Dosing for coral growth

[phi delt reefer]

whats your flow like? You can feed until the cows come home but if its not suspended in the water column then its pointless.

as for lights - how often do you change your bulbs and what kind do you use.

coral - some corals are just slow growers - maybe post some pics and some of the seasoned reefers here can comment on how those corals are doing in their tanks. Some of the reefers here with amazing sps and other coral growth have commented that they have a coral or too that just grow super slow no matter what they do. Maybe get a couple frags of some stuff known to grow like weeds, throw it in your tank and see if those take off. If so you then theres nothing wrong except for your coral selection

though from the sounds of it you seem to have the ideal coral environment. Maybe recheck your p04, n03, n04 with a different kit to make sure your parameters are correct.

[Coleus]

my tank is over 2 years old. I feed my coral at night and i have a night mode flow. I also set it so that my return pump is off during feeding.

I will do some more testing. Thanks for all input

[Aquattro]

FWIW, my 90 was over 2 yrs, everything tested as perfect for coral growth, but nothing grew much at all. Like I said, in the new 3 week old tank, I have more growth than I ever did in the 90. Young tank, no feeding, same paramters, same salt, etc, just a different tank and sump. Now everything is taking off. I'm starting to think trace copper, not enough to kill, but enough to inhibit growth.

[MitchM]

When to change our carbon is a big unknown, too.
Alleopathy (chemical warfare) could be a factor.

[Coleus]

i replaced my carbon every month and i am using premium carbon

[MitchM]

Originally Posted by Coleus

i replaced my carbon every month and i am using premium carbon

Right, but how do you that it needs to be changed?

Alleopathy in corals is designed to be effective even in the vast expanse of the ocean. Another coral just needs to be down stream of another in order for the chemical to be effective. Never mind the dissolution factor.
How often do you put your hands in the tank?
How does that affect the corals?
What is the mix of corals that you have in your tank?
Maybe the mucous coating that corals shed has built up in the rockwork.

That could explain why Brad's new tank is experiencing good growth. No buildup of toxins yet.

Perhaps exchanging some corals with someone else would make a difference.

I'm just throwing out some suggestions, waiting for Hanna to come out with a test for toxins.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by MitchM

That could explain why Brad's new tank is experiencing good growth. No buildup of toxins yet.

for me, nothing ever grew, even when the tank was new. It could have been a gypsy curse on that tank, for all I know

But my 75g and 150g before that grew stupidly fast, new and once running for years.

Hanna needs something to measure curses -lol

[MitchM]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

for me, nothing ever grew, even when the tank was new. It could have been a gypsy curse on that tank, for all I know

But my 75g and 150g before that grew stupidly fast, new and once running for years.

Hanna needs something to measure curses -lol

Right, but there are so many variables between tanks.

Age of live rock, how many corals, what type of corals, maintenance schedules, equipment, additives (or not).

Carbon doesn't work at 100% for 30 days then stop. It starts at 100% and gets filled up as fast as conditions dictate.
What happens as the carbon is filling up-the toxins have to go somewhere.

2 equal tanks -
1 with 2 corals, 1 with 50 corals. Both tanks have equal carbon changed at 30 days.

Too soon? too late? Who knows?

[chris121277]

Just tagin along here.... great topic