Why won't they GROW!!!!

[chull13]

Alright guys and girls, I am tired of my corals not growing. I have read and read people tell others that they just need to give it time but I think two years is enough. I started with a 75 gal and for a while is was FOWLR but eventually got a few beginner corals (xenia, GSP). they would not grow at all so I blamed it on my lighting which at the time was PC's. I knew that I couldn't afford sufficient lighting for a tank that size so I downsized and to a 12 gal with 70watt halide and 2 24 watt pc's. I know that is sufficient lighting so why are my corals not growing. My parameters are perfect:
specific gravity: 1.025
calcium:400 (sometimes higher)
Alk: 10dKH
Trates and Trites: 0
Temp: 77-81 (usually stable at 78)
Could it be my salt? The only thing I can think of is that it is a lack of trace elements that I do not test for. I use Oceanic salt. I don't hear of many people using this. Does anyone have a successful reef tank using this salt? Any suggestions woulfd be greatly appreciated.

 

[kzoo]

Some of the soft corals zenia and others need food and if your water is very clean they may not grow fast. Do you have fish in your tank? Oceanic is not bad salt I now people that use is and there tank does well. If you are growing sps and are tring to tweek the colors, than you may want a better salt.

 

[chull13]

My tank is mainly LPS and a few softies. I do have fish and I do feed my candycane and hammer coral. They are not unhealthy they just don't grow. I can't even get coralline algae to grow. The thing is I don't know dose calcium at all because everytime I test my water it is fine. I assume my calcium levels are always good because I do weekly 25% water changes.

 

[kzoo]

How old is the tank? How long have the corals been in it?

 

[jetchris]

well, i dose calcium "pool calcium" <----- got from simon. and my sps grows pretty well. All my frags are encrusting nice. As far as LPS and soft corals. Mine grow pretty decent especially my zoos. My LPS is probably the slowest growing. Sorry i cant give better answers. I am anxious to know why you dont have coralline algae?? The only time i have heard of people not having coralline algae is because they are using sulfer for de-nitrification. Also how is the monti cap i gave you ?

 

[kzoo]

You may be low on magnesium that will shut down growth of corline.

 

[tanner86]

I have a 29gal biocube that has leathers, xenia, gsp, candycane, fox coral and other softies that are dosed with Kent Marine Tech CB part a and b (Calcium), Tech I (iodine), and Tech M (magnesium).
The Calcium is dosed almost every day depending on my chemical tests results. The iodine and magnesium are added after every weekly water change, but never on the same day.

I say all this to say, I was having the same problem you are describing. My corals looked healthy but wouldn't grow. When I started adding these chemicals along with DT's (phytoplankton) 2x a week, all the corals within a month and a half just blossomed. They are growing like mad now and am going to have to start trimming some of the corals back.

How often and with what are you dosing your corals with? Keep in mind I was using a cheaper form of Kent calcium, iodine, and mag/stronium before I swithched to the above and my corals never thrived. It wasn't until I started adding the Calcium CB, Tech I, and Tech M that my corals to off.

Doing weekly water changes even in a smaller aquarium will not replenish these necessary elements IMO. I have had great success with my corals so far with these Kent Marine products.

 

[olds350racer]

Chull13, when I used Oceanic I had issues with my Alk/Ca balance constantly. Since I changed over to Instant Ocean my AlK/Ca have stayed in near perfect balance and coraline took off. I know that you stated your Alk/Ca levels are ok, but (in agreement with kzoo) and my experience I tend to think that your Mg levels might be low. And despite Alk/Ca levels, Mg is needed for calcification (aka growth) for LPS and SPS. Regarding xenia... mine likes iodine (although many disagree with the effectiveness of iodine). With that being said... I rarely dose iodine because 1) I don't won't the xenia to overtake the tank and 2) I don't like adding anything I don't "have" to added chemically.
NOTE: I am a newbie... so take my advice as my uderstanding/experience and nothing more. And if I'm wrong, someone please correct me. Best of luck!!!

 

[chull13]

THanks for everyone's reply. Sounds like I need to test me mg levels to make sure that they are in good shape. I do not dose me tank with any type of phytoplankton, zooplankton or anything like that. I have heard conflicting opinions about whether that stuff beneficial of detrimental (pollution) to tanks and especially since I have such a small tank I wanto to be careful about adding un-necessary contents. My condycane and hammer coral seem to eat small pieces of brine and mysis when I feed my fish. So I have the 2 part B-Ionic calcium/alk supplement. SHould I start dosing it even though my calcium levels seem fine? Also what do I do about mg? I know should get a test kit but is there a supplement to get that in line if it is off?
Chris the monti cap is great both pieces look very healthy. Like I said, all my corals look healthy but they don't grow. I'm not talking about xenia, I took that stuff out cause it was taking over the tank. I can't even get my zoos to grow. I got some zoos probably six months ago and and I don't think a single one has grown since I got them. Keep the suggestions coming please.

 

[darren24]

Get someone else to test your alk, calcium, mag, etc. If your Mag was low you would not be able to maintain good calcium levels. I have to dose a 2 part alk and calcium (Kent Tech A and B) every day to keep my levels in check. I also have to add Mag (Kent Tech M) once every couple of weeks also. My LPS and Softies grow very well.

 

[chull13]

thanks Darren I guess I could take a sample to Cap Bay and have them test it. What do you guys think?

 

[ouling]

You don't live very far and I could test ALL your water chemistry for you if you want. When you go to a LFS I doubt they do the expensive tests such as Magnesium. PM me if you want me to look at your tank because next week I am very very free. But if I do help you, you'll have to promise me that you will join the ARC.

 

[caesar]

how old are your bulbs?

 

[mvm]

I'm close as well(smyrna) and could test your PH, CA KH and mag. PM me and I'll give you details.

 

[schwaggs]

Have you actually measured your CA and Alk or are you assuming that the water changes are keeping it in line? In any event, you should take one of the others up on measuring your CA Alk, Mg or take a sample to the store and have it measured.

How old are your bulbs and what color MH bulb are you using?

IME, corals are like a pot of water that never boils when you are watching it, some corals never grow when you are watching them. Take some pictures with timestamps and compare the pixs to your corals 2 months from now. You may be surprised at how much has changed even in 2 or 6 months. I don't notice that much growth day-to-day but really notice it after returning from a long vacation...

 

[cameron]

The often overlooked answer to this problem is flow. The more light you beat down on your corals, the more flow they need to breathe properly. They can't swim around the tank to inhale... they are stuck right where they are and the way they get new gases to convert is from flow.

Food source as others have mentioned above along with proper alk and calcium levels. You get calcium and alk in line, lighting working properly and flow moving along and you will have plenty of growth.

 

[flyingarmy]

As I learned last night from the SeaChem guy at the ARC meeting.....it's all about Magnesium!:up:

 

[cameron]

I caught that last time at the Posiedens Reef Seachem talk. Mag certainly will cause lots of things to read upside down even if they are being dosed in huge quantities, but I will still stick with flow as being often overlooked.

 

[flyingarmy]

Agreed it's a combo of many factors! Light, flow, water quality etc. And don't forget skimming!