excellent coral grouth

scuba connor · 09/11/2007, 07:21 PM

what do you need for rapid coral grouth because i am just not seeing anything pop. i have 2 175 watt M.H. on my 65 with a low fish count and an awsome DAS skimmer . and i do A B calcium everyday, what am i doin rong ?

drock59 · 09/11/2007, 08:09 PM

Not sure you are doing anything wrong. The key to good coral growth for me is consistency and water changes. Keeping your levels very stable and ensuring you stay on pace with good, frequent water changes.

TIMMYE · 09/11/2007, 10:02 PM

Maybe if yur skimmer isthat awesome, you are pullng too much out. Then your coralsare starving. Are your nitrates at 0? How often do you feed? And howold are you bulbs?

rkl303 · 09/11/2007, 11:07 PM

Never liked the 175W. I had reeflux 14k, coralvue 10k, and xm 20k on an icecap ballast over 12G and never got any color out of my corals except for the reeflux and growth sucked...I then upgraded my tank with a calcium reactor and t5's and am very happy now that i am getting growth and color.

crazedreefer · 09/11/2007, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rkl303
Never liked the 175W. I had reeflux 14k, coralvue 10k, and xm 20k on an icecap ballast over 12G and never got any color out of my corals except for the reeflux and growth sucked...I then upgraded my tank with a calcium reactor and t5's and am very happy now that i am getting growth and color.

I would attribute the growth to the ca reactor added not t-5's...not trying to make this a t-5 vs. mh thread, but I know plenty of people with 150w over small tanks and they have awesome growth.

CRUZING2000 · 09/12/2007, 02:25 AM

I have some frags that never grow and other colonies grow fast its wiered

gasman059 · 09/12/2007, 04:36 AM

PATIENCE~!

TomRep · 09/12/2007, 06:23 AM

What are you holding your CA and alk levels at? I used to run my alk around 9 dkh and CA around 420. Accidentally bumped my CA up to 440-450 with the same alk levels and I can see growth daily now. Not saying these are the "ideal" levels, but my tank is certainly happy with them. JMO
tom

rutz81 · 09/12/2007, 06:46 AM

I run 175's and my growth is pretty good, IMO. I am using Iwaskai 15K's(highest PAR 175W available). I would focus more on water quality and flow.

kev apsley · 09/12/2007, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gasman059
PATIENCE~!

Ditto!

jman77 · 09/12/2007, 08:54 AM

have you sacrificed a goat to the voodoo god coralita yet ?

Tennsquire · 09/12/2007, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jman77
have you sacrificed a goat to the voodoo god coralita yet ?

Sacrificing a virgin goat gives much better growth IMO....

Horace · 09/12/2007, 09:57 AM

Scuba, you say you dose, but do you test? How often? What do you keep your alk/Ca/Mg at?

acrylic_300 · 09/12/2007, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tennsquire
Sacrificing a virgin goat gives much better growth IMO....

Sacrificing the actual virginity of the goat gives much better growth IMO...

I have never done it myself but have heard the Italians do it.....they call it Pappone or something like that.

MammothReefer · 09/12/2007, 12:33 PM

Ah...a goat dammit, I used a pig no wonder..but in all seriousness I to am experiencing very slow growth. My tank is a year old now, and I look @ some of the growth threads on here, and i'm getting less growth over the course of the year the some people do in a few months.

I'm struggling to figure out what the cause of it may be.. My parameters are all fine, yet something is amiss. I'm tempted to switch from 400w 20k XM's to 10ks but I have seen a number of tanks with excellent growth using the same lighting combo as me so I don't think this is the issue. I'm kinda leaning towards my leathers, yet I would think my weekly 10% water change habit, in combination with my water volume, would negative the majority of effect they would have.

I run carbon 24/7, ROWA, I feed light (1 cube per day cyclops a few times a week)

My Parameters are as follows

Salinity 1.026
Temp 79.5-81.0
Calcium recently crept up to 490 or so..which means to me my corals aren't using the calcium available to them
Ph 8.15-8.25
Alk - Unknown but I believe if I had ALK issus my Ph would be off.
Magnesium 1420-1440
Silicate 0
Phosphates 0 (when last tested)
Nitrite and Nitrate haven't tested in ages but I have no reason to believe there is any present in my system.

Skimmer wise I'm running a BM250, and just recently added a second skimmer back on the system w/ozone.

