SPS not growing

[bif24701]

I've had a couple of SPS frag in my tank since May yet no growth yet. Cal is 4225-450 alk is 8-9 I'm not sure what the problem could be. The have great color, and seem healthy. No pylop exertion and no growth. What should I look at?

 

[Faye]

What kind of bulbs do you have? 20k halides? 150w over a 24'' tall tank, where are the corals? How far away from the light. Growth slows down with lower light and higher kelvins when it comes to halides.

 

[meshwheel]

Hi bif,
Need more specs on your system. Lighting? Sandbed? Nitate levels? Phosphate levels?
These all play a role in the ability for SPS coral growth.

 

[bif24701]

I'm running two 14000k phoenix HQI, 7 hours, PO4 is detectable, nitrate unsure, my API kit may be off. Had it for 10 months but as I hear you need to shake it for a long time to be accurate, I think the kit is unbalanced now but it reads 40 ppm. I have about 2" of sand in DT and a 4" bed of MM in my fuge ( 11"x14").

 

[bif24701]

I'm running two 14000k phoenix HQI, 7 hours, PO4 is detectable, nitrate unsure, my API kit may be off. Had it for 10 months but as I hear you need to shake it for a long time to be accurate, I think the kit is unbalanced now but it reads 40 ppm. I have about 2" of sand in DT and a 4" bed of MM in my fuge ( 11"x14").

PO4 is undetecable.

 

[bif24701]

Lighting is about 6-8 from water and my SPS are only 8-10" deep under the light.

 

[gon08]

Are the corals not growing at all or are they encrusting rather than putting out vertical growth? If so what is your flow like? Under heavy flow corals will encrust and thicken up rather than putting out vertical growth.
Also if your test kits are old I would have PO4 retested with a different kit. PO4 can inhibit calcification and therefore the corals can't put out new growth.

 

[bif24701]

PO4 to my knowledge is accurate, compared with LFS. Flow is good, high low, not sure. MP40 NTP 100% most of the time. Not getting an growth I can see, though all corals look ok. LPS, SPS, 2 RBTA.

 

[t4zalews]

What type of fish do you have in the tank...I suspect with no polyp extension that you have a nipper and its stressing the corals leading to lack of growth

I'd also look to see if you have red bugs..what kind of SPS are they?

 

[meshwheel]

bif,
1. PO4 needs to be measured with a meter. A good meter. Regular titrating based kits only go down so low!! Then they just read zero. Even teh good Salifert kit! Or the D&D kit! Get yourself a hanna checker digi meter and check it them. Check Nitrates too.
2. Check sand beds for fouling. Any black below the surface is poisonous!
3. Once you check these out and if they test ok, I would bump the lighting up 1 hour on the haildes and see if it makes a difference. Are the halides in reflectors? Pendants?
Are you running carbon in the system?

 

[bif24701]

Blue tang
yellow tang
2 bartllet Anthias
Coral beautie
Lawnmower blenny
Maroon Clown
2 cleaner shrimp
2 peppermint shrimp


I haven't seen any fish pick on the coral, other than the cleaner shrimp on my Duncans, that is all.

 

[bif24701]

No carbon recently, light are in a fixture with a built in reflector. I clean the glass often to ensure as much light get in as possible. I'll work on getting two Hanna checkers. Sand bed is in good shape, I have a lot of flow so nothing stays around on it for long.

 

[RyanTurner]

What's your magnesium at? Magnesium forms a buffer between calcium and alkalinity, and let's corals utilize them. It should be 1500.

 

[bif24701]

Last check about 3 weeks ago it was at 1420 (mag).

 

[RyanTurner]

Do you have any leather corals in the tank? They release a toxin that inhibits calcification in stony corals.

 

[bif24701]

No, I do have GSP.

 

[bif24701]

Are all flat worms bad? I'm almost certain I have small brown flat worms. Don't see the on my corals though.

 

[bif24701]

Bump.

 

[mc-cro]

there are different types of flatworms. The clear-white ones that you see on the glass and some softies are harmless.

there are others that will wreak havoc on your corals. I think flatworms usally leave bite marks on sps, if you take a piece out of the tank, and let is sit in the air for a couple of minutes, the flat worms are easier to spot.

 

[jbanks]

there are different types of flatworms. The clear-white ones that you see on the glass and some softies are harmless.

there are others that will wreak havoc on your corals. I think flatworms usally leave bite marks on sps, if you take a piece out of the tank, and let is sit in the air for a couple of minutes, the flat worms are easier to spot.

To the contrary, the ones in my tank are clear and the are NOT friendly to my SPS.. Consider them all pests that need to go or minimized in your system at the least.