Slow or No Growth

[MHG]

My tank is just a little over 100 days old.

I have zero, nitrates, phosphates
Calc is 460, Alk is 9.8 dkh
salinity 1.025
Temp 78
PH 7.9-8.2

I have zero growth on some eagle eye and only 1 polyp on some other type zoa (not sure what it is).

My GSP is growing like crazy, my button polyp and galaxia looks great (also no growth)


I read somewhere that phosphates can stunt growth. I did have a HA problem probably from phosphates leaching from the dry rock and growing HA before it was detectable. I now run GFO and have since gotten rid of that problem.


Suggestions?

 

[Conrad25]

Hair algae is gone? If its not gone, than you still have some issues going on. Also you have only really had the system going for 100days which isn't long at all for growth as usually when you going through all the new tank syndrom's you won't have much growth. Also are you doing regular water changes? Feeding habits? How many fish?

 

[MHG]

Makes sence.. thanks...

2 chromis, firefish, corris wrasse.

fish are fed once a day
Phytoplankton and reef snow daily for coral

HA 90% gone. less every day...
Monthly 10% Water changes...

 

[Conrad25]

Feeding the tank during the day with the photoplankton and reef snow? If you are I would do that at night with some moonlights on as that seems to get better feeding responses from polyps. The hair algae is consuming all the phosphates/nutrients so that when you test you are getting false readings of 0 when you do have some. Also I would bump the water change up to 20% and would recommend if you can to do more water changes like bi-weekly as that will help you a lot with nutrients and keeping levels perfect. Also you running RODI water at 0 tds?

 

[MHG]

Feeding the tank during the day with the photoplankton and reef snow? If you are I would do that at night with some moonlights on as that seems to get better feeding responses from polyps. The hair algae is consuming all the phosphates/nutrients so that when you test you are getting false readings of 0 when you do have some. Also I would bump the water change up to 20% and would recommend if you can to do more water changes like bi-weekly as that will help you a lot with nutrients and keeping levels perfect. Also you running RODI water at 0 tds?

Daily...not during the day

Yes, thats what I was saying aboutthe HA and the phosphates.

I dont have a nutrient level that I see...and I beleive my calk, alk and mag are all good unless someone is suggecting otherwise.

Yes ro/di zero tds

 

[A. Grandis]

When you have proper lights you won't need to feed the tank every day.
Try to cut feeding to once a week and make sure you've got a good skimmer running.
Turn off the pumps/skimmer to target feed.
Keep he water changes. At least 10% a month is fine.

Gradis.

 

[MHG]

Thanks...

 

[Exxotic]

Unless i read past it, What kind of lights are you using?
No matter what you should have growth right now. Tank is still new, but normally you would see some signs of growth. Feeding everyday like that will run you into problems eventually on a smaller tank that you are only doing 10% wc on a month.
Feed once a week or every 2 weeks. You dont have enough corals to feed that often.
They also may have a parasite. Take them out and give them a nice coral dip, and return back into the tank

 

[TropTrea]

I have a 120 gallon tank that has been up for 4 years. Initialy when I switched from a 75 gallon to a 120 I lost all my zoos. They simply never opened up again.

I started adding Zoo's about a month ago and would like some idea on what I should expect for growth rates. The frags I got now are called "Red People Eaters" deep red centers with green outers, and "Eagle Eye" green with a bright orange florescent inner ring. Both are about 10 small polyps on a 1/2" plug. Any idea how long it may take them to expand to the size of a quarter? Am I talking months or years?

 

[A. Grandis]

I have a 120 gallon tank that has been up for 4 years. Initialy when I switched from a 75 gallon to a 120 I lost all my zoos. They simply never opened up again.

I started adding Zoo's about a month ago and would like some idea on what I should expect for growth rates. The frags I got now are called "Red People Eaters" deep red centers with green outers, and "Eagle Eye" green with a bright orange florescent inner ring. Both are about 10 small polyps on a 1/2" plug. Any idea how long it may take them to expand to the size of a quarter? Am I talking months or years?

Probably months.
Growth rate depends on too many factors.

The less you touch them and the better you keep the stability/maintenance the faster they will grow, if everything is ok in the system (water params, light, etc).

Grandis.

 

[MHG]

Unless i read past it, What kind of lights are you using?
No matter what you should have growth right now. Tank is still new, but normally you would see some signs of growth. Feeding everyday like that will run you into problems eventually on a smaller tank that you are only doing 10% wc on a month.
Feed once a week or every 2 weeks. You dont have enough corals to feed that often.
They also may have a parasite. Take them out and give them a nice coral dip, and return back into the tank

The lighting is in my sugnatrure line.

