y u no grow candycane!!!!

[Bpb]

I do them 10% every two weeks. Should be good for replacing trace elements. The calcium, alk, and mg portions have to be dosed for me at this point. I think it comes down to cost. If your consumption is low enough or tank size is small enough, more frequent water changes may keep your parameters stable, but for me id be paying an arm and a leg in salt and doing weekly 20-30% water changes just to keep them in range. Kalkwasser and dosing mag is just plain cheaper and easier.

Sk8r normally gives rock solid advice so I won't go against the advice you got from him/her, but I'll maybe suggest to start slow on kalk. If you dose full saturation and your consumption is low you could possibly have your calcium, alk, and ph climb outside of normal ranges. I actually started by dosing 1 teaspoon per gallon and have kept it there since it keeps my parameters stable. You basically have to start slow, test daily, and adjust the strength of the mix from there until you find a concentration that keeps calcium and alk stable. Now I test weekly just to make sure my growth levels haven't thrown off my consumption.

Read up on kalk dosing. There are many ways to do it right and wrong. Just depends on what works best for your gear. I fill a 5 gallon bucket with kalk mix and dose it as my auto topoff water with my jbj ato and aqualifter pump.

 

[ilikepie777]

Ok, so I think I overfed it because the two heads have stayed shrunken for two days now is this normal?

 

[reefboarder]

I would put the coral back down on the bottom. If you want it up higher, slowly move it to the top, like an inch or two every third day or so. Taking the coral from the bottom to the top in one shot has probably shocked it a bit (aka too much light too quickly) this is probably the reason for the coral staying completely retracted. I don't believe over feeding will yield that effect.

 

[ilikepie777]

Ok will after a couple of days its starting to blow up again so thats good

 

[ilikepie777]

Stability is key make your u have an ATO so that salinity doesn't swing and keep your alk & calcium rock steady and it will grow. Mine started out like this

And after steady parameters 8 month later it turned into this

I only do water changes once a month but I run a fuge with cheato I skim heavy and I dose 2 part so they all contribute. Good luck get some good test kits and track your levels and keep them steady not up and down

Newbe question coming up: What's an ATO?

 

[reefboarder]

Automatic Top Off.

 

[ilikepie777]

Oh what's it used for?

 

[ilikepie777]

Automatic Top Off.

Oh, well I'm doing a water change today so after that I'll observe it for the next few weeks to see if any growth happens

 

[frankyrivera]

Oh, well I'm doing a water change today so after that I'll observe it for the next few weeks to see if any growth happens

This keeps your evaporation in check. As water evaporated the salinity becomes more concentrated since salts doesn't evaporated only water does. An ATO puts back fresh water automatically with the help of a sensor or float valve to keep the water the same

 

[ilikepie777]

so should i get one because I'm considering on getting another tank but that wont be at least for another half a year and right now I only have a biocube so wouldnt it kind of be like a waste of money

 

[bohannbj]

Equipment like that stays good for a long time if you take care of it. It's not mandatory but it's nice to have. Check in the used goods section for one, people post them all the time.

 

[ilikepie777]

well after a few days I think the candycanes have branched out a little more hopefully a sign that they're about to grow!

 

[Bpb]

Good to hear. +1 on the auto topoff. It is the most impactful purchase I've made for my tank next to quality tests. It's really a life saver. I can leave for up to a week at a time now. I HAD to purchase mine for travel reasons and it has just been a life saver. Really reduces the "messing with the tank" time and I can just relax and observe more

 

[ilikepie777]

really well I actually have to go away for two weeks over summer break so that would actually be helpful could you link me a site to where they sell these?

 

[mfinn]

Check the sponsors for ATO's
I've been using the JBJ ATO for almost 6 years with zero problems.

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

@ frankyrivera: wow! What a gorgeous coral! Thanks for the pix and the info.

 

[frankyrivera]

@ frankyrivera: wow! What a gorgeous coral! Thanks for the pix and the info.

Thanks here's a close up I took when it was smaller getting ready to eat soon lol

 

[ilikepie777]

beautiful wish mine were like that, cant even see the tentacles on mine it just somehow pulls the food into it's mouth

 

[Michigan Mike]

beautiful wish mine were like that, cant even see the tentacles on mine it just somehow pulls the food into it's mouth

Tease them with a little food & they should one out, lowering the light helps too.

 

[ilikepie777]

nope every time I do that open their mouths completely and some mysterious invisible force pushes the food into their mouths