Coral should grow faster...

[FishNDip]

Hey reefers,

Got some corals in my 90 gal reef tank (40 gal sump) that aren't seeming to grow quite like I think they should. When I last tested nitrates it was very low. Phos 0. Only have one fish (foxface) that's in the tank right now and I do a 15%-10% water change every 2 weeks. But yet I still have a considerable amount of algae in my tank. I feed the tank one time in two weeks! How could there be algae, and why aren't my corals growing fast? I have gps, (which should just take over the tank) mushroom, kenya, hollywood stunner, hairy mushroom, birdsnest, zoas, xenia, war coral, and a maxima clam. None of them have died...But there just not growing fast! And my lights are 300 watts. That's enough the bleach my hollywood stunner if it's turn up at all. I'll do some Calcium, Carbon hardness, nitrates, and Phospahte tests and see what they come out as. I'm not concerned about my tank, just wish it was better. (corals do look sweet though.)

[Tisbe]

How old is the tank? Where did you get your rock from? What type and where is the algae growing? How long have the corals been in the tank?
More info will help.

[oseymour]

A photo along with dKh, calcium and mag numbers would also help

[Lsufan]

If u are using 0 tds rodi & u have algea then u have nitrate & phosphate in the tank. The algae is just consuming it from the water column so it isn't showing on the tests. It has to be coming from somewhere so if u aren't feeding the tank then it may be coming from your substrate or liverock. That's assuming u are using 0 tds rodi.

It's really just guessing without knowing more about your system.They have some knowledgeable people on RC that will help if they can but they will need to know all of your params & more about your system. Also, include what test kit your using for nitrate & phosphate & whatever else u test for.

[homer1475]

Very low tells us nothing, we need actual test kit numbers to see what might be the issue.

Also if your only feeding that fish once every 2 weeks as claimed, I do feel very sorry for it.

[Ron Reefman]

Just how fast do you expect coral to grow? And what gave you the impression your's isn't growing at a normal rate? What are you comparing it to?

One point to consider is that small frags (like most reefers start out with) once acclimated to your tank will (should) grow at the same rats as a big colony of the same coral. However, a frag of a red cap monti that is 1" in diameter has a growing edge of 3.14". And that edge is what grows. If you have a colony with a diameter of 10" the growing edge would be 31.4" and although it will grow at the same rate, it will get bigger faster because there is more growing edge. The same idea works on sps sticks and zoas as well.

They aren't growing 'faster' they are just growing 'more'.

[LimeTwist]

Originally Posted by Ron Reefman

Just how fast do you expect coral to grow? And what gave you the impression your's isn't growing at a normal rate? What are you comparing it to?

One point to consider is that small frags (like most reefers start out with) once acclimated to your tank will (should) grow at the same rats as a big colony of the same coral. However, a frag of a red cap monti that is 1" in diameter has a growing edge of 3.14". And that edge is what grows. If you have a colony with a diameter of 10" the growing edge would be 31.4" and although it will grow at the same rate, it will get bigger faster because there is more growing edge. The same idea works on sps sticks and zoas as well.

They aren't growing 'faster' they are just growing 'more'.

totally agree, sometime even frag from the same colony grow at different rate. as long as they have good polyps extension i would let them be. i have some that is over a year old and still the same size.

[FishNDip]

Thanks for all the replies. Here's what my test ran up as. I'm using reef master test kit.

Nitrate: 0
Calcium: 480
Carbon Hardness: (KH) between 107.4--89.5 (Think it's 89.5, but it could be higher.)

I realize that my smaller frags will grow less than bigger frags. I just thought GPS would double in size in hmm half a month. I assume the Algae is sucking up the nitrates and before I can read it. Let's assume my coral are growing at a normal rate. Would GFO keep algea from growing? How would I fight that properly?

I am using 0 TDS water from my reverse osmosis. I'm using a mix of live rock. (not sure the exact "kind".) Tank has been up for about 2 years. I bought it from someone a year ago. I have mostly hair algae with some brown algae. I can take a pic later. I feed my foxface once in two weeks because he doesn't need it. (sometimes I feed more) If he was only eating what I gave him he'd be dead. There's plenty of algae my foxface eats.

Also last night my elusive peppermint shrimp who never comes out during daylight hours, rushed forth from his rocks as soon as the light's clicked off and started eating my mushroom coral !@$*% shrimp! I was wondering why my hairy mushroom was white on the edges. And that explains my missing bam bam coral head. Tried to catch the thief, but he got away. He could be irritating my corals also. I guess it's my fault for not feeding him anymore.

[Ron Reefman]

Originally Posted by FishNDip

Thanks for all the replies.

I realize that my smaller frags will grow less than bigger frags. I just thought GPS would double in size in hmm half a month.

IMHO that's a crazy, optimistic, unrealistic, expectation. Especially in a tank that is less than a year old!

I would be happy to see a small GSP colony double in size over 2 or 3 months and wouldn't be surprised if it took 6 months in a young tank.

[homer1475]

Originally Posted by Ron Reefman

IMHO that's a crazy, optimistic, unrealistic, expectation. Especially in a tank that is less than a year old!

I would be happy to see a small GSP colony double in size over 2 or 3 months and wouldn't be surprised if it took 6 months in a young tank.

Agree 100%

I had a huge colony of GSP in my biocube, took a small 1 inch frag to put on the back glass of my new tank. In just a year it has only doubled in size, but again, new tank.

But in contrast, my hammer has added 3 heads, my torch has split 5 times, and my plating goniopora has added about 4 inches to its mass.

[Optionman]

GSP growth in 50 weeks left untouched in a new tank.

IMG_1243.jpgIMG_3025.jpg


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[Twoface14]

In MY experience my corals seem to take rotation on how they grow. I don't change anything. Everything is almost always the same. When I say almost I mean my salinity swings maybe.001 between 1.024 and 1.025. My gsp may spread an inch in a week, may not spread an inch in a month. I started out with a 2" piece 3 years ago. I've sold 2 football sized rocks covered in it. Have one now, a branch rock getting covered, overflow and back glass. Those last pieces I have are all from the past year.
I agree with Ron on the growth rate. Seeing a small frag grow seems to take forever. But when you get a large colony, growth rate seems much faster since you see more spreading. I know you were mainly talking about GSP here, but you had also mentioned other corals. All corals grow at different rates and several things can have an impact on that. Lighting, flow, placement on sand or rock, nitrates, etc. For example I have 4 different kinds of monti's in my tank. My reds grow the fastest. Purple are almost as fast. Mystic sunset grows probably 10% as fast as those two. And my slow burn monti lives up to its name. Slow. The purple, mystic and slow burn were all 3 bought the same day and were about 1" frags. My purple I have fragged several times for local reefers. My mystic is about 3 1/2" now and my slow burn is about 2"

[FishNDip]

Maybe my expectations are a bit high, after all I shouldn't expect things to grow a jungle the size of a frag. Just sit back and let the show go on. Thanks all.