48 3 watt led's

 

[MHG]

I saw on a few threads that I should be seing a few new polyps a month. I have only one for sure on one zoa and nothing on the others... GSP has doubled in size in two months.

 

[TjwBlake]

it took mine a couple months but they have recently started to spread, im noticing a couple new polyps here and there. I think it also may just take some time to find the right spot in the tank

 

[A. Grandis]

... and the less you look for new polyps, the more you'll find. :thumbsup:
Just give them some time...

Grandis.

 

[MHG]

... and the less you look for new polyps, the more you'll find. :thumbsup:
Just give them some time...

Grandis.

Yes, good point...

 

[Exxotic]

Each zoa/paly also needs time to adjust to all of your paramters lighting etc. They go through growth spurts, but i would say months to see many more growing. Good luck

 

[TropTrea]

So if I gather from the different discussions in various threads here.

1. I should not be discouraged if I see very minimal growth in the first 3 months.

2. Some varieties will take off and grow like weeds after they are acclimated.

3. Some varieties simply do not adjust to the conditions that may me be ideal for other varieties. So occasionally I might get some that just melt away in a few weeks while others types are thriving.

4. I know light is extremely important and different color morphs might have very different lighting requirements. What might be too much light for type A might be insufficient for type B.

 

[TropTrea]

So if I gather from the different discussions in various threads here.

1. I should not be discouraged if I see very minimal growth in the first 3 months.

2. Some varieties will take off and grow like weeds after they are acclimated.

3. Some varieties simply do not adjust to the conditions that may me be ideal for other varieties. So occasionally I might get some that just melt away in a few weeks while others types are thriving.

4. I know light is extremely important and different color morphs might have very different lighting requirements. What might be too much light for type A might be insufficient for type B.

 

[A. Grandis]

Generally speaking... adding to the list...

5. Depending on collecting practices, fragging and transportation, there will be an influence for the frag or colony to adapt to the new system. That alone will interfere with growth/reproduction since the begining.

6. There is much more to adaptation then water flow, light or water params. A good combination of those will help many of the species we keep. Quarantine is a great help. Avoiding to add predators will save entire colonies and growth time.

7. Small target feeding once a week helps most of the species to grow/reproduce, but the presence of a good skimmer and a water change schedule is crucial to keep the system running without trouble for long periods of time.

8. Changing bulbs every 10 to 12 months will keep the system with a consistent good growth/reproduction. Careful when changing the bulbs could save some colonies from bleaching in a very short time. Same about constant temperature. Changes in temperature also could have negative influences in growth/reproduction.

9. The bigger the colony/frag the better adaptation to a new system/growth.

10. The place you put the new frag/colony in the system will have a tremendous influence for it's growth/reproduction. To keep changing the colony around is not a good idea.

Ok... I'll let others contribute more to the list, so we can learn more... :thumbsup:

Grandis.

 

[TropTrea]

7. Small target feeding once a week helps most of the species to grow/reproduce, but the presence of a good skimmer and a water change schedule is crucial to keep the system running without trouble for long periods of time..

Ah and what do you feed your colonies? I have been rotating frozen foods on daily feeding of the entire tank. Cyclops, Plankton, Mysis Shrimp, and a coral blend. But I do know a lot is wasted and not getting to the corals.

8. Changing bulbs every 10 to 12 months will keep the system with a consistent good growth/reproduction. Careful when changing the bulbs could save some colonies from bleaching in a very short time. Same about constant temperature. Changes in temperature also could have negative influences in growth/reproduction. can learn more...
Grandis.

I will agree with this strongly. When I had MH's it was a bigger issue tan it is now. But with an 8 bulb HO T-5 system and a 4 Bulb system I change 2 bulbs basicly ever other month. Therefore no bulb is used for more than one year and any changes are much more gradual. When I do change bulbs I keep a simular bubl in the system and do make drastic lighting changes all at once.

But another important thing is keeping the lighting fixtures clean. Salt slowly builds up on the bulbs or shield and I do weekly cleaning of this.

I'm slowly going to LED's and that should stabalize my system even more for lighting. The better LED's are rated for a minimum life span of 50,000 hrs with for us relates to over 10 years. It should also help stabilize temperatures more than other lighting systems do.