Coral question

[Codyheitmiller]

Is there any chemical to make corals grow faster and or make them more colorful?

 

[carey]

Good flow, great lights and they are set! I wish mine would grow faster but I guess its the sw thing about patience again lol

 

[melosu58]

No, PWC`s are the way to go. They replenish trace elements and dilute excessive nutrients.

 

[Codyheitmiller]

I'm using purple up, kent chromaplex, Kent iodide, and red sea coral pro salt, I do 10% wc every week

 

[carey]

Wow that's alot of dosing. I think youre doing enough. lol Do you actually test for all those minerals and elements? I'd go nuts trying to do that

 

[melosu58]

You dont need the iodine if you are doing weekly PWC`s.

 

[Codyheitmiller]

Yes. I do test for almost everything. And the rest I take to my LFS for testing

 

[Codyheitmiller]

You dont need the iodine if you are doing weekly PWC`s.

Won't the skimmer take it out though? It says recommended 8 drops per 50g daily.

 

[melosu58]

Won't the skimmer take it out though? It says recommended 8 drops per 50g daily.

No the skimmer wont take all that out. Weekly or biweekly PWC`s will replenish all the iodine you need IMO.

 

[Codyheitmiller]

K. Thanks guys. Do you know how fast a Loco lobo grows?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

The same as a regular Lobo. Not... very... fast.

Here's a good article on iodine:

Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iodine in Marine Aquaria: Part I — Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine

The summary of the article? Just say no to dosing iodine.

 

[Codyheitmiller]

Well mine has grown 1/2 an inch in a week. Maybe it's something else

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

1/2 inch in a week for *any* coral would be pretty amazing. I'm thinking maybe you mean expansion? Corals will vary their expansion quite a bit as they get used to their new tank, and from week to week. Actual skeletal growth is pretty hard to measure on Lobos.

 

[Codyheitmiller]

Ok. I know my polyps grow REALLY fast though

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Sorry... I was thinking you were talking about a Lobophyllia, and not a Lobophytum (aka ORA Loco Lobo). So I take back what I said... I don't have a clue how fast those things grow.