Ive had a mixed reef since I started this hobby. I have transitioned from 3 tanks with my 240 being my largest to date. Over the years I have worked from cheap t-5, to Chinese black boxes to kessils. Once I started this last tank, I initially purchased 3 kessil 360 and supplemented with t-5s.
I never was satisfied with the growth of my coral. My tank is 3' x 5', so those lights were inadequate for what I was trying to accomplish. I did a final upgrade to my hardware and purchased 3 gen4 pro radions, and a 4' hybrid t 5 fixture, also upgraded to 2 mp40s. So I set the radions to the sps ab shcrdule and acclimated the corals. Ive had this set up for several months now. I worked really hard to get all my parameters locked in. I fought phosphate issues since the start. I am currently sitting at 0.02 steady. My sps have started growing slowly. LPS have some what receeded. MY biggest issue is I have no polyp extension. My purple bonsia coral is the only sps I can see any extension. I have virtually no nitrates, unless I dose them. It seems I have as close to the top equipment I can get. Ive made 2 purchased from WWC in recent months, and those sps seem to be growing slightly.
I dont want to take drastic steps in improving this system, but I feel something is out of order with my set up. I have tried cutting back on water changes, changing water aggressively, adding trace supplements, changing flow patterns.
MY parameters have been locked on the following for at least 2 months now
Cal- 400
Alk- 8.4
Mag- 1350
NO3- 0.75 (I have to dose to get this, otherwise it is 0)
PO4- 0.02
SG 1.025
I switched to red sea coral pro for regular instant ocean
I also run GFO as well as carbon. My system has a 30 gallon fuge which I can harvest a 5 gallon bucket of chaeto every 5 weeks.
I am down to 2 things I can point at to be the culprit.
1. something in my water not jiving with the corals. My water supply has had a byproduct called Gen x. If you live in the coastal north carolina area, you are probably well versed in this.
2. is it could be my miniature angels. I have a flame, bicolor and a coral beauty. THe rest are a few tangs and community fish.
I have never saw them go after and of the coral. I have a ORA purple monti that grows like a weed. I have a green birdsnest that does well in the tank. And not to mention the bonsia coral which has extension.
I m still leaning on something being out of order in my system. What ever it is affects some of my LPS as well. My frog spawn, hammers, and duncan never extend fully either.
Any suggestions?
I never was satisfied with the growth of my coral. My tank is 3' x 5', so those lights were inadequate for what I was trying to accomplish. I did a final upgrade to my hardware and purchased 3 gen4 pro radions, and a 4' hybrid t 5 fixture, also upgraded to 2 mp40s. So I set the radions to the sps ab shcrdule and acclimated the corals. Ive had this set up for several months now. I worked really hard to get all my parameters locked in. I fought phosphate issues since the start. I am currently sitting at 0.02 steady. My sps have started growing slowly. LPS have some what receeded. MY biggest issue is I have no polyp extension. My purple bonsia coral is the only sps I can see any extension. I have virtually no nitrates, unless I dose them. It seems I have as close to the top equipment I can get. Ive made 2 purchased from WWC in recent months, and those sps seem to be growing slightly.
I dont want to take drastic steps in improving this system, but I feel something is out of order with my set up. I have tried cutting back on water changes, changing water aggressively, adding trace supplements, changing flow patterns.
MY parameters have been locked on the following for at least 2 months now
Cal- 400
Alk- 8.4
Mag- 1350
NO3- 0.75 (I have to dose to get this, otherwise it is 0)
PO4- 0.02
SG 1.025
I switched to red sea coral pro for regular instant ocean
I also run GFO as well as carbon. My system has a 30 gallon fuge which I can harvest a 5 gallon bucket of chaeto every 5 weeks.
I am down to 2 things I can point at to be the culprit.
1. something in my water not jiving with the corals. My water supply has had a byproduct called Gen x. If you live in the coastal north carolina area, you are probably well versed in this.
2. is it could be my miniature angels. I have a flame, bicolor and a coral beauty. THe rest are a few tangs and community fish.
I have never saw them go after and of the coral. I have a ORA purple monti that grows like a weed. I have a green birdsnest that does well in the tank. And not to mention the bonsia coral which has extension.
I m still leaning on something being out of order in my system. What ever it is affects some of my LPS as well. My frog spawn, hammers, and duncan never extend fully either.
Any suggestions?
