key to coral growth

copperhead3690

copperhead3690

Member
hey guys, i've had my 24g nano up and running for about a year now, give or take. i've been deployed for the past four months and i am about to leave this reched place lol.. i was wondering what is the key to good coral growth? i have a coral life 14000k 150w MH light fixture, protein skimmer, and do water changes every week. ( my fiance does that is ) what suppliments do yall use that you would recommend? and about how long should it take to notice the growth? i can notice it now but not as much as other tanks. and with that lighting fixture, i should be able to keep whatever corals i want in there correct? thanks for the help in advance!
currently i have an assortment of zoo's, mushrooms, an acropora, a torch coral, and a couple other odd and end corals.
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
just keep the water stable and clean. be selective in your bulb choice. I've tried about 3 different amino acids, all types of coral feeds ect but really nothing works better than just good stable water quality with adequate (bi)carbonates (alk) and calcium. Keeping phosphates low helps. water clarity helps too. activated carbon and carbon dosing both keep water crystal so helping light penetrate. I know it would seem insigificant but its the accumulation of little things that improve growth. Certain LPS and SPS grow significantly better with feeding but dont do it if its going to spoil water quality.
If you want specifics I've used reef plus, warner marine ultimate amino's, kent coral accel and brightwell amino's as far as growth "accelerators". I cant really say any work better the others. I'd say reef plus did the best job if I had to chose one but I'm sure there are other factors. verdic still out on the warner marine as I'm using it currently.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

The key to good coral growth…find out what makes the coral happy and do it. Some require strong lights and good water. Some require extra warmth, some like it cooler temps…If you make sure the corals you chose all have the basic same needs all of them should flourish.
When you have corals with different needs…it becomes almost impossible to keep them all happy and growing. What makes an SPS coral happy does not always make a softy coral happy…
 
copperhead3690

copperhead3690

Member
thanks guys, i feed the corals the frozen cubes.. i don't put the whole frozen cube in there lol, but i feed them that, and i have the kent additive and from what i can tell they keep them alive and happy... but after a year wouldn't you think the tank would be flourishing with coral growth? i would think so anyways, lol
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
I use a product called coral frenzy. I really like it and my corals seem happy. I dissolve it in about 3ml of water and bottled phytoplankton and then get a little 5ml syringe and turn my flow off, or down and then squirt a little around each area of the corals. I use it for everybody and they all seem to be happy. I do that treatment about every 8 days give or take. I like coral frenzy... has loooottttssss of good stuff in it.
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
I think everyone is missing the key here in coral growth.
What's your calcium level? Corals need basically calcium to use to build upon and lighting for a main food source -- that's it.
The only thing besides water changes I do is drip limewater (Mrs. Wages pickling lime) to keep my calcium and alk up and my corals do great. You can feed them --- but they still get a great majority of food through lighting -- except maybe some LPS may benefit better than SPS from direct feeding.
I find my shrooms hate direct bright light... growing ALLL over in the shade of my halides.
Halides and calcium above 400 is a good place to start for coral growth.
Also make sure your bulbs haven't gone past their usefulness and yes... bulb selection makes a difference.
 
copperhead3690

copperhead3690

Member
Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/3111406
I think everyone is missing the key here in coral growth.
What's your calcium level? Corals need basically calcium to use to build upon and lighting for a main food source -- that's it.
The only thing besides water changes I do is drip limewater (Mrs. Wages pickling lime) to keep my calcium and alk up and my corals do great. You can feed them --- but they still get a great majority of food through lighting -- except maybe some LPS may benefit better than SPS from direct feeding.
I find my shrooms hate direct bright light... growing ALLL over in the shade of my halides.
Halides and calcium above 400 is a good place to start for coral growth.
Also make sure your bulbs haven't gone past their usefulness and yes... bulb selection makes a difference.
thank you much for the post, i had seen calcium and light was the key for growth but wasn't sure on it. i'm guessing they have a test kit for calcium? i will most certainly look into getting some mrs. wages when i get back home. thanks again!
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
Just do a little research on the limewater topoff -- you don't want to dose a bunch at once... I do about a teaspoon per gallon of topoff water... and it drips in about 2 gallons a day into my 100g water volume.
 
bulldog123

bulldog123

Member
Thanks for your service.

IMO a good salt and water changes. The only reason to dose is because your tank is full of coral or you just want better growth.
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member

Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/3111406
I think everyone is missing the key here in coral growth.
What's your calcium level? Corals need basically calcium to use to build upon and lighting for a main food source -- that's it.
.
didn't miss it at all:
...but really nothing works better than just good stable water quality with adequate (bi)carbonates (alk) and calcium
and adequate carbonates/bicarbonate (alk) are no less important and utilized over 2:1 ppm alk vs cal (not to mention the critical pH buffering they provide). elevated (above sea level) alkalinity has been associated with faster growth while elevated calcium has not.
 
copperhead3690

copperhead3690

Member
ok, i was reading up on the dripping the lime.. if i have a 24 gallon tank, how much would need to be dripped in there a day? it seems like all the tanks i'm reading up on are 100g and up and i can't really get a good judge off it
 
copperhead3690

copperhead3690

Member
Originally Posted by Bulldog123
http:///forum/post/3111513
Thanks for your service.

IMO a good salt and water changes. The only reason to dose is because your tank is full of coral or you just want better growth.
and thanks for your support! and that is why i'm wanting to dose. so i can get that coral filled tank look lol. ( if that makes sense )
 
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