Long overdue pictures also help, please

[strauss]

So I need some guidance in terms of where or how to proceed next. I feel I am not getting the growth I should out of my coral and it's really frustrating. I am thinking my placement may be wrong hence the terrible attempts at coral shots on an iPhone. A little info:

-Tank: 89 gallon with 110 pounds live rock in tank and sump, has been running 4 and a half months.
-Lighting: 4 kz superblue, 1 kz fiji purple, 5 kz coral light
-Circulation: 2 mp10 wes plus 1400 gph eheim plus 700pgh hydor k.
-Sump: huge with cheato plus red macro
-Skimmer: Vertex in-80 ( small I know but does a great job)
-Other filtration: 2 little fishes reactor with carbon and gfo replaced every month or as needed
-Additives: Calc (11 ml/daily) and alk (22 ml/daily) dosed via brs dosers, coral snow with zooplankton fed 3 times a week and red sea a/b 3 times a week.
-JBJ Ato from a 20 gallon tank.
-Fish: 2 false perc's, 1 tiny regal tank, 2 yellow watchman's, 1 banded goby, 1 barnacle goby
Inverts: one sand star, 2 cleaners, 25-35 hermits, 5-15 astrea(?) snails, 10-15 nassarius snails.

I'm a student so time is limited as well as space so I have had to be innovative
I currently use tap water. I know, I know. But I don't have a tap I can hook it up to and refilling the top off with spring water is a little much. I change 5-10% bi-weekly. I do not use kalk in top off water but probably should although my coral needs are very small.
Currently I am sitting at.
Alk: 6-7 dkh
Ca:540
Mg: 1300

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w412/strauss11/IMG_0715_zps88090cab.jpg

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w412/strauss11/IMG_0714_zps3fe0ccb1.jpg

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w412/strauss11/IMG_0717_zpse1206f1a.jpg
Fish
http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w412/strauss11/IMG_0716_zps58112fd3.jpg
Solid growth from this one.
http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w412/strauss11/IMG_0718_zps833ce782.jpg
Tri colour I have yet to see any growth in about 3 weeks since i've had it
http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w412/strauss11/IMG_0720_zps76fb8186.jpg
Frag of i don't remember from Coral master, no growth in 3 weeks but feeding tentacles out at night
http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w412/strauss11/IMG_0721_zps185b6c50.jpg
Mp10's doing an awesome job
http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w412/strauss11/IMG_0722_zps025c6b18.jpg
The bench I built to house more aquarium stuff. Only way wife allowed it.
http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w412/strauss11/IMG_0726_zpsd71a0354.jpg
The dosing/ATO/Controller and wiring in first half of bench
http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w412/strauss11/IMG_0724_zpsb918a062.jpg
The resevoir and plumbing in last half of bench
http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w412/strauss11/IMG_0725_zpsb9805385.jpg
The sump
http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w412/strauss11/IMG_0723_zpsc0347f29.jpg

I would love an advice or recommendations on what I can do to improve growth or even see growth in the frags I have and coral in general. Anything is appreciated, even if it means upgrading lighting or changing something. At least something to work towards to fix any issues I may not be aware of. Love this Canreef site but way too many "study breaks" spent on here. Thanks

Brandon

[FragIt Dan]

Your tank looks great! Your dKh is pretty low and may be limiting your lps/sps growth. I would try to keep it up around 9 or 10. If you have to add a lot more dKh to get it to start to raise then that should tell you your corals are limited by lack of carbonates. I would also try to get your Ca down between 400 and 440. You may also want to keep an eye on your phosphates but nothing there gives any indication they are of concern. IMO, there is a good chance it is your dKh. For comparison, I am adding about 200ml/day in a 90G!
Dan

[Enigma]

Wow! Your tank looks great. The hardware is suitable, and the bench is so awesome I should make it a stipulation in my house . . . But then I'd be the one stuck building it. ;)

My tri-colour valida has shown no significant growth in the six (or so) weeks I've had it. I'm no expert on that one.

Everything else looks good. I see lots of growing tips.

[strauss]

Big thanks Enigma and fragit Dan. Also, Is it normal for corals to require much more alk than ca?

[Starry]

Corals need time to acclimate to your tank...flow, lighting, ect. 3 weeks might be too soon for some types of corals.

[Enigma]

Big thanks Enigma and fragit Dan. Also, Is it normal for corals to require much more alk than ca?

I use Reef Crystals, and it mixes up low in Alk. You might like to check what your salt mixes up at.

Honestly, your test results don't really reflect Calgary tap water usage, IMO. When I used tap water, my Alk was 22 (I'm in Huntington Hills).

What test are you using for calcium? What does your new salt water test for calcium? I'm concerned that your test may be inaccurate, or that you may be testing it incorrectly (keep the bottle perfectly straight: perpendicular to the vial). Two of us (i was one of em) on the forum wound up tearing our hair out over calcium tests a little while back.

Even if your salt is mixing up high, I really don't think your calcium should be as high as it is with your 5-10 percent bi-weekly water changes: even using tap water.

[FragIt Dan]

Big thanks Enigma and fragit Dan. Also, Is it normal for corals to require much more alk than ca?

It really depends on what concentration your salt is at (as per Enigma's comment) and the concentration of your additives.


Dan

[dreef]

Yes get your alk up...and patience.I've got some sps frags that haven't grown in a year.Then one day they just take off.

[fishytime]

noticed the hydrometer in your pics.....your salinity may be off....may or my not have anything to do with things....another thing I noticed is the large xenia....I know your running carbon but for the most part leathers and SPS dont mix to well....leathers compete rather aggressively for space chemically....could be another contributing factor....

[pinkreef]

What is the name of the pink coral in the top right?

[strauss]

Salt is 1.025. I use reefcrystals. From what I've tested it mixes up well with regards to chemicals. The top right red thing is red macro algae that stuck on the hydor powerhead and then took off. It literally doubles in size every week or so.

[Enigma]

Where did you find the red macro locally? I would love some, and I've been looking for it. I'm actually looking for a number of macro algaes.

[strauss]

I'll give you some if you can work it around my schedule. Send me a pm.