How to bump up the growth....

[ptreef]

DT has 400w MH's.....reeflux 12K and 4 ATI t-5's Blue+
~ 11hrs t-5, 7hrs MH. I have ~40x's random flow in DT with CLS & Jebaos.
Colors great, less than avg LR and open layout. 3 yrs old

Frag tank has phoenix 14k MH (7hrs), 12" deep and seems plenty of light (especially since I seem to be bleaching/lightening) only in frag tank. Systems tied together. I have ~45-50x's random flow with Jebao's in frag tank

Water params are:
ALK: 9.0 steady
CAL: 420 steady
MG: 1400
ppt: 35
pH: 8.1-8.3
temp: ~77-80* daily swing
po4: typically .01-.02 (hanna ulr) never higher and times like 0

I used to run Rox .08 1.75c changed monthly thru reactor, now I am just floating ~ 1cup in sump swapped monthly. Hope this helps some

NO GFO or PELLETS. Just SRO xp 3000e skimmer. ~ Medium fish load and I feed mix of rod's primarily and some pellet & flake occasionally. Tangs are all fat and happy!

Dose BRS 2 part ~ 260ml/day spread over 12 doses a day via bubble magus

I do about 10% WC every 2 months with IO and wondering if upping that will help or going from 2 part to CA Rx help?

 

[bru65]

Try focusing on the various coral foods like Reef Roids, Cyclop-eese, Coral Frenzy, etc. I noticed a distinct increase in growth rate with regular feeding. Make sure your light bulbs are fresh and try lowering the intensity on your frag tank since they are bleaching.
One other thought is look closely for coral pests which can severely limit growth rates.

 

[ptreef]

I raised the lights on the frag tank. Nothing really has bleached, just lighten up so appears to much light.

Do you target feed your SPS or broadcast? Do you do at night?

I do have some coral frenzy that i at times maybe every other week add to my frozen food and turn of return pump and add to tank, but worried about side effects. maybe I can bump that up slowly over the next few weeks.

 

[bru65]

Yes I target feed once every few days. I usually perform feeding about an hour before lights out. Start with one coral that has it's polyps extended. Wait 10 minutes and you should notice SPS and LPS go into a feeding response. Continue feeding. You'll find that more food is actually consumed by waiting the 10 mins.

 

[trueblackpercula]

I also target feed once a week using coral v power and it works better then a few others that I have tried. Mysis shrimp works well but needs to be liquefied and target feed as well. Try to avoid pouring food in the tank with hopes that the Sps will catch it. If you over do it it may cause a nutrient issue that will do more harm then good.

 

[Bpb]

With such low phosphates you might benefit from lowering your alk some. I run gfo and rox and change monthly. I noticed a distinct increase in growth color and polyp extension by simply feeding a little more of a wider variety of foods, and lowering my alk from 8.5 to 7.5

 

[jda]

How slow are they growing now? Are you even sure that you can bump them up? Are we talking frags, captive colonies, AQ, Mari, etc.?

What is the basis for the question with regards to what you have. It might be possible that nothing can be recommended to help at all.

 

[ptreef]

With such low phosphates you might benefit from lowering your alk some. I run gfo and rox and change monthly. I noticed a distinct increase in growth color and polyp extension by simply feeding a little more of a wider variety of foods, and lowering my alk from 8.5 to 7.5

Thanks,
I have read that many with low nutrients have gone to closer to 7.5 ALK.
I will slowly lower over next week or so and see how things go in addition to a little more feeding

How slow are they growing now? Are you even sure that you can bump them up? Are we talking frags, captive colonies, AQ, Mari, etc.?

What is the basis for the question with regards to what you have. It might be possible that nothing can be recommended to help at all.

Not sure I can measure growth, especially since it varies form coral to coral and and not simply 1" per month etc as I really have not really measured. The frags I do have in my frags tank do seem to grow maybe 1/2" a month I guess.

Based off what I have seen in others threads that have "good growth" from pics and times, mine seem to be maybe half that of others with "good growth."

So I am just looking for suggestions from others that have seen an increase in growth from certain changes like: additional foods, certain additives, 2 part to dosing to Ca Rx, IO to brand x salt, bumping WC's, decreasing WC's, temps changes, etc.....


These are all aquacultered frags majority (few small colonies) originally from other hobbiest tanks.
Most all are atleast 2 yrs old and some atleast 1yr old.

 

[Arkayology]

I am having similar issues with my tank. I have good color, but growth is slow. I have been advised to feed my fish more heavily and use my oyster feast more often.

I also agree that bringing your all down into the 7.5-8dkh range slowly would help things along.

 

[toothman]

alk is too high. 7-8
5% 2x week.
More food, oyster feast is the best!

 

[kv69]

+1 on alk