New Live Rock

Got a 55 gallon tank with about 45 lbs of live rock that I bought 5 years ago. Cycled fine, looks great, no problem. About 5 months ago, I finally got another 50 lbs for the tank and added it. It cycled easily. Phospates, amonia, nitrates all at zero. Added a small cleanup crew and have 1 yellow tail blue damsel.
The new live rock has yet to show ANY coraline growth. When I received the shipment of the new rock, it looked as though it had great coverage. Purples, oranges, pinks. Now nothing.
Will it come back? If I would have know this, I would have just gotten cheaper base rock and moved my old stuff closer to the top.
Any feedback is appreciated!

 

What are your Calcium, Magnesium, and Strontium levels?

 

Yeah itll come back. The tank needs to establish enough calcium, keeping low phosphates, and the right alkalinity levels. Chances are that the liverock may not be well cured enough yet to get coralline growth. It can also depend on your lighting. What type of lighting do you have on the tank?

 

it'll come back. the live rock just more time to establish itself.

 

Not sure on the Mag/Cal Levels. Got the kit, never checked yet, mostly because I wasn't too concerned since I don't have any corals, etc. yet.

Lighting... I have two 65 watt pc actinics and two 65 watt 10k pc's. I've got a homemade hood almost ready to fit with two 175 watt 14 k metal halides. It's just not quite done yet.

Wasn't sure if I should be seeing some growth by now or not. Kind of slow compared to the first batch I got. I never really lost any color with the first 45 lbs.

 

Hhmm how old the bulbs..?? the light spectrum might not be as good when you put the second layer of rock in..

 

The bulbs are only about 2 months old if that. Also the established Live Rock's coraline coverage looks pretty good. Nice purples/some pinks. Just doesn't seem to be happening on the new stuff.