AZdogpatch06
Aquarium Advice Freak
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2014
- Messages
- 233
This isn't really about sick coral, but since it's related to coral growth I figured this would be the best spot to post. I've got 50 watts of T5 HO lighting (10,000K and actinic) on my 25 gallon nano reef tank, so 2 watts per gallon. My corals have never really spread or reproduced. I've got Kenya trees, two species of zoanthids, and one cabbage leather coral. I've got the cabbage leather mid level in my tank, everything else is on the bottom. I've always thought I was a bit short on the lighting, but I figured it would be enough for basic growth on softies and 6 months has passed with no reproduction from the zoanthids or Kenya trees (I just recently acquired the leather coral). They are on a timer and get exactly 10 hours of light every single day. What's the deal? My water parameters are stellar. Low nitrates and phosphates (I use a bulk reef supply media reactor with carbon and gfo) plenty of live rock and sand, not overstocked, etc. I've found it difficult to shop for reef lighting as most stores don't carry anything, unless it's the one specialty shop in my town and I've never gone in there to look. I feel like my options for lighting are slim pickings especially for my tank size. I work part time and I'm in college so $500 light fixtures are definitely out of my ball park. Am I doing something blatantly wrong? I'm always keeping up with my water changes on both of my tanks. (the other is a planted freshwater tank)
Tank inhabitants:
1 black clown.
1 Indigo dotty back.
2 emerald crabs.
1 sand burrowing snail (nerite?)
Assorted hermit crabs that came as hitch hikers.
10 small Kenya tree coral.
1 colony of purple & green zoanthids.
1 extremely small colony of dragon eye zoanthids. There's only like 5 polyps. They won't grow.
1 medium size cabbage leather coral with medium placement in tank.
Filtration:
Aquaclear 50 Hang on back filter with poly fiber (to catch those loose particles)
Bio balls in the hang on back filter.
Biocube air driven protein skimmer.
Hydor power head.
Bulk reef supply media reactor running GFO and carbon.
I've tried to provide as much information as possible!
Sent from my SM-G900V using Aquarium Advice mobile app
Tank inhabitants:
1 black clown.
1 Indigo dotty back.
2 emerald crabs.
1 sand burrowing snail (nerite?)
Assorted hermit crabs that came as hitch hikers.
10 small Kenya tree coral.
1 colony of purple & green zoanthids.
1 extremely small colony of dragon eye zoanthids. There's only like 5 polyps. They won't grow.
1 medium size cabbage leather coral with medium placement in tank.
Filtration:
Aquaclear 50 Hang on back filter with poly fiber (to catch those loose particles)
Bio balls in the hang on back filter.
Biocube air driven protein skimmer.
Hydor power head.
Bulk reef supply media reactor running GFO and carbon.
I've tried to provide as much information as possible!
Sent from my SM-G900V using Aquarium Advice mobile app