Skeleton growth, or lack of it

[pledosophy]

The LPS in my tank are growing quite rapidly. My Frogspawn went from 1 head to 8. The hammer one head to 3. The Other frogspawn (different species) one head to three. Torch coral one head to two.

However the skeletons have not grown much at all in the last year.

Levels are good, nitrates are a bit high somewhere between 20 and 40 on the chart. I dose to ustain alk, Ca, and MG. Also dose ammino acids.

Any ideas?

 

[Echidna09]

Lower NO3 and PO4. Skeletons take a while to grow. Make sure Ca is 450-500.

 

[elegance coral]

I agree with Echidna09. Elevated nitrate is usually accompanied by elevated phosphate. Elevated phosphate inhibits calcification. I would start changing water, reduce feeding if possible, and think about dosing kalk.

 

[Garage1217]

I can vouch for the "Elevated phosphate inhibits calcification" Once I introduced cheato and my trites, trates and phos went down, my candies strarted growing at 10x the rate they had before.. was quite amazing to see a 3 headed neon candy that had not grown a new head in 2 months, have 5 heads in 2 weeks / 8 heads in a month.

 

[pledosophy]

Thanks for the tips.

Ya I hadn't realized nitrates were that high. I've taken actions to lower it.

I already have a big ole refugium, it's a 30g on a 65g tank. There is a generous amount of macro alage (taxifloria) in there, it is wall to wall. I pull a handful out every couple weeks.

Phosphates are at 0. Could be the algae is sucking up anything available but I also use phosban.

Thanks for the help. I'll keep on keeping on.