Other thoughts may include my light period as I only run my halides for 5.5 hours a day, while my t5s run for around 10 hours..yet I don't believe this to be the issue.

scuba connor · 09/12/2007, 05:17 PM

i haven't checked my levels in a little wile i guses that would help

im also going to be changing my M.H. from a reeflux 14k to a XM 10 k for better growth and am saving for a calcium reactore as we speak its just that there klike 500$

wich is nuts but i need to do it

rutz81 · 09/12/2007, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by scuba connor
i haven't checked my levels in a little wile i guses that would help im also going to be changing my M.H. from a reeflux 14k to a XM 10 k for better growth and am saving for a calcium reactore as we speak its just that there klike 500$ wich is nuts but i need to do it

You do not NEED a calcium reactor, I run my 75G fully stocked SPS tank with 2 part; and I like it better than when I had my calcium reactor. Just figure out exactly how much 2-part your corals use everyday and dose that. Under 100G, I really think a calcium reactor is unneccasary.

cutegecko3 · 09/12/2007, 05:24 PM

just a theory so far,but hydrogen sulfide leaching into water from a sump,fuge,or stagnant sand bed could cause bleaching,stunted growth,even death.

vegaskid11 · 09/12/2007, 05:30 PM

I have heard of great growth from reeflux 10k and 12k. Acropora nut uses a combo of these bulbs and his growth is like nothing I have ever seen.

jman77 · 09/12/2007, 07:27 PM

I was using the reeflux 10k 150w DE on my 58g and got some nice growth & Coloring . I will more than likely go with the reeflux 10k 250de bulb on my new 120g

stlouisguy · 09/12/2007, 07:41 PM

You say light fish load, maybe its too light. Corals need to eat too.

rutz81 · 09/12/2007, 07:42 PM

scuba: how long has your tank been running for?

scuba connor · 09/12/2007, 07:44 PM

for a little over a year

conorwynne · 09/13/2007, 05:06 AM

High flow, decent lighting (halide, solatube, T5's), low PO4 and NO3, low nutrient levels, run carbon (no more than a week as it will get quickly saturated and then spew out everything that it soaked up, good calc, alk and magnesium levels.

The odd water change is good to replace trace elements, how are you dosing?

High flow -- you can never have too much for SPS!

If all the params are good, lighting is good, yet your SPS are browning out, then add more flow.

Best regards
Conor.

scuba connor · 09/13/2007, 06:57 AM

thank you so much i will let you know how everything turns out

09/11/2007, 07:21 PM	#1
scuba connor Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: N.J. Posts: 435	excellent coral grouth what do you need for rapid coral grouth because i am just not seeing anything pop. i have 2 175 watt M.H. on my 65 with a low fish count and an awsome DAS skimmer . and i do A B calcium everyday, what am i doin rong ?

09/11/2007, 08:09 PM	#2
drock59 Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Corvallis, OR Posts: 3,809	Not sure you are doing anything wrong. The key to good coral growth for me is consistency and water changes. Keeping your levels very stable and ensuring you stay on pace with good, frequent water changes. __________________ Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please. Mark Twain http://www.reeftronics.net/dan-r/apex-status Current Tank Info: 93g Marineland cube. SPS dominated. Vortech mp40. 2 x AI sol super blues. SRO 2000 int skimmer. Mag 18 return. Korallin 1500 calcium reactor.

09/11/2007, 10:02 PM	#3
TIMMYE Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Central Wisconsin Posts: 856	Maybe if yur skimmer isthat awesome, you are pullng too much out. Then your coralsare starving. Are your nitrates at 0? How often do you feed? And howold are you bulbs? __________________ Honey, can I have a bigger one please? This is the last time I will upsize, I promise!

09/11/2007, 11:07 PM	#4
rkl303 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 1,774	Never liked the 175W. I had reeflux 14k, coralvue 10k, and xm 20k on an icecap ballast over 12G and never got any color out of my corals except for the reeflux and growth sucked...I then upgraded my tank with a calcium reactor and t5's and am very happy now that i am getting growth and color. __________________ Getting out of the hobby. Look for my gear on the dry goods forums. Current Tank Info: 40 Gallon Acrylic

09/12/2007, 04:36 AM	#7
gasman059 The OG mad scientist Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: SOFLA Posts: 10,518	PATIENCE~! __________________ There's a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness". 1985-present Current Tank Info: taking a break from the madness!

09/12/2007, 02:25 AM	#6
CRUZING2000 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: carmichael Posts: 37	I have some frags that never grow and other colonies grow fast its wiered

09/12/2007, 06:23 AM	#8
TomRep Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Fleetwood, PA 19522 Posts: 1,234	What are you holding your CA and alk levels at? I used to run my alk around 9 dkh and CA around 420. Accidentally bumped my CA up to 440-450 with the same alk levels and I can see growth daily now. Not saying these are the "ideal" levels, but my tank is certainly happy with them. JMO tom __________________ "I got me a big wave, ride me a big wave, got me a big..WAVE!" Ed Vedder It's a reef thing, you wouldn't understand! Current Tank Info: 50 breeder w/o sump mixed reef, sps dominant. NEP T5 fixture with no stock bulbs, Bermuda Rogue HOB skimmer, canister filter, DIY hang on fuge, 2x modded MJ400's, Tunze Osmolator ATO, Randy's 2 part dosed with and Aquamedic twin

09/12/2007, 06:46 AM	#9
rutz81 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,894	I run 175's and my growth is pretty good, IMO. I am using Iwaskai 15K's(highest PAR 175W available). I would focus more on water quality and flow.

