SPS Polyp extension

[Fishamatank]

I am wondering why I do not get good SPS polyp extension in my mixed reef. Mix of SPS, LPS

parms:
alk 9-10
ca 460
mg 1400
nitrates 0.8
phosphates 0.0
pH 7.9 - 8.2
temp 77.5-79

I was carbon dosing but stopped about 6 weeks ago because things were loosing color. Things have colored up considerably since. No issues with the tank as far as algae or other pests that I can see.

I have a sun coral that I feed a few times a week. When I feed that coral I will feed a few candy canes and a couple other LPS. Generally the candy canes put out feeders when the moon lights come on, but nothing else really does.

I have a completely dark period from 2 am - 6 am. On the few occasions I've looked at the tank during this time period everything has feeders out.

Why is it that during main photoperiod and even when moonlights are on I get almost no SPS polyp extension (rose milli, green slimer, red planet)??

[strike2867]

Salinity?

[Fishamatank]

1.026 by refractometer.

[Chris27]

Corals tend to feed at night, that is one reason why polyp extension is better then. If the corals are happy, healthy and growing you shouldn't be worrying much.

[Fishamatank]

I just see so many pictures of people's tank with full extension with the lights on it has made me wonder. I see it in stores as well. Why do some get polyps to extend during the day?

[Levito]

Yea, I often wonder that as well. Most of my corals get insane PE at night, but only moderate amounts in the day time. But I remember going to a local reefer's place to buy some frags and everything in his tank had insane PE during daytime hours, I just couldn't believe it.

[iap]

Same for my sps tank. During the day I have so so pe. But at night the polyps are ridiculous.

[Fishamatank]

Aside from the greens & pink birds nest I get virtually no SPS polyp extension. Growth seems slow on some, but fine on others.

[mike_cmu04]

How often do you do water changes i do 25% weekly and have some crazy pe day and night.

[Fishamatank]

I do 10% every two weeks. This is a 120 with about 20 in the sump. 30 gallons weekly is waaay tooo much work & $$$....
PE seemed worse when I was carbon dosing and had an ULNS. Now nutrient levels are still very low compared to many @ 0.8 nitrates & 0.0 phosphates from both salifert and colorimeters.
I have what most would consider a heavy bio load and feed the fish pretty daily as well.

[Fishamatank]

Is flow something to be considered here? I have 2 K4's, and 2 K2's in addition to 600 gph or so through the sump, so somewhere in the neighborhood of 5000 gph in the display if I remember the ratings on the hydor's.

[r-balljunkie]

i never got good extension till i aded a sulfur denitrator. i love it. i backed off the amount of sulfur used, and ended up with and inch or so of media, as a maintenance regimen. you have to be careful when initially using them, they will zap your alk, so you have to compensate for this fact.

GL

C

[Nebthet]

my sps have the best polyp extension about five to seven hours after lights out and usually keep it to an hour before lights on.

[Dave VG]

What fish are you keeping? Any nippers?

[markcerm]

i dont have any pe on most of my sps only a few show pe while the lights are on, but i think my flame angel is nipping a lot now for some reason i hate that i have to get rid of him.

[Fishamatank]

I have a flame angel as well, very rarely do I see him nip though.

[deuce6371]

I have a flame angel and also a majestic angel as well. I don't see them nip much either but I believe they do and are the reason I do not have good PE in the display. the reason I say this is I set up a frag tank last year in the basement. It is plumbed into the same system so it is the same water quality. Those frags made from the display corals have incredible PE all the time. I believe it has to be the angels so I am going to pull the angels and put them in the 75g fuge and see what happens with the display SPS PE.

[Dave VG]

Originally Posted by Fishamatank

I have a flame angel as well, very rarely do I see him nip though.

Check out my friends thread.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1857744

[Fishamatank]

Hmmm, maybe that is the problem.

How to get the angel out w/o the wife throwing a fit is problem now....

[FlaReefDude]

if you want better pe when the lights are on then feed them when the lights are on. they will get used to it. sps love rotifers.

[Montireef]

That makes sense.

Some time ago I did not feed my corals at all, just my fish with plenty of pellets, flakes, artemia... and got insane P.E. specially in my seriatoporas. Now I am using Coral Vitalizer at night (after lights turn off) and P.E. has improved noticeably.

[Surf&turf]

+1 on Flame being a nipper.

Mine acquired a taste for ORA green birdsnest polyps. yummy!!

[sslak]

Originally Posted by Fishamatank

I have a flame angel as well, very rarely do I see him nip though.

This is it.

Just because he "rarely nips" doesn't mean the corals don't realize that and keep the polyps retracted as a self defense.

I had the same issue when I had an ebili angel, removed the angel and I had daytime polyp extension once again.

If your corals are growing and healthy, you can probably leave the angel but that's why you don't have extension during the day.

[Dave VG]

Build yourself a little 30 FOWLR for the flame and maybe a couple of other non reef safe fish you want. Keeps her happy and in turn keeps you happy. Win win lol. I'm planning one just to keep the nippers that I can't have in my reef tank witch includes a flame.

[Allmost]

I have had excellent results dosing amino acids, I get nice PE during the day as well.
also I find more flow = more PE during the day