No ZOA/Soft/LPS/SPS growth and xenia is wilting away

[teebucket]

I have a 29 gallon standard that has been running since 11/13/21 and I've had no growth of any coral at all. My parameters seem to be okay
Mag :1260
Calcium: 500
Nitrate: ~5
PH: 8
KH: 11.3
Salinity: 1.023
Phosphate kit expired

I run a Seachem tidal 35 HOB with matrix and Chempure GFO with an ATO
I have a flame angel, 2 occelaris, 1 RFA, 1 pistol shrimp, 1 six line wrasse and a herd of nassarius and reef hermits
I'm running an AI hydra 32HD
My zoanthids are almost completely closed up and my xenia is shriveled up
My torch/frogspawn are extended and look okay but I have yet to see any growth
Same can be said for my pavona, acropora and monti cap
I've had lots of film algae growth on the glass which I scrape off every morning
I feed reef roids conjoined with polyp-booster as well as frozen Mysis shrimp
I don't know what could be causing the lack of growth and poor polyp extenision/wilting from my softies.

 

[Spare time]

How high is the hydra mounted and what intensity are you running? What test kits? You need a phosphate test kit (and one that can easily read between 0.00 and 0.1ppm)

 

[teebucket]

How high is the hydra mounted and what intensity are you running? What test kits? You need a phosphate test kit (and one that can easily read between 0.00 and 0.1ppm)
the standard mount so about 16 inches. I use salifert, but just got a red sea phosphate pro kit tonight.

My hydra schedule wanes throughout the day to simulate sunlight but the peak intensity is
40% UV
52% violet
77% Royal Blue
77% Blue
12% deep red
50% cool white

 

[SchrutesReefs]

What is the water temp? Also, salinity is low IMO and Mag as well.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Alk at point of getting high
Calcium high why the Alk is getting high
salinity Low

how old is Tank? There are Some coral in the pics you added, that is too soon to be added if tank is new.
What test kits are you using?
Did you cycle and for how long ?

Most of these coral are not light sensitive how ever placement and water parameters are important. You want to be in these ranges:
Temp 77-79
ph 8.1-8.3
salinity 1.025
nitrate < .10
phos < .04
Ammonia < .03
mG 1300
Alk 8-11
CA 400- 440

 

[Spare time]

How high is the hydra mounted and what intensity are you running? What test kits? You need a phosphate test kit (and one that can easily read between 0.00 and 0.1ppm)

the standard mount so about 16 inches. I use salifert, but just got a red sea phosphate pro kit tonight.

My hydra schedule wanes throughout the day to simulate sunlight but the peak intensity is
40% UV
52% violet
77% Royal Blue
77% Blue
12% deep red
50% cool white

Ok, let us know what the phosphate reads.


How often do you feed the corals?

 

[Steve2020]

Alk at point of getting high
Calcium high why the Alk is getting high
salinity Low

how old is Tank? Some coral added that is too soon to be added if tank is new.
What test kits are you using?
Did you cycle and for how long ?

Most of these coral are not light sensitive how ever placement and water parameters are important. You want to be in these ranges:
Temp 77-79
ph 8.1-8.3
salinity 1.025
nitrate < .10
phos < .04
Ammonia < .03
mG 1300
Alk 8-11
CA 400- 440

I see only LPS and softies in the tank so wondering why your recommending ULN? Nitrate < .10? I ask because I have only LPS and softies in my 250gal display and ever since I raised my NO3 to 10-15ppm and PO4 to .04-.07ppm my tank has been thriving. My LFS recommended that I dirty up the water and everything took off. I am just curious. Not debating your recommendations.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I see only LPS and softies in the tank so wondering why your recommending ULN? Nitrate < .10? I ask because I have only LPS and softies in my 250gal display and ever since I raised my NO3 to 10-15ppm and PO4 to .04-.07ppm my tank has been thriving. My LFS recommended that I dirty up the water and everything took off. I am just curious. Not debating your recommendations.

Nitrate range 10-20. they increase so i personally as many others i know stay mid range. Take them higher and you risk cyano and algae issues. In a 660-g, I have 6 nitrate and .02-.03 phos
Obviously light and flow also play a role

 

[teebucket]

Alk at point of getting high
Calcium high why the Alk is getting high
salinity Low

how old is Tank? There are Some coral in the pics you added, that is too soon to be added if tank is new.
What test kits are you using?
Did you cycle and for how long ?

