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Thread: SPS growth and scrubbing

  1. #41

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    Apr 2010
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    Re: SPS growth and scrubbing

    I'll feed 15 cubes worth of coral and fish food until all the algae in the display is gone (which seems to be happening already.) I always thought I was feeding alot, but alot now has a new meaning. I'll increase feeding when algae is gone and STN/SDR stopps.

    It seems better. Hopefully I'll get growth on the corals within a few weeks of the current feeding regime.

    A question though, how can I grow so much algae when feeding so little and running skimmer and GAC at the same time, and still get algae in the display? There really had to be very very limited amounts of N & P in the system, even very limited food with the skimmer, GAC and scrubber at the same time.

  2. #42
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    Re: SPS growth and scrubbing

    Increase feeding slowly, however, maybe by 50 percent a week. Increasing too fast will turn your scrubber dark.

    P is stored in the rocks; excess P in the water goes right into the rocks. As P comes out of the rocks, it will be reduced to zero by the rock algae, until that algae is gone. Then, measureable P in the water will start to increase since your total effective scrubber size (display + scrubber) is smaller. At that point you'll have to see how much you can feed while still keeping P less than 0.015.

    The GAC and skimmer do not affect P. Only the scrubber algae removes P. And the rock algae also stores P.

  3. #43

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    Re: SPS growth and scrubbing

    Yes, I do know skimmers don't remove any inorganic n or p, but the n and p still has to come from a place, hence my question about the levels in my water after running gac and a large skimmer along with the scrubber. How the hell can I grow 3-500grams of algae a screen if there is only light feeding and stripping of water (and even get algae on my rocks)?

  4. #44
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    Re: SPS growth and scrubbing

    The P that comes from the food you feed is concentrated and packed tightly in the form of cubes or nori or whatever. The algae you grow is filled with water and is not packed tightly. If you were to bake it and weight it, it would be the same as the food you feed, minus the amount that went into livestock growth.

  5. #45

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    Re: SPS growth and scrubbing

    Well, measured N and P again today, and both are still undetectable. I do have 2 different P tests, and the N test is tested with liquid nitrate. The Algae continues to let go from the rocks. Hopefully things move in the right direction.

  6. #46

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    Sep 2010
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    Re: SPS growth and scrubbing

    I have read and seen evidence that coralline growth is related to supersaturated calcium levels. SPS will still grow near saturated levels and out compete coralline for calcium. Light levels and small amount of nutrients in water also effect growth.

    I use it to guage calcium levels in between tests. I also try to gauge it so that I only need to put hands in water every few weeks to clean glass.

  7. #47

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    Apr 2010
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    Re: SPS growth and scrubbing

    Today, the algae on my rocks are continuing to loose foothold. The few acropora that I havn't already declared dead are regaining color, and today I could see growth on the montipora (2 pieces). The white edges are stretching all around them again visibly, and some digitata's are also growing visibly again. The porities I've had through good and bad is showing signs of growth. I'll add some pictures tomorrow and compare to just a few days earlier. The change is comming even if I feed 2-3x as much (while I fed really too little prior to the change.

    I've done these things:
    Lot's more feeding
    Reduced light in display
    Added aminos and trace from Fauna Marine (Probably goes as feeding also)
    Dosing Iodine daily
    Increased flow on scrubber slightly
    Changed tubes on the scrubber

    Together they are making a difference. My Zoa's and Polyps are still not happy, but they stopped showing signs of getting worse atleast.

  8. #48

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    Apr 2010
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    Re: SPS growth and scrubbing

    Both of the montipora are growing, and so is a purple one I got in a QT tank with scrubber only:
    [attachment=0:25fcbenj]phpLK0cMSPM.jpg[/attachment:25fcbenj][attachment=1:25fcbenj]phpfOm8rbPM.jpg[/attachment:25fcbenj]

    As the video show, I still have issues with algae, but they are letting go, and I can see good improvement from just a few days ago. Anyone have any idea how to get the dragon wrasse out except a tank teardown, I'd be a happy reefer. It's making a mess from time to time, and chasing other fishes.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me4D5GQSy1A

    And this Acropora is showing slight PE. It's a curiosity, since they extend a while after food has been added, not actually within 15-20 min of food.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx-w9cmyU9g
    Attached Images Attached Images

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