Dosing for coral growth

[Aquattro]

For carbon, I would think on average, it will be active for at least a few months (or you're not doing enough water changes ), so changing it every 30 days errs on the side of caution.

But as with my tanks, everything is equal, same corals, fish, salt, schedules, etc, just the actual two tanks (disp and sump) are different. But very different results. Not to say it's the glass, but I've pretty much thought of everything else.

I actually have a thread about this problem posted a couple of months back.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=65821

[MitchM]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

For carbon, I would think on average, it will be active for at least a few months (or you're not doing enough water changes ), so changing it every 30 days errs on the side of caution.

But how do you know it's on the side of caution?

Originally Posted by Aquattro

as with my tanks, everything is equal, same corals, fish, salt, schedules, etc, just the actual two tanks (disp and sump) are different. But very different results. Not to say it's the glass, but I've pretty much thought of everything else.

I actually have a thread about this problem posted a couple of months back.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=65821

Yes, I know..and you didn't reply.....

[MitchM]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

... Not to say it's the glass, but I've pretty much thought of everything else.

...

Have you ever seen any studies that glass could cause some problem?

[MitchM]

Borneman cited a study that showed where removing a certain coral caused some significant changes in one tank. I'll try to see if I can find that.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by MitchM

Have you ever seen any studies that glass could cause some problem?

No, more specifically, the silicone leaching toxins. I bought the tank and the sump used, so I have no idea on the history of either, and suspect one of them may have had copper. But just a guess after ruling out anything else I could think of.

[MitchM]

Are there any studies regarding the silicone?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by MitchM

Are there any studies regarding the silicone?

I'm sure there aren't, not really something that would qualify for funding

but, there's lots of discussions about not using tanks previously treated with copper, so I assume it's a possible scenario. I know that silicone can absorb methylene blue, so the likelyhood of it absorbing and leaching back Cu is pretty good, IMO.

[Lampshade]

Carbon has been used for MANY years, however it's still a big unknown. I stay away from it. My own preference, but works for me.

Try running without carbon for a bit even, carbon leaches out many trace elements that we need. Unless you have heavy LPS/SPS combo it shouldn't be an issue. I have 20+ SPS and 15+ LPS in my tank and only run carbon once a week for 24 hours(when i remember :S). I've had excelent growth on all my SPS, even some hidden away from good lighting.


As for the silicone thing, copper attatches itself to anything and everything it can, doesn't take much. They used to make mirror's by evaporating copper onto glass, and it would bond. I could only imagine how much gets onto the glass after dosing :S

[MitchM]

Well, there are studies regarding how plasticizers affect invertebrates, so it's certainly possible.

The reality is that our tanks are SO concentrated compared to the corals natural environment, any so called small problem is amplified many, many times.

[Reefer Rob]

LOL, we all think our corals grow slower than everyone else's.

Definitely check for stray voltage if you haven't already done that, it's a good place to start.

Do you have good polyp extension and color? STN, RTN? (we are talking SPS here aren't we)