Well I've had corals in my tank for about 9 months now. I can keep them alive but I can't get most of them to grow very much. Here's the details on my system:
120g AGA Tank with 2 overflows
60g Fuge - In basement. Full of Chaeto and Calerupa
55g Sump - In basement - Reeflo Tarpon return pump
Closed loop with two inlets back to the tank run by a Mag 12
Oddysea 2x 250w metal halide with power comapacts and moon lights - total watts 760 (I think)using original ballasts. Phoenix 14k bulbs six months old
2 Hydor Koralia 3's inside the tank
Auto Topoff through Kalk Reactor
Running Carbon and Phosban 24/7 in Sump
MSX 200 Skimmer - Seems to be doing a good job
I do a 20 - 30 gallon water change every month and blow the detrius off the rocks every week or so. No algae to speak of except for a little bubble algae that I try to stay on top of.
Fish are thriving - feed frozen or flake daily and Cyclopsese twice a week or so.
5 colonies / frags of Zoos - some grow some stagnant even after moving them around the tank at different levels.
6 Acropora frags - one growing fine the the others living but stagnant again even after moving them around a bit.
Frogspawn, Hammer and Star polyps doing fine but I did lose a toadstool in December.
Crocea Clam doing fine and growing.
My first thought was that calcium and/or magnesium was too low but they are fairly constant at around 420 and 1280 (except when I had a maintenance lapse in November) so I don't think that's the issue.
Here are a few other things that I've thought could be problems - love some feedback or some other ideas.
1. Cheap ballasts on cheap lights aren't doing the job and my lights are too dim. Have a ordered a Bluewave dual ballast in the PA group buy.
2. Flow is too constant. Ordered a Vortech in the group buy - even if that's not it its still a neat toy.
3. Running Carbon and Phosban 24/7 is taking too much stuff out of the water.
4. Not changing water enough - maybe should do it every two weeks.
Sorry for the long post - but I am out of Ideas.
Thanks
Lou
120g AGA Tank with 2 overflows
60g Fuge - In basement. Full of Chaeto and Calerupa
55g Sump - In basement - Reeflo Tarpon return pump
Closed loop with two inlets back to the tank run by a Mag 12
Oddysea 2x 250w metal halide with power comapacts and moon lights - total watts 760 (I think)using original ballasts. Phoenix 14k bulbs six months old
2 Hydor Koralia 3's inside the tank
Auto Topoff through Kalk Reactor
Running Carbon and Phosban 24/7 in Sump
MSX 200 Skimmer - Seems to be doing a good job
I do a 20 - 30 gallon water change every month and blow the detrius off the rocks every week or so. No algae to speak of except for a little bubble algae that I try to stay on top of.
Fish are thriving - feed frozen or flake daily and Cyclopsese twice a week or so.
5 colonies / frags of Zoos - some grow some stagnant even after moving them around the tank at different levels.
6 Acropora frags - one growing fine the the others living but stagnant again even after moving them around a bit.
Frogspawn, Hammer and Star polyps doing fine but I did lose a toadstool in December.
Crocea Clam doing fine and growing.
My first thought was that calcium and/or magnesium was too low but they are fairly constant at around 420 and 1280 (except when I had a maintenance lapse in November) so I don't think that's the issue.
Here are a few other things that I've thought could be problems - love some feedback or some other ideas.
1. Cheap ballasts on cheap lights aren't doing the job and my lights are too dim. Have a ordered a Bluewave dual ballast in the PA group buy.
2. Flow is too constant. Ordered a Vortech in the group buy - even if that's not it its still a neat toy.
3. Running Carbon and Phosban 24/7 is taking too much stuff out of the water.
4. Not changing water enough - maybe should do it every two weeks.
Sorry for the long post - but I am out of Ideas.
Thanks
Lou