Most of these coral are not light sensitive how ever placement and water parameters are important. You want to be in these ranges:
Temp 77-79
ph 8.1-8.3
salinity 1.025
nitrate < .10
phos < .04
Ammonia < .03
mG 1300
Alk 8-11
CA 400- 440

I agree, calc has shot up and i just got a phosphate kit which read 0.04. I cycled from early September to November with some initial dosing of ammonia and further dosings of BB. I've put the lower-light corals into more shaded areas before but was met with browning. I'll be honest, the acropora, monti and pavona may have been waaay to early to introduce.

 

[teebucket]

What is the water temp? Also, salinity is low IMO and Mag as well.

Agreed, tried dosing SeaChem complete but stopped after seeing my cal spike. Temp is 76, I think it may be a tad low. I had my refractometer incorrectly calibrated for around a month and was putting in less than ideal salinity leveled water and have been slowly rising it through water changes. I'm not entirely sure if it is the main culprit here but it's not out of the question.

 

[teebucket]

Ok, let us know what the phosphate reads.


How often do you feed the corals?

0.04 according to Red Sea pro.
I feed with the same shcedule as my fish, every other day. I had excess nitrate problems (<20ppm) for awhile and did a complex water change regime once I found on this article https://www.melevsreef.com/articles/getting-nitrates-under-control and it shot down from ~20 to ~5. Sometimes I do wonder if the nitrates are too low and now that I have p04 readings, I wonder if they're too low for my system as well

 

[Spare time]

0.04 according to Red Sea pro.
I feed with the same shcedule as my fish, every other day. I had excess nitrate problems (<20ppm) for awhile and did a complex water change regime once I found on this article https://www.melevsreef.com/articles/getting-nitrates-under-control and it shot down from ~20 to ~5. Sometimes I do wonder if the nitrates are too low and now that I have p04 readings, I wonder if they're too low for my system as well

Maybe try using the polyp booster daily or feed the fish daily. Polyp booster should be able to be used on its own since it is an amino mix. I'd definitely still feed the fish daily at least some amount.

 

[teebucket]

Maybe try using the polyp booster daily or feed the fish daily.

Thats the opposite of what I've been told throughout my time in this hobby ~2 years but given the circumstances I think I may start feeding every day. The NPS gorgonian would enjoy that anyways.

 

[Spare time]

Thats the opposite of what I've been told throughout my time in this hobby ~2 years but given the circumstances I think I may start feeding every day. The NPS gorgonian would enjoy that anyways.

I find amino based products to not dirty up the tank as much as, lets say for example, reef roids does.

 

[teebucket]

I find amino based products to not dirty up the tank as much as, lets say for example, reef roids does.

do you have any reccomendations for amino acid based foods? I've heard lots of great things about roids and my euphyllia seem to love them

 

[Spare time]

do you have any reccomendations for amino acid based foods? I've heard lots of great things about roids and my euphyllia seem to love them

The polyp booster is an amino, fatty acid, and astaxanthin mix so you could just do that if you'd like. Other than that, most major reefing companies have an amino mix. I use reef energy, vitachem, and brightwell omega hufa amino but there are plenty. of mixes

 

[teebucket]

The polyp booster is an amino, fatty acid, and astaxanthin mix so you could just do that if you'd like. Other than that, most major reefing companies have an amino mix. I use reef energy, vitachem, and brightwell omega hufa amino but there are plenty. of mixes

I've heard of reef energy, is it safe to differentiate the days between roids and RE?

 

[Spare time]

I've heard of reef energy, is it safe to differentiate the days between roids and RE?

Reef roids is particulate food that is grounded up zooplankton. Reef energy is an amino mix plus fatty acids and vitamins (very similar to polyp booster though none of the reef companies like to say the specific amino acids in their mixture). Like I said, almost every reefing brand has some sort of amino product so if you want to dose aminos, you can pretty much find one with any brand (reef energy is not special but red sea creates amazing marketing hype for recreating something already made by another company). Feeding your fish foods low in phosphorus will also aid in keep nitrates up but phosphates low.

Again, this is just one way to aid corals if your nitrates are too low. Feeding fish more will do the same.