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Brad15

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Mt. Sinai
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Yea. But how do you "feed" the corals nutrients and not fuel the algae growth? I know zoas prefer dirty water and the amount of junk I'm dumping in is certainly making it dirty but they haven't grown whatsoever. What gives?
 

evoIX_Reefer

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Has your parameters been in check for the whole 15 months?

I have had a growth spur since I've had my current tank. I rarely check parameters unless I notice something being stressed.

If things aren't working currently then try this,

If your currently at 0no3 and 0po4, try dosing aminos and phyto. Read the recent article in the general discussion forums about their uses. Since dosing NOPOX, ReefEnergy A&B, CA/ALK/MG, and keeping everything in check. I've had great growth. I monitor parameters every so often to check if they change then adjust as necessary. I keep up with husbandry so I don't need to dose often.

Since you said you overfeed your tank/feed your tank well. I would assume you need a boost specifically for corals. That's my reasoning behind the products I suggested.

If you buy from Amazon it's like 30 bucks (ReefEnergy A&B 500ml bottles) so it won't hurt the bank to try. You also want to give it a few weeks (3-4) before you judge it.


Another thing I've noticed with my tank is pH dropping at night when I took my fuge light off for a few nights. They were closing more often and seemed a little more stressed than previous nights. After adding the light back on, they went back to normal.
 
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Brad15

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Location
Mt. Sinai
Rating - 85.7%
18   3   0
2 mp 10s for flow. Dosing aminos? Did that. Dosed half the recommended dosage and still ended up with cyanobacteria. Used brightwells. All corals? Few sticks have little white tips so perhaps little growth. But pastel and pale color on most as stated earlier.
 

lnevo

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Location
Bellmore, NY
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Usually that will happen at 0 nitrates...btw what test kit are you using? I believe also with a ultra low nutrient tank like you are claiming people usually keep alk higher than 7.7, more like 9-10. I've been recommended to keep nitrate around 5ppm to keep good color. Zoas like you said like dirtier water. At 0ppm you couldnt be farther away from that.
 

Brad15

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Location
Mt. Sinai
Rating - 85.7%
18   3   0
Using salifert kits and a Hanna phos. I would like to have trates higher for that reason but can't get them up. Even with all the food they stay at 0. Im assuming the hair algae in sump is consuming it. So how do you get trates in water column for coral and not algae?
 

drej424

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Location
Long Island
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Increase the length of time your lights are on. Have you tried Selcon? If you maintain nitrates at 0, you can't be "over feeding." I understand you're frustrated with lack of growth, but you are definitely doing a lot right!
I went to a lecture at NERAC once and the speaker (I think it was Sanjay) said that he puts a lot of different coral frags in his tank to start and if they grow, they grow. If not, he doesn't worry about it. I noticed that in my tank, some corals thrive while others die off or stay the same.
 

evoIX_Reefer

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pics of your setup? sump, fuge, skimmer, reactors, etc.

overpowered skimmer, huge chaeto factory, GFO and carbon probably stripping all the extra nutritents.

I want put out people's names but their amazing tanks would run higher nitrates/phosphates for their zoo gardens. double edge sword for more stringent sps since they prefer cleaner setups as phosphates can stunt growth.

before my ro/Di sh*the the bed I was having great growth being 0ppm phosphate 1-2ppm and once the tank got too dirty because of .50 ppm tds ro/Di water. growth has stopped. I am not seeing any new growth on my sps at this time which is a far cry a month ago when you saw more and more skeletal growth.

zoos are still taking off and faster under the dirty conditions.
 

Brad15

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Location
Mt. Sinai
Rating - 85.7%
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eru9apeg.jpg
 

mluz

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Cull the chaeto in half, remove the gfo for at least two weeks and observe. If corals improve in color, extend the lighting period up to twelve hours. Continue feeding and increase your clean up crew if algae develops.

I used to have the same problem in my tank. I added more fish, fed a lot more, algae grew, bought more snails. It took about three months to see an improvement in my tank. You just have to give it time.
 

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