everythings living-----but nothings growing

[dclegern]

I've got a healthy tank, everything is alive and well. Just nothing seems to grow!!!!
Shrooms are pretty, but stagnant. Polyps are there, but not spreading.
etc. etc.

it's a two year set up, just changed out the sand bed for a crushed coral bed.
sundial t-5 lighting w/ nightlights. @2.5 watts per gallon.
5 fish and a good clean up crew.......... shrooms, zenia, polyps, and a leather.
plenty of live rock, decent flow, skimmer.
A hang of the back, for a little more flow (or any adds I need to put in from time to time)

[hobogato]

ok, you are gonna have to give us a little more info

how long has the tank been set up?

tank specs like lighting, flow, filtration

maintenance and feeding schedule?

too many things that it could be without more info

[Europhyllia]

I just read an article not too long ago that said: If it's not growing, it's starving
Are you feeding them?

[hobogato]

ok, first, you may be a little low on the lighting side. what and how often do you feed the fish, and what size tank is it?

[dclegern]

65 gallon tank, and depends on what type of feeding...........but I'd say just about everyday i give "them" somehing.
enlighten me please on any and all.

[hobogato]

you may be a little sterile for those soft coral to flourish. five fish is a pretty light bioload and if you are only feeding them once a day at the most, that may be the case. it is a difficult line to walk - feeding enough without feeding too much. what food do you feed and how much?

[dclegern]

reef roids, frozen brine, frozen cytoplex, some flake food that they seem to love.
essential mineral supplements, pytopankton mix,

odd question........should I turn off the skimmer when feeding/dosing? never could figure that one out.

[hobogato]

many people will turn of the return pump all together so all of the food stays in the display tank (if they have a sump). if it is a HOB skimmer and no sump, yes, i would recommend turning it off for at least 20 minutes when feeding.

[Europhyllia]

I got one of those timers that use the little green and red pieces you stick in for on and off. My return pump is plugged into the timer.
I don't use any red 'off' pieces though. Just green 'on' pieces spaced about 3 hours apart.
When I feed - especially phytoplankton or small stuff like rotifers and sea fan food - I simply manually roll the timer over to 'off' and automatically within 3 hours it comes back on.
Otherwise I'd be prone to forgetting.

[dclegern]

Thanks Hobogato,
I'll give it a try............ Any other food/reef supplements that you might recomend?