i'm not keeping any secrets, my system is pretty simple as well
i do have a few tips that work for me...i can't say it'll work for everyone, nor do i have scientific facts to back these up:
- figure out if you're aiming for color or growth...if color, keep alk around nsw at ~7-8dkh...if growth, go 11-12dkh...so if you want both, aim for ~9kh-10dkh...i keep mine 8-9 because i want color
- if you keep alk above 9dkh, you have to have NO3/PO4 present or your sps will starve and lead to burnt tips/alk burn and pale coloration because the coral simply can't keep up with the accelerated skeletal growth
- amino acids do work but don't overdose it...it can lead to burnt tips, same as above as you are accelerating sps growth and the coral can't keep up
- potassium dosing does work and it does bring out your reds and pinks BUT you can overdose and when you do, your tank will go downhill real fast...there are also no good K test kits out there and the titration kits that are out there take upwards of 20-30 minutes to do...each time...it's better to just do water changes to replenish that K
- do small water changes frequently over large water changes infrequently
- fragging acros pushes them to grow faster than they would if you left them alone
- flow is very important, probably just as important, if not more, than lighting...aim for high flow that is random, not laminar...watch polyps flow in different directions, not just one direction
EDIT: also, UV seems to be doing something good in my tank as well...every since i've been bumping up UV my colors have really gotten deeper in all spectrum...i'm not sure exactly what this spectrum effects though...be forewarned, UV is also known to fry your corals...bring that one up very slowly
