need some tank help

[eon]

alright i have 95% sps tank and i have a problem w/ slow to no growth, very little PE and bad coloration (dull/brown). heres a a list of hardware and my params.

Tank - 45 gallon pentagonish 20-30lbs of live rock and about 10lbs of sand setup last september

live stock - 2 clowns, longfin wrasse, pink spotted gobby, 2 chromis, cleaner shrimp, emerald crab and a golden dwarf eel i feed about 1 cube of mysis everyday to every other day and feed the GDE squid daily

lighting - 250w HQI Aquamedic Pendant, Phoenix 14k (6 months old) 8 hours/day
2 Powerbrite 460nm providing antinics 10 hours/day

Flow - Panworld 40px return
Panworld 50px-x closed loop
Vortech mp10 on 100% reefcrest

Skimmer - Euro Reef RS80

Doser - DIY API dual doser on ACjr

Ph - 8.1-8.3
Temp - 77-80
Salinity - 1.025-1.026
alk - 9-9.5
calcium - 400-420

i do a 10% water change everyweek with D-Dh20 salt, i recently had a cyano outbreak so i started feeding every other day and added gfo and carbon to a reactor (prewashed). my cyano has pretty much vanished as well as any hair algea which i think i might be starving my emerald crab it looks like he might be going after the polyps on my acros or there might by some algea on there that i dont see. through all this there is ONE acro doing really well a garf bonsai i have dead center in my tank its encrusted like crazy.

through what you've read here is there anything i might be missing or something i have overlooked any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[eon]

i guess im on my own lol

 

[Znut Reefer]

What is your P04?

 

[eon]

salifert reads 0 which pretty much means nothing but the only visible algae i have is one 1"x2" spot of red hair/turf algae, actually looking to order the hanna egg this week

 

[Znut Reefer]

Yes salifert is not very good at testing P04. I would also check your mg level, salifert is good for testing it. Are the sps aquacultures or wild sps?

 

[mutateddogbone]

well if you're having algae outbreaks then the algae is using up all the PO4 before you can test for it. also you might want to check for red bugs or AEFW. grab a few pieces and get a magnifying glass and see if you can find any. do you have any PH or alk swings, temp swings, SG swings... lots of things could be going on

 

[eon]

they are all aquacultured and no i don't have any noticeable swings everything is kept pretty steady with the controller and the dosser

as for mg no i dont test or supplement it other than with the water changes but i dont know how that would affect the PE and color i would think it only affects the growth due to the calcification rate

as for bugs or worms all my corals have come from a friends tank and they look great in his tank but when they get to mine they begin to slowly decline

 

[mutateddogbone]

any softies like colt coral or toadstool? what about ammonia or nitrate?

 

[Znut Reefer]

Mag does play an important role in a reef tank. I would test it just so you'll know. I would maintain it at 1400. Some salts are low in mag and you have to use a mag supplement. I would also check to be sure you don't have any red bugs. They can cause poor PE and brown dull color.

 

[trentdingo]

they are all aquacultured and no i don't have any noticeable swings everything is kept pretty steady with the controller and the dosser

as for mg no i dont test or supplement it other than with the water changes but i dont know how that would affect the PE and color i would think it only affects the growth due to the calcification rate

as for bugs or worms all my corals have come from a friends tank and they look great in his tank but when they get to mine they begin to slowly decline

what does your friend run for lights and such?
sometimes it takes up to 2 or more months to adjust to a new tank