Feeding LPS advice

[davidfrances]

I have about 23 assorted LPS in one of my 250's. They all appear to be doing very well, but I am not seeing rapid growth. I have tried target feeding, but do not see the corals taking the food, mostly it ends up falling off or drifting away. I have used a slurry of mysis, plankton, and pelletized dry foods. Am I doing something wrong?

Is there something else I should try?

Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
Calcium 550
Alkalinity dKH 10dKH
Specific Gravity 1.025
Temperature (F) 79
pH 8.3
Magnesium 1300
Phosphate 0.05 ppm

 

[Mussin]

most lps are slow growers. especially brains.

 

[Salt Kreep]

Perhaps someone with a bit more experience could chime in here, but I always thought that LPS do better with a more nutrient rich water. Your parameters look perfect for SPS.

 

[Art13]

They like more nutrients, mine accept target feeding day or night, never had a problem, mysis, brine, bloodworms, coral frenzy. If you can't get them to target feed during the day, wait until you see their tentacles at night and try then.

 

[MondoBongo]

for what it is worth, i have had varying results as far as feeding response for my LPS.

my frogspawn, and some of my acans, exhibit a powerful feeding response. very obviously grabbing the food and working it towards the polyp mouth, or in the case of the acans, closing tight around the food.

my scolymia is the best, often appearing to almost flip itself inside out before it bubbles up and closes on the food.

however my hammer, two torches, chalices, and platygyria generally don't react much, and the food tends to waft away on the current most times when i turn the pumps back on.

was there a particular time of day you were feeding? i have noticed in my tank that most of the LPS put out their mesenterial filaments shortly after lights out. this is especially true for my acans.

great looking tanks by the way.

 

[chrisfont23]

I have an LPS dominant tank(s). It's been up for about 4 yrs. I had to migrate to a 29g because of growth. I am now maxed out in my 90g, again due to growth. No secret. I just keep everything stable and target feed 3x a week. I also keep NO3 at around 20 ppm.

 

[GGuy]

What lighting are you using? LED's?

 

[Art13]

I have a reefbreeders photon 48 and all my lps are doing very well under it. I have a few acans with multiple smaller heads on them, i got them single heads a piece. The purple acan i have i got in late december. at this time he has about 5 new heads growing off of him, about 1/3 the size of the main head at this point, to give you an idea of growth. My favia growth you can almost measure daily, but my chalices seem to be extremely slow, same with the open brain. hope this helps. Also my duncan in about 5 months has gone from 1 small head to about 6-7 large heads.

 

[chrisfont23]

I also have a photon 48. The growth rate is good. No negative effects from the LEDs. I really love the lights.

 

[Arkonen]

I mix a small bit of coral frenzy with some selcon in a syringe of tank water and aim it at them. Alternately during the week I use blackworms laid right on top of them. My acans are puffy/colored up and have new heads sprouting since changing to this.

 

[GGuy]

Most LPS grow slowly, especially brain coral. I wouldn't stress about it. The coral frenzy and selcon is a good mix, you can also try cyclopeeze too