Sps/acropora polyp extension ?

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#1
Hello all, my acros have not had very good polyp extension for quite some time. When I look at fellow reefers tanks locally I see very good extension on some of the same corals. I have polyps showing but very minute.
My water comes from A local water store, Culligan, that when I measure now and then has no phosphates or nitrates, my MG is 1400, CA is 450, ALK is 8, PH is 8.2, Phosphates go between .03 - .05, my nitrates are around 10. My salinity is .124.
I run 2 Radions G3, and 2 T5 bulbs ATI super blue plus.
Any Ideas suggestions or guesses would by appreciated Thanks
 

Speaker73

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#3
What's your flow like in the tank? I honestly have no idea of this matters but I felt sorry for no posts. Lol

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dontavo27

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#5
Post some pictures if possible. How old is the tank? I was always afraid of adding sps to my tank, as everyone claims they require more care as far parameters and such. But In the last couple of months Ive added some acros, and I can say Im getting better growth and polyp extention out the acros, then growth from my Zoas. I run Dr. Tims pellets, do weekly water changes and feed coral food and feed my fish PE mysis probably more then I should, getting some visible hair algae in my over flow and my return from that.
I could be a water quality issue, how do the tanks at lfs that you get your water from look like?
Or it could be the 0 nitrate/phosphates. Hopefully you get some more experienced memebers to chime in.
 

Smite

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#6
Have you asked if their filtration system is RO/DI? I believe most water stores only offer RO water. You really need you start with 0 TDS for a reef, especially once you start to dabble with sps. A little metal or chloramine can reak havoc on sps.

Have you imspected/dipped for pests? What is your dipping procedure for new coral?
 
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#7
Thanks for your replies. I talked to an experienced person yesterday and he thinks along the same line as you guys I need to increase my flow and I need to get my water from a different Source or set up a Rodi unit thanks again I appreciate it I don't have pests in my tank I've checked for that
 
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#8
Thanks for your replies. I talked to an experienced person yesterday and he thinks along the same line as you guys I need to increase my flow and I need to get my water from a different Source or set up a Rodi unit thanks again I appreciate it I don't have pests in my tank I've checked for that. I always dip my corals really well. Everything looks good, my corals are growing and have a good color no bleaching just wonder why I don't get that polyp extension I see in other tanks. I do get more, early morning and evening. I'm changing my lighting scheduled to A B+ on my radions I have a lot of white on my lighting
 

reefes pieces

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#9
make sure to make small changes at a time including lighting schedule. Do you use any supplements for your corals?
 
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#10
Just my two cents - I have a couple pieces of SPS in my system and they only extend their polyps at night... i think during the day some of my fish or shrimp irritate it and they do not extend out like they do during the night time -

Have you noticed them at night? Is there PE at night?
 
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#11
Just my two cents - I have a couple pieces of SPS in my system and they only extend their polyps at night... i think during the day some of my fish or shrimp irritate it and they do not extend out like they do during the night time -

Have you noticed them at night? Is there PE at night?
I do have more polyp extension at night, and I am feeding Reef roids with the poly booster before once or twice a week my corals look good and they're growing just slowly and not much polyp extension
 
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#13
Flow is key Ive seen people blast their acros directly with flow and their polyp extension is crazy. Ive had a lot of success with this myself.


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Sonia8566

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#14
I placed my sps corals away from direct flow and the polyp extension is great, even during the day.


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