New to SPS. Need Advice

[ScottB]

I have a 60 cube w/ a Radion LED fixture, 1000gph return, and 2 MP10w Vortechs. The tank has been set up (completed cycle) for about 2 and a half months. My parms are sg:1025, temp:77-78, ph:8.1-8.2, ORP:375, CA 470, Mag 1500, Alk:11. Amm:0, Nitrite:0, Nitrate:3ppm. I do 10% w/c every other week, with Red Sea. I run a reactor with carbon and GFO. I skim with a skimmer capable of more almost triple the tank capacity. I have 4 chromis, a YWG, and a bunch of shrimp, crabs, snails, and a couple of brittle stars.

My issue is that I placed 2 monti digitata, and 1 monti cap frags in the middle of the tank almost 3 weeks ago, but I get very little polyp extension and no noticeable growth. My chalice, frog spawn, mushrooms, capnella, ricordeas, and zoas are doing well. What am I missing?

 

[bobkill]

Nitrate could be lower ? Do you know your phosphates? That could be it - and polyps come out better with random flow - so turn up those mp10 and due nutrition export or reef crest

 

[bobkill]

And it takes sps a while to get set up and start growing- the cap has tiny polyps and the dig won't have long extensions - also may wanna move them up or just to a differ t spot

 

[ScottB]

I am working to get Nitrate down. Phosphate is roughly 0.02. I run the vortechs on the following schedule: 10pm-8am lagoon, ReefCrest from 8-10 and 2-4, TidalSwell from 10-2, and 4-8, and 30 minutes at the end of every feed cycle that I do. Is that enough movement, or do I still need more?

 

[ScottB]

And it takes sps a while to get set up and start growing- the cap has tiny polyps and the dig won't have long extensions - also may wanna move them up or just to a differ t spot

Admittedly, I just moved the cap and one digitata to the middle-upper third this morning.