Tank to clean and sterile?

[ajkochev]

Tank build is here:

 

Tank has been up for a year.  My old .5 gal pico did really well and the soft corals grew like crazy.  I setup this tank in May of 2018.  I have had a hard time getting the soft corals to grow, GSP has even receded.  Water params are always 0 on the three Nitrates.  Water change of 4 cups every two or three weeks.  Distilled water top off and replacement with Coral Pro Salt in Purple bucket.  1.025 gravity with refractometer. Constant 77 degrees temp.

 

Tanks cheato does grow and need trimmed every month.  I designed this tank to have as little algae growth in the main tank and I think I may have gone to far.  I only have to remove a thin film of clear growth from the glass every few weeks. My corals are washed out and pale and I've had no growth in anything except a chalice, but it is pale looking as well.

 

I feed a couple of drops of microvert, pyloplankton and zooplex everyweek.  I purchased three different SPS corals today(May 20, 2019) on the $10 rack.  I've heard you need immaculate water quality to grow SPS.  Do you think my tank is to clean since I'm not getting any algae or coral growth in the main tank?  What should I do, feed more?  Also looking for anyone who is using the Aquamaxx Prism 300 lights and their experience settings.

[Clown79]

Yes a tank can be too clean leading to various issues.

 

Low to no nitrates and phos will create issues with coral growth and colouration.

 

Depends on the sps. Acropora really prefers good water quality.

[jservedio]

You've got three different chemical medias absorbing phosphate, have a fuge, and no fish. If your tank is a year old and you have no algae whatsoever, including no coralline algae, your tank is just way too clean and your are stripping all of the nutrients your coral needs to live.

If it were me, I'd get rid of the chemical media and try spot feeding any of your LPS once a week.

[SaltyBuddha]

On 5/20/2019 at 10:36 PM, Clown79 said:

Yes a tank can be too clean leading to various issues.

 

Low to no nitrates and phos will create issues with coral growth and colouration.

 

Depends on the sps. Acropora really prefers good water quality.

AAAHHH you changed your profile picture. I like it :) 

 

Tanks can definitely be too clean. My IM10 had 0 phosphates and SPS would go pale. They would grow but the color was very lacking.

 

Like @jservedio said, I would remove the chemical media if you don't have any fish in there to pollute the tank. 

 

You can also try adding some reefroids to the tank a couple times a week to increase nutrients. 

[Clown79]

56 minutes ago, SaltyBuddha said:

AAAHHH you changed your profile picture. I like it 🙂

 

Tanks can definitely be too clean. My IM10 had 0 phosphates and SPS would go pale. They would grow but the color was very lacking.

 

Like @jservedio said, I would remove the chemical media if you don't have any fish in there to pollute the tank. 

 

You can also try adding some reefroids to the tank a couple times a week to increase nutrients. 

I love octopuses and hank is perfect!

 

Definitely a sign of lack of nutrients is pale corals and lack of growth

[ajkochev]

Thanks everyone.  I looked into this a bit more as well and I think I need to make some changes.  Will up my feeding and look into getting a small fish or shrimp that will need fed on a regular basis.

[MrObscura]

I've found that all corals, even acros, like "dirtier water as well. My tank bottomed out on nutrients and everything struggled and then I got dinos. Once I fed like crazy and really dirtied up the tank the dinos went away and everything looked much happier. 

 

Feed more and/or export less. 

[Clown79]

15 hours ago, MrObscura said:

I've found that all corals, even acros, like "dirtier water as well. My tank bottomed out on nutrients and everything struggled and then I got dinos. Once I fed like crazy and really dirtied up the tank the dinos went away and everything looked much happier. 

 

Feed more and/or export less. 

Same experience I went through.