why no growth or PE on this milli?

[jcw]

No ULNS as it's commonly defined. I dose nothing but the Big Three. No pellets, vodka, vinegar, etc etc.

Nutrient levels have always been zero however, as measured by Salifert.

I bought a mili like yours last month (doing OK) and have a tricolor that just bleached/wasted away so I'm following with interest.

Just a question, isn't zero phosp, nitrates, if not the definition of ULNS, basically the same?

I'm thinking of turning the skimmer off at night. I just started feeding the coral some stuff I got from liveaquaria with my last order. It's listed under live food.

 

[pusanpa]

You are doing everything OK...except maybe too long photo period.
How long is your photoperiod?

I had the same problem before. I shorten my full light from 8.6 to 6hr a day and my corals are doing better than ever.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2099253

 

[dixiedog]

I've taken my full-day photoperiod as low as four hours. It doesn't help. I just lost what little color I did have.

Also I don't think photoperiod would cause lack of PE would it?

 

[Akrite]

I think your light is too intense try lowering coral, start from the sand if the color deepens then slowly move it up. Or change the combination of bulbs maybe add an actinic or Blue+. What bulb combo are you running now and how far are your lights from your tank?

 

[RRaider]

Turn your skimmer off for two weeks, I'll bet you see a big difference.

 

[Dog boy Dave]

Honesty after looking at your posts again and thinking about it more i think you really need to increase your light period no matter what you do.

 

[dixiedog]

Thanks for continuing to scratch your head with me on this!! :beer: I have to say, I don't think photoperiod is at fault here though, especially pertaining to lack of growth and lack of PE. Here's why:


When most of my SPS were first added, I was running full daylight for ten hours, twelve hours lighting total. As my corals all slowly faded, I read all the "lower your photoperiod" posts, and slooowly dropped all the way to four hours daylight, ten hours total. I really saw very little change at all, and what I did see was not an improvement. So I've kinda covered the whole photoperiod 'spectrum' at this point, without seeing any significant reaction by the corals.

I'm currently lengthening the photoperiod again, slowly, watching for any reaction. I'll probably take it back up to about 8/12.

BTW my bulb combo is: blue plus x2, ati aquablue, fiji purple. It's a 4x24 TEK with DIY fan cooling. PAR levels where the pics were taken are in the 450-475 range - not as much as some of our RC masterpiece tanks, but definitely enough I think.

 

[msp307]

Feed the need

 

[Froggy]

I do not think it is the photo period either. I actually run a 14 Hr photo period on my 120 using an 8 X 54 watt Tek T5. That may seem long to some but actually mimics a real reef more than not. My full daylight hours are 8 Hrs. The rest of the photo period is running 4 bulbs for dusk/dawn. My fixture is 6" above the tank. The only way this is light related IMO is if they were shocked at the start and are not receiving enough food to recover and are just hanging on kind of dormant.

I think you should keep the skimmer rolling, keep the light going and slowly lengthen the photo period again, feed more, and keep the flow high. It would not hurt to feed the corals once or twice a week with a coral food. I think by doing this you will see better results over time.

Joe

 

[saltyh20]

turn your skimmer off and feed normal. and in 2 weeks do 10% water change. things will look better.
you will want to turn the skimmer back on when you corals start to coral up, but if you do I think your corals will start to fade again. (Ive tried this a bunch of times)
you can also add all that other stuff$$$ if you leave the skimmer on.

 

[dixiedog]

Just an update. Things are getting better!!

I've added a couple fish, and started feeding a LOT more of Rod's Food coral blend (more than I ever thought possible, honestly), along with the usual fish foods.

I'm starting to get coloration I've never really seen before, nothing 'breathtaking' yet but the improvement is very clearly visible. House guests are even noticing. Also I think there is a growth boom starting because my Alk and Ca consumption have taken a very big sudden jump after remaining steady for a year or so. The whole tank seems to be benefiting, even the zoas and LPS.

So those of you who said 'feed more' must have been on to something!

 

[windyridge]

Some gobys nip at SPS. Mine is destroying my pocillopora from the bottom up.

 

[Finland]

My millipora looked just like yours when I had aefw. Millipora seem to be the snack of choice for aefws. Try blowing them off with a turkey baster. See what comes off. If nothing comes off, then I would say they are starving. Most likely, they are starving because other corals are faded.

 

[apt220]

Do you have a dinoflagellate problem? It looks like you have some slimey stuff on the rocks. That would explain zero measured nutrients and unhappy corals.

 

[Stuginski]

Hummm...

I don´t think you have to much light...millies loves powerfull lights...to low nutrients is a possibility..and will increase your problems, But i don´t beleive thats a main cause.
Many millie problems with bleaching and pour polyp extension are related to the AEFW. This little bastardas loves millies more than everything and are absolutely invisible when are fixed in coral tissue.

Try a melafix bath (5ml in a litter of water)...blasting with a powerhead to see what happens...if some bastard fall down. You will found your answer.
If nothing happens keep upgrading your feeding schedule.

Sorry for my terrible english

hails from Brazil

D.

 

[Akrite]

Just an update. Things are getting better!!

I've added a couple fish, and started feeding a LOT more of Rod's Food coral blend (more than I ever thought possible, honestly), along with the usual fish foods.

I'm starting to get coloration I've never really seen before, nothing 'breathtaking' yet but the improvement is very clearly visible. House guests are even noticing. Also I think there is a growth boom starting because my Alk and Ca consumption have taken a very big sudden jump after remaining steady for a year or so. The whole tank seems to be benefiting, even the zoas and LPS.

So those of you who said 'feed more' must have been on to something!

Nice to hear your milli is improving. Post so updated pics for those of us following your progress. I know a lot of people will learn from your experiences.