can a newbie jump into sps

[johnj]

I love sps corals as just more colour to them" and love how they are kept near the water surface

could a newbie jump into sps without killing all his corals

and are there any such thing as easy to keep sps coral ?

 

[road_runner]

I love sps corals as just more colour to them" and love how they are kept near the water surface

could a newbie jump into sps without killing all his corals

and are there any such thing as easy to keep sps coral ?

It all depend on your system, parameters, lighting, flow, system stability..etc

Would be helpful if you give us some more informstions.. about your system
System age
System filtration
Parameters: no3 po4 alk ca salinity k+ if you know..etc
Dosing
Equipments and lighting
..pics always help.

 

[Hemmdog]

I love sps corals as just more colour to them" and love how they are kept near the water surface

could a newbie jump into sps without killing all his corals

and are there any such thing as easy to keep sps coral ?

Montis and birdsnest are very easy. Acros are a bit harder. High lighting, flow, and constant stability of your water are key.

 

[ACF930]

I recommend jumping into SPS once you can keep your main parameters (Alk, Calc, Mag) stable consistently for at least a few weeks. Alk should not swing more than 0.5 dkh in 24 hrs. Your NO3 5-30 ppm and PO4 0.2 to 0.1. Overtime, you'll know the rhythm of your tank. Easy SPS are like Birdsnest, Montis, Digis.

 

[road_runner]

Montis and birdsnest are very easy. Acros are a bit harder. High lighting, flow, and constant stability of your water are key.

There is nothing very easy without understanding if the system sustain it or not..
At least that's how I operate to avoid killing coral.
Yes you can always experiment with small frags.. but why... bit research go a long way.

 

[Bob Weigant]

When I jumped into sps I went with what was fairly easy and then took it a step further with something alittle harder. 15 years later its still a love /hate relationship.

 

[johnj]

its not setup yet because only just got all my items together" and was just thinