Im definitely not a noob, I've had quite a few tanks in the past over the past 15 years, but this one is the only one baffling me like this. Could the high barium or low iodine reported by triton be the cause? This has only been happening in the last 3 to 4 years since I've been at my new house which is running on well water. However all my top off and water changes are done via a 6 stage ro system and the tds always shows 0. Is there something that the ro system is letting through? That's basically why I did the triton testing.



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[FoxFace Fish]

you could always do a water change you would be surprised how that is a solution to most of your problems

 

[Tripod1404]

Thanks for the reply guys. But let's take sps out of the equation as I have none at the moment. Why aren't my softies and lps like frog spawn and favia growing?

The results from Triton for alkalinity, calcium, magnesium were taken after months of not dosing anything. So essentially there is no uptake, hence the no growth.

Im definitely not a noob, I've had quite a few tanks in the past over the past 15 years, but this one is the only one baffling me like this. Could the high barium or low iodine reported by triton be the cause? This has only been happening in the last 3 to 4 years since I've been at my new house which is running on well water. However all my top off and water changes are done via a 6 stage ro system and the tds always shows 0. Is there something that the ro system is letting through? That's basically why I did the triton testing.



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

My trition results also showed high barium. Based on what I read, it enters our system as an impurity from supplements but doesn't really cause much of a problem. Imo pale corals indicate low phosphate and high light. You might try to let phosphate go up a bit.

 

[FoxFace Fish]

My trition results also showed high barium. Based on what I read, it enters our system as an impurity from supplements but doesn't really cause much of a problem. Imo pale corals indicate low phosphate and high light. You might try to let phosphate go up a bit.

that too :reading:

 

[blackthunda77]

you could always do a water change you would be surprised how that is a solution to most of your problems

I did this weekend, and i did see my scolys, frog spawn, and the polyps on my chalice perk up a bit. Nitrate didn't really budge though.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[blackthunda77]

My trition results also showed high barium. Based on what I read, it enters our system as an impurity from supplements but doesn't really cause much of a problem. Imo pale corals indicate low phosphate and high light. You might try to let phosphate go up a bit.

I agree with the comment on the p04. However, remember I stated previously that the p04 was higher, around 0.09+ when I did the triton testing. Corals were still acting the same, pale, no growth, etc. P04 is only low now because I dosed lanthanum chloride a couple weeks ago.

People have stated i should lower the light intensity, and or turn off my skimmer for a while. However, I'm reluctant because my n03 is above what it should be anyways.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[miralami]

I think your parameters are good for any corals.
My suggestion is not to do anything, keep feeding your fish and if you don't have enough fish, add more.
Keep your Alk dead stable and you are good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gprdypoo04]

i think your parameters are good for any corals.
My suggestion is not to do anything, keep feeding your fish and if you don't have enough fish, add more.
Keep your alk dead stable and you are good.


Sent from my iphone using tapatalk

i agree.......

 

[blackthunda77]

I think your parameters are good for any corals.
My suggestion is not to do anything, keep feeding your fish and if you don't have enough fish, add more.
Keep your Alk dead stable and you are good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks. I think I have enough fish...

1 large black indicus trigger
4"sohal
A pair of black clowns
Small lyre tail anthias
Exquisite wrasse
Yellow flanked wrasse
Flame angel

Tank is 200 gal with 80 gal sump

Everything has been stable for the most part aside from me battling the no3. Only thing I can say is that I added and ato a couple months ago, so maybe my salinity fluctuated a little between top offs before getting the ato.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[Pet Detective]

I run 2 Radium 250w Metal Halides as well, with VHO actinic supplements on a 90g Reef, and I have good color and growth from all types of corals, so I know it's not a lighting issue, unless you don't change the bulbs every 12-18 months. I make sure to keep calcium, magnesium and alkalinity levels stable, that's all I ever check for. I have 2 Tangs, 1 Falcula, 3 Blue/Green Chromis, 1 Matted File Fish and 1 Mandarin, I have no idea nor do I care what my nitrates or phosphates are doing, the only other thing I have is a small amount, 1/3 cup of GFO running in a reactor to keep film alage at a minimum, I change it out when I notice heavier growth from day to day. I am vigilant about doing 10% water changes weekly and cleaning out all pads, overflow tubes and protein skimmers as well.

 

[pisanoal]

Did you start with purely dry rock and sand?

 

[blackthunda77]

Did you start with purely dry rock and sand?

Yes, but it's been over 3 years now.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk