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Post by ReefJunkie on Jan 23, 2014 23:54:08 GMT -5
So I feel like I'm over skimming my reef. Phos are 0, nitrate is also 0. 95% of my tank are soft corals. I've noticed no real significant growth in most of them. I night feed 2 to 3 times per week. 20% WC per week. Everything seems really healthy just not a lot happening. Running reefbreeder LED fixture. If I stop skimming (using a skimmer rated for approx 100gal system yet only 55 +\- gal in my system) should I do something like 48hrs off, 24 on.... Or just maybe one day of skimming for the week? Looking for your experienced answers or what you did in the past! Thanks guys.
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Post by jess on Jan 24, 2014 0:15:30 GMT -5
Do less water changes
Sent from my HTC ONE
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Post by gotareef on Jan 24, 2014 7:25:57 GMT -5
is your skimmer pulling anything out of the water?
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Post by ReefJunkie on Jan 24, 2014 7:52:12 GMT -5
it sure is. pulls out thick skimmate. It definitely is doing it's job.
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Post by jasonandsarah on Jan 24, 2014 7:58:52 GMT -5
I think a skimmer rated for a 100g skimmer on a 55g is perfect. I have a skimmer rated for a 180g and I only have a 75g tank. Most people recommend going +1 on a skimmer.
Now as far as stopping skimming I would never stop my skimmer unless I have to because for every bit of skim mate you get there probably that much if not more that's still in the tank. I'd be worrying more about your levels in your tank. If your not getting any growth out of softies then there must be something going on and I don't think it's your skimmer? Could be wrong just my opinion
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Post by ryansweatt2004 on Jan 24, 2014 8:10:03 GMT -5
What sort of light spectrum do you have your LEDs set at? The thing I've noticed with most soft corals and leather corals is they grow best under 10k- 14k light spectrum. Blue spectrum tends to stunt their growth. It seems like a small amount of nitrate and phosphate, nothing over 1ppm can actually be beneficial to most soft corals as well. That said I would only do 10% water changes! keep your skimmer going and check more of your water parameters. Low Alkalinity is another thing that will stunt your soft corals and make them look bad.
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Post by ReefJunkie on Jan 24, 2014 10:14:51 GMT -5
I just have the value led so I'm not sure what the exact spectrum comes out to. My dimmer is at approx. 55% for the Blue spectrum. My alk as well as my other parameters stay really stable so I'm fairly certain that alk shouldn't be affecting it. I will keep an even closer eye on it, keep skimming, and cut back on my WC amounts. Just want to see some tangible growth here  Patience, patience, patience |
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Post by gotareef on Jan 24, 2014 10:52:05 GMT -5
run your tests before the waterchange, if everything is stable wait a couple days then test again. your tank may be able to go a couple weeks without a waterchange and maybe only 10g at that point.
every tank is different so it is basically trial and error till you fine tune the maintenance part of the hobby for your tank...
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Post by oceangirl2009 on Jan 24, 2014 13:13:20 GMT -5
If you aren't noticing any growth, it's possible the coral itself wants more/less light or even more/less flow. It's all trial and error.
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Post by Hack157 on Jan 24, 2014 19:51:11 GMT -5
If your tank is healthy you should check your alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium. I have a tank full of softies, and for months saw very little growth in most of them, and no real emergence of Coraline algae. Started dosing the tank and everything exploded, and I was only running my T5's for 8 hours a day. For T5's, I run just 4 bulbs over a 145 gallon tank that measures 24 wide x 48 long x 29 deep. Bare minimum on the lighting for sure but it is obviously a great fixture. I also did and still do a 10% water change every week as well as running a skimmer 24/7.
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Post by Tempest on Jan 24, 2014 20:14:38 GMT -5
Try cutting back to 10% water changes like others have suggested. When I first started my tank, I was doing 20-30% water changes thinking that was better for the tank by removing contaminants. Then someone told me to decrease my water changed to 10% and that's when my soft corals started to take off and double in size in a short amount of time. I think large water changes can actually kinda shock your corals. Keep the skimmer running!
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Post by jess on Jan 24, 2014 20:58:19 GMT -5
Softies and lps tend to do better in less pristine water conditions
Sent from my HTC ONE
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Post by ReefJunkie on Jan 25, 2014 7:15:24 GMT -5
Awesome guys!! The experience I was looking for. Thank you all for your input! Less volume on the WC, still skimming... Eyeing my parameters even more closely.
Greatly appreciated
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Patience, patience, patience
