Struggling to get my SPS to grow...

[Xandernfs]

I've had some SPS in my tank for a while now and when I first put them in they grew quite well. My stylophora took off and sprouted some new branches. It has since stopped growing and the tips are no longer white. I'm not sure what caused it to stop. Also my green slimer has never grown. They both seem to just exist. Polyp extension is great, especially after using Reef Energy. I feel Reef Energy daily and direct feed Reef Roids once a week.

Current paramers:
NO3: .5
PO4: .04
KH: 9
Ca: 420

All current SPS in the tank look great (Stylo, slimer, birdsnest, Moni). Actually my red monti cap is growing like a weed, but no other SPS is. The LPS such as acans & blastos are doing well too.

I'm just confused on if I'm doing anything wrong and would like to get my branching SPS to grow.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

What is your magnesium level? What kind of lighting are you running? Tank temp?

 

[nereefpat]

Flow would be another parameter. On the lighting, tell use which fixture and the dimensions of the tank.

The parameters you listed look really good. It might be worth bumping up the nitrate a point or two. How are you measuring that?

 

[Xandernfs]

What is your magnesium level? What kind of lighting are you running? Tank temp?

Magnesium is usually hovering around 1600. The tank is a Reefer 250 that is illuminated by a Kessil AP700. The temperature fluctuates around 78-79*

Flow would be another parameter. On the lighting, tell use which fixture and the dimensions of the tank.

The parameters you listed look really good. It might be worth bumping up the nitrate a point or two. How are you measuring that?

As far as flow goes I have 2x MP40s on each side. When the stylophora was growing the flow was the same too. I'm due for a water change next week...well over due, but since my parameters have been stellar, I haven't changed the water lately.

 

[Bpb]

I recommend doing a series of large water changes in close succession, replacing carbon and running polyfilter. Every time this has happened to me, resetting the tank does the trick. Get out excess organics and potential metal buildups and reset your traces. Works like a charm every time. Triton test may be of some benefit


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[Sugar Magnolia]

That mag is really high. 1350 ppm is plenty.

 

[hegeh]

Did you dose the alk/ca/mg? Param swing may also cause stress to them. Stable param is the key even if parameter is much lower/higher.

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[Xandernfs]

Did you dose the alk/ca/mg? Param swing may also cause stress to them. Stable param is the key even if parameter is much lower/higher.

I dose alk and ca as needed. Typically I keep it at 9 and it drops off at 7.5 by Sunday (my testing day). I will go up .5kh per day for 3 days to get back to 9. My calcium doesn't really drop that much. I usually end up dosing that every other week.

That mag is really high. 1350 ppm is plenty.

I can't seem to get it down. I use Fritz (blue box) and don't dose mag since it's usually that high.

 

[Bpb]

I dose alk and ca as needed. Typically I keep it at 9 and it drops off at 7.5 by Sunday (my testing day). I will go up .5kh per day for 3 days to get back to 9. My calcium doesn't really drop that much. I usually end up dosing that every other week.







I can't seem to get it down. I use Fritz (blue box) and don't dose mag since it's usually that high.

That would be the problem. A 1.5 dkh swing through the week is too extreme. You really should be testing your alkalinity every day or two, and if you must manually dose, then dose it daily at the very least. Ideally several broken up doses through the day to try to stabilize the yo-yo your alkalinity is experiencing


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[Xandernfs]

That would be the problem. A 1.5 dkh swing through the week is too extreme. You really should be testing your alkalinity every day or two, and if you must manually dose, then dose it daily at the very least. Ideally several broken up doses through the day to try to stabilize the yo-yo your alkalinity is experiencing


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So since I'm adding 60ml over a 3 day period, would it be better to add 10 over a 6 day period? I typically add in the am before lights come on since it's the lowest my pH will get.

A doser isn't in my budget at the moment, should I just manually dose less over more days?

