Polyp problems, need help

[Biocubehqi]

My tank consists of four fish: flame angel, six line wrasse, royal gramma, occ clownfish. Tons of sps and lps, hitch hiker softies. Params: salinity 1.026, po4: undetectable, which I doubt, I have hair algae in my refugium along with sea lettuce, nitrite nitrate and ammonia is zero. Calcium 440. Ph is always at 8.1
My turn over rate is 50 times, average about 10 watts per gallon, at least

I have noticed my flame angel messes with the sps, was hoping that maybe it was foraging for algae, haha wishful thinking. If I look over at the tank the angel immediately gets away from the sps. It's not an everyday all day thing neither. Ut I haven't really had polyp extension. I got a new acro and it had polyp extension like crazy for 2 days. Now nothing. I haven't seen any damage to my colorful beauties. Was wondering if this would just slow down their growth or if they will starve out from lack of extension. They do come out but not for long. Is this something I can ride out, am I missing something and its not the angel? I have a Oregon tort which is supposed to be a slow grower. But my tank grows every coral like weeds, it's sick... Are they getting enough light they don't need as much polyp extension? Please, any advice?.

 

[Finland]

If you have an angel nipping, that would explain poor pe. Sps learn quickly not to extend polyps during daytime. It doesn't take much. How is the polyp extension an hour after lights out? I had a bi-color angel that nipped on occasion, didn't seem to affect health or growth, just the polyp extension. After getting rid of the bi-color, polyp extension got a ton better, but it took about a month.

 

[clowndude]

My vote is on the flame angel needs to go. I recently had the same issue and I ended up getting rid of him. Also could be lack of food

 

[hypnoj]

Make sure you pull out a flash light and check for PE in the middle of the night or an hour or so before the lights come on. You might find that you have great PE at night time. I'm the same as you, I have no PE during the day, really good PE at night and my corals are growing fine. I also have a flame angel, but I've never seen it peck at my SPS.

 

[Biocubehqi]

Thank you for all the responses, this will not be fun, lol. I have yet to check at night and will do that, just have to find the flashlight my two year old has to hide everything...

 

[tdb320reef]

Yep

Yep

+1 the flame. My LPS really appriciate the fact tat mine are gone.

 

[Duc1098]

I'm having a lot of the same issues and this is what I have learned over the last few weeks and what I am doing about it. First, if you are not aware of Ultra-Low Nutrient Systems (ULNS) it is something you should look into because it looks like it is what you have as your P and N's are undetectable. That is not an issue, you will just need to supplement to make up the difference as I am. I have been doing it for about a week now and have seen a little improvement in both PE and color in a relatively short period of time and wont know the full effects for at least a month. I would recommend dosing vitamins and amino acids to see if that will have an affect. There are a lot of different brands out there by Aquavitro, Red Sea and Zeovit. Zeovit tends to specialize in the ULNS and a lot of these systems are refered Zeo-systems. I started with a week of Aquavitroand, since it was all my LFS had, but just started this past Friday with the Red Sea Reef Energy part A and B. I was not impressed with the Aquavitro since I had to dose a lot more as compared to the Red Sea Reef Energy A/B. I have read that the Zeovit products are even more concentrated and require a lot less doing then either of them.

On a side note, I would have to agree with everyone else and believe that the Flame Angel could have a part in it as well. I have a Coral Beauty that I had observed picking at some Zoa's but have never seen it nipping at SPS.

I see that your in Illinois. Where are you located?