How to introduce nutrients into the water

[Roblox84]

I have just the generic assortment of soft corals including yellow polyps, xenia, candy cane, mushroom, green star, zooas, kenya tree. I have had these corals for around 2 years without much luck. The only corals that actually have grown significantly over this time is the xenia and kenya tree corals and candy cane. The yellow polyps have slowly been dying off through the years and the other corals have barely seen any growth. The mushroom corals have split, but not the amount they should have in 2 years. The green star polyps also don't extend much at all.

I narrowed down the problem to insufficient nutrients in the water column. So recently I have started feeding phytoplankton (Coral Frenzy) and I have also been spot feeding some of the corals with this product as well. Ever since I started this method the yellow polyps have started growing and splitting pretty fast for the first time in the 2 year period and the candy cane has also seen significant growth. I have a 75 gallon tank with 440watt vhos and I do about a 10-13 percent water change every 2 weeks. I have also extended this period now to every 3 weeks to help more detritus dissolve in the water so that the corals can absorb more from the water column. In my old 20 gallon tank I never did water changes and just added top off and the corals grew so fast that I had to throw frags away every day. Of course I had significantly more algae as well due to so many nutrients in the water.

Does anyone know a better way of how to introduce nutrients into the water because this spot feeding is very annoying. Should I maybe add a few more fish and feed more? I have 6 small fish except for my yellow tang which is about 4-5 inches. 2 serpent stars, a emerald crab and a coral banded. The livestock have also been in the tank for 2 years.

I have a eshopps psk 100 skimmer, alk is 8, cal is 400-450, temp is 80, sal is 1.024, ph is 8.2-8.4 (I use color guide so it's hard to tell ph)

 

[Zappo]

Spot feeding may be annoying, but it's far less annoying than a major algae outbreak that can result from just dumping in large amounts of coral food. Most of the corals you mentioned really shouldn't need any food though. Just lots of light. The candy cane can be fed meaty foods like frozen mysis or brine a few times a week to speed up their growth. I'm not sure how much benefit it'd get from the really tiny stuff that filter feeders eat. Mine seems indifferent to that sort of thing.

Also, you mention having a lack of nutrients in your water but didn't post your current nitrate/phosphate levels. Are they at 0? That'd be the biggest thing to keep an eye on when adding foods to the water column for filter feeders.

 

[Roblox84]

Spot feeding may be annoying, but it's far less annoying than a major algae outbreak that can result from just dumping in large amounts of coral food. Most of the corals you mentioned really shouldn't need any food though. Just lots of light. The candy cane can be fed meaty foods like frozen mysis or brine a few times a week to speed up their growth. I'm not sure how much benefit it'd get from the really tiny stuff that filter feeders eat. Mine seems indifferent to that sort of thing.

Also, you mention having a lack of nutrients in your water but didn't post your current nitrate/phosphate levels. Are they at 0? That'd be the biggest thing to keep an eye on when adding foods to the water column for filter feeders.

Sorry, nitrates and phospates are at 0. Although I guess I should say undetectable since I am using those color tests. But either way there shouldn't be any phosphates in there because I have used phospate media since setting up the tank and there is no algae exept some coraline here and there. Unless the rocks are sucking it up, but who knows.

I have realized that a lot of my corals don't need the coral food, it's mainly the yellow polyps and candy cane. I spot feed mostly only them with coral food and mysis shrimp about once every few day's. And they've been doing much better since the feedings. I was down to about 3 yellow polyps and when I started feeding them the coral food they have split into about 6 and there are a few more little guy's growing. I just wish I knew how to get my green star polyps to expand more.

 

[atrox]

I run skimmerless in my softie tank, that keeps the nutrient load high. The only thing I target feed is the fish and they in turn feed everything else.

 

[Roblox84]

I run skimmerless in my softie tank, that keeps the nutrient load high. The only thing I target feed is the fish and they in turn feed everything else.

Interesting. Do you have a sump or a filter on it, or do you just do water changes from time to time. I was actually wondering if the skimmer does more harm then good because on my last reef I had only an hob penguin filter and no skimmer and that was the tank where the corals took off and I couldn't keep up with the trimming they were growing that fast.

 

[atrox]

When I set this tank up I had ease of operation in mind, so the only filtration I run is two rena xp4's and two power heads for circ. I change the media, and run heavy carbon. Other than that the tank has been set up for over a year, and I ve never done a water change. I just add top off water and dose calcium to keep the coraline up. Ive had sumps, calc reactors, and everything else in between. Some people say this might be "lazy" or the wrong way to do things but I've never enjoyed a tank more, and I ve never had faster growing or happier corals. This Tank is exclusively softie.

 

[Roblox84]

When I set this tank up I had ease of operation in mind, so the only filtration I run is two rena xp4's and two power heads for circ. I change the media, and run heavy carbon. Other than that the tank has been set up for over a year, and I ve never done a water change. I just add top off water and dose calcium to keep the coraline up. Ive had sumps, calc reactors, and everything else in between. Some people say this might be "lazy" or the wrong way to do things but I've never enjoyed a tank more, and I ve never had faster growing or happier corals. This Tank is exclusively softie.

Sounds good. And I also from doing the same "Lazy" method on my last tank the corals also grew like weeds which for me was a great thing because everything was covered and looked like a coral forest.

 

[biecacka]

atrox can we see a pic??? i have a softy few lps tank too