 

[McPuff]

You want your alk to remain as stable as possible from day to day, week to week. Buy a dosing pump. They are not expensive and are worth it. Calcium can fluctuate more but I'd still try to keep it stable.

You can try to snip the "stale tips" off your corals to stimulate new growth. I have done this many times and had success. But first work on stabilizing your parameters. You'll be amazed at the changes it will bring.

 

[Bpb]

So since I'm adding 60ml over a 3 day period, would it be better to add 10 over a 6 day period? I typically add in the am before lights come on since it's the lowest my pH will get.



A doser isn't in my budget at the moment, should I just manually dose less over more days?

I would divide up that dose into as many small daily doses as you can manage. I don't mean to be rude at all but this is one of those instances where I feel like having an alkalinity maintenance solution should be in place before purchasing sps. But...manual dosing can work. You'll just be adding tiny amounts several times a day. I've got friends who have done it that way for years


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[nereefpat]

Every day would definitely be better.

That way you would be dosing 0.25 dKH a every day instead of 0.5 for that three day stretch.

I see you don't want to do a doser, but there are creative and cheap ways to do this. For example, if you have an ATO, you can add a little baking soda or CaOH (kalk) to that.

 

[Xandernfs]

I would divide up that dose into as many small daily doses as you can manage. I don't mean to be rude at all but this is one of those instances where I feel like having an alkalinity maintenance solution should be in place before purchasing sps. But...manual dosing can work. You'll just be adding tiny amounts several times a day. I've got friends who have done it that way for years


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None taken. I just didn't realize I would be this far in the game to need one. It MAY be in the near future.

I see you don't want to do a doser, but there are creative and cheap ways to do this. For example, if you have an ATO, you can add a little baking soda or CaOH (kalk) to that.

A friend recommended this to me as well and I haven't gotten around to get any. I do have an ATO. How much kalk should I be adding to it? It's roughly 10 gallons.

 

[2_zoa]

I'm going to use an aqualifter pump to pump standard kalk solution into my sump using the timer function on my profilux.
The future will be a dosing system. My system demand isn't very high right now.

You would need to dilute your 2 part for this to work with your current supplements

 

[nereefpat]

How much kalk should I be adding to it? It's roughly 10 gallons.

It looks like, for about 65 gallons of water volume, 11 grams or 2.3 teaspoons of baking soda would raise the dKH 1.5 points. So about 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda in a week's worth of topoff water.

If you were to use saturated limewater, it would take 0.85 gallons to raise the dKH 1.5 points.

Here is that calculator: http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

You may have to play around with it a bit. If you were wanting to try kalk, maybe try 1/2 teaspoon per gallon instead of 2 teaspoons (saturated) per gallon.

 

[kiMxD]

Bro just start dosing Triton Method, best thing I've ever done.

 

[Xandernfs]

It looks like, for about 65 gallons of water volume, 11 grams or 2.3 teaspoons of baking soda would raise the dKH 1.5 points. So about 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda in a week's worth of topoff water.

If you were to use saturated limewater, it would take 0.85 gallons to raise the dKH 1.5 points.

Here is that calculator: http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

You may have to play around with it a bit. If you were wanting to try kalk, maybe try 1/2 teaspoon per gallon instead of 2 teaspoons (saturated) per gallon.

Just bought some Kalk, so I'll go with 1/2 teaspoon per gallon and go from there. I prolly go through about 4-5 gallons of water per week. More if it's winter.

Bro just start dosing Triton Method, best thing I've ever done.

Heard of it, haven't looked into it. I'll check it out.

 

[nereefpat]

Just bought some Kalk, so I'll go with 1/2 teaspoon per gallon and go from there. I prolly go through about 4-5 gallons of water per week. More if it's winter.

That sounds like a good plan to me. As you said, evaporation isn't perfectly constant. Start with your dKH at 9, and see if you can keep it stable. If it gets to be a pain, you can look into a doser.