09/12/2007, 08:54 AM	#11
jman77 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida Posts: 2,467	have you sacrificed a goat to the voodoo god coralita yet ?

09/12/2007, 09:57 AM	#13
Horace Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bloomington, IL Posts: 4,443	Scuba, you say you dose, but do you test? How often? What do you keep your alk/Ca/Mg at? __________________ -Kurt Current Tank Info: 75g SPS Dominated, 2x400w XM20k, L3 Mini Reflectors, M59, 2x110w VHO SA

09/12/2007, 12:33 PM	#15
MammothReefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mammoth Lakes, CA Posts: 3,012	Ah...a goat dammit, I used a pig no wonder..but in all seriousness I to am experiencing very slow growth. My tank is a year old now, and I look @ some of the growth threads on here, and i'm getting less growth over the course of the year the some people do in a few months. I'm struggling to figure out what the cause of it may be.. My parameters are all fine, yet something is amiss. I'm tempted to switch from 400w 20k XM's to 10ks but I have seen a number of tanks with excellent growth using the same lighting combo as me so I don't think this is the issue. I'm kinda leaning towards my leathers, yet I would think my weekly 10% water change habit, in combination with my water volume, would negative the majority of effect they would have. I run carbon 24/7, ROWA, I feed light (1 cube per day cyclops a few times a week) My Parameters are as follows Salinity 1.026 Temp 79.5-81.0 Calcium recently crept up to 490 or so..which means to me my corals aren't using the calcium available to them Ph 8.15-8.25 Alk - Unknown but I believe if I had ALK issus my Ph would be off. Magnesium 1420-1440 Silicate 0 Phosphates 0 (when last tested) Nitrite and Nitrate haven't tested in ages but I have no reason to believe there is any present in my system. Skimmer wise I'm running a BM250, and just recently added a second skimmer back on the system w/ozone. Other thoughts may include my light period as I only run my halides for 5.5 hours a day, while my t5s run for around 10 hours..yet I don't believe this to be the issue. __________________ Reefin @ 8298' Current Tank Info: 3x2x18 SPS tank w/an attached 20x20x10 frag tank.

09/12/2007, 05:17 PM	#16
scuba connor Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: N.J. Posts: 435	i haven't checked my levels in a little wile i guses that would help im also going to be changing my M.H. from a reeflux 14k to a XM 10 k for better growth and am saving for a calcium reactore as we speak its just that there klike 500$ wich is nuts but i need to do it

09/12/2007, 05:24 PM	#18
cutegecko3 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Springdale, AR Posts: 974	just a theory so far,but hydrogen sulfide leaching into water from a sump,fuge,or stagnant sand bed could cause bleaching,stunted growth,even death.

09/12/2007, 05:30 PM	#19
vegaskid11 vegasreefers.com Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 763	I have heard of great growth from reeflux 10k and 12k. Acropora nut uses a combo of these bulbs and his growth is like nothing I have ever seen.

09/12/2007, 07:27 PM	#20
jman77 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida Posts: 2,467	I was using the reeflux 10k 150w DE on my 58g and got some nice growth & Coloring . I will more than likely go with the reeflux 10k 250de bulb on my new 120g

09/12/2007, 07:41 PM	#21
stlouisguy Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: St Louis Posts: 2,818	You say light fish load, maybe its too light. Corals need to eat too.

09/12/2007, 07:42 PM	#22
rutz81 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,894	scuba: how long has your tank been running for?

09/12/2007, 07:44 PM	#23
scuba connor Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: N.J. Posts: 435	for a little over a year

09/13/2007, 05:06 AM	#24
conorwynne Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 437	High flow, decent lighting (halide, solatube, T5's), low PO4 and NO3, low nutrient levels, run carbon (no more than a week as it will get quickly saturated and then spew out everything that it soaked up, good calc, alk and magnesium levels. The odd water change is good to replace trace elements, how are you dosing? High flow -- you can never have too much for SPS! If all the params are good, lighting is good, yet your SPS are browning out, then add more flow. Best regards Conor.

09/13/2007, 06:57 AM	#25
scuba connor Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: N.J. Posts: 435	thank you so much i will let you know how everything turns out