water too clean?

[pascal32]

I started up a second tank a few months back which is not attached to the main system. I took 1/2 of a few pieces in my tank and moved them over.

funny thing - my neon green candy canes in the new tank are growing at an amazing rate (compared to near non-existent in the main system)

The main tank water is pristine and is running GFO, GAC, along with soda lime to raise the PH. Alkalinity is around 9.5 and no readable phosphate (digital), and nitrate is < 1. dual halides and MP40s for flow. I will say SPS are loving it!

The new tank is around 8.5 KH, 10 nitrate. haven't checked phosphate in a bit. T5s and two powerheads. It does have a better skimmer than the main tank.

I feed low in both of them. The new tank has a lighter fish load.

any ideas?

 

[block head]

mine do great in a higher bioload, well fed nano.

 

[mr86mister]

Majority of LPS like less than perfect water. Obviously they like clean water, but they seem to grow faster, color up better in conditions slightly worse than perfect conditions.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

research where the species occurs in nature- this will help when re-creating aquarium conditions.

for example: Caulastrea doesn't occur on a reef where Acropora does