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ElLatino
10/06/2007, 11:30 PM
I'm fairly new to the hobby and still learning the names of the different live stock. I have a 75 gal tank with approx 80 lbs of live rock (mixed) and approx 1" of live sand.

As for lighting I have Coralife's 250 watt canopy. For filtration I have a Eheim (for 100 gal) and a Fuval 304, along with an Aquarium Systems skimmer and a 25 watt UV system.

I currently have 10 different species of soft coral, mushrooms, polyps, and and open brain. My problem is that although everything looks fine, my mushrooms and polyps are not spreading and in general, nothing is getting any bigger.

This particular setup I've had it up for a little over a year now. I am hoping I have significant lighting in the tank as the current canopy does not allow room for anything else.

I'm hoping it has more to do with the additives. I currently use myces, calcium, sea elements, iodine, and other tiems that i can't remember their names at this time.

Can anyone offer me any suggestions or tell me what may be wrong with my setup? Any feedback is appreciated.

erendon
10/07/2007, 07:45 AM
You make no mention on what your water paramiters are; Calcium, Alk, PH, Nitrate, phospate Etc. They play a BIG part in you coral growth. I would go that way first then move on from there.

amike5
10/07/2007, 08:47 AM
Do you have fish in this tank as well? How about a refugium? Are your corals getting food? Your UV may be killing their natural source of food.

GoingPostal
10/07/2007, 09:35 AM
First off you shouldn't be dosing anything you aren't testing for, a good salt mix with regular water changes should be enough for mushrooms and polyps. With your filtration I would be worried about not enough flow and nitrate buildup if you're not cleaning filters weekly. I dose nothing except calcium when needed and have less lighting and my mushrooms spread like crazy, zoos seem to depend on the kind, some spread fast, others slow but your tank should be see some growth within a year. Got any pics of the tank and water readings?

scarter
10/07/2007, 09:49 AM
add a powerhead, stop dosing, and do some water changes

ElLatino
10/07/2007, 02:29 PM
OK guys & gals, here are the readings (done with Ocean Master test kit):

Nitrite low range: 0.0

Nitrite Highh rage: 0.0

Alkalinity precision test: 87.5 parts per million CaC02

Nitrate: 10 mg/l

PH: 7.8 units

Amonia: 0.0

(done with Red Sea Calcium test)
Calcium: 450 ppm

For those who wanted to see a pic of the tank. here is it:

http://members.cox.net/ellatino3/ellatino.jpg

http://members.cox.net/ellatino3/ellatino2.jpg

http://members.cox.net/ellatino3/ellatino3.jpg

http://members.cox.net/ellatino3/ellatino4.jpg

Don't know the name of the purply stuff that grows on the rocks and glass, but, it took me 2 hours to scrape that stuff off the side and back glass last week.

To be honest, I haven't been feeding my livestock directly, I just hold the mysis cube in my fingers and allow it to melt into the tank. As for the DT, I simply pour 4 cap fulls into the tank when using it.

Based on my readings and the photos. Can anyone pinpoint what my problem is?

YellowDesmo998
10/07/2007, 03:01 PM
PH is low, Nitrates are high, don't see what your SG is...

ElLatino
10/07/2007, 03:12 PM
SG? help me out here. As for the PH & nitrate, I can fix that. The darn tester says 10 mg/l is fine.

ElLatino
10/07/2007, 03:14 PM
SG readings: Salinity PPT = 29, Specific Gravity = 1.021.

As for the PH & nitrate, I can fix that. The darn tester says 10 mg/l is fine.

YellowDesmo998
10/07/2007, 03:16 PM
NSW is 1.026. I run mine 1.025 and the softies are growing like mad!

ElLatino
10/07/2007, 03:35 PM
OK, so far I understand that the UV sterilzer must go, the PH is low and the Nitrate is high (btw, where should it be?). It was suggested that I opt for a sump and get rid of the Eheim and the Fluval (please explain the difference and why). In addition, the NSW is a bit low and should be around 1.026.

Anything else the veterans would care to suggest or ask? The feedback, thus far, is greatly appreciated!!!

winnermc
10/07/2007, 04:26 PM
ElLatino: Be sure to raise your SG slowly over several days. That way you wont shock any of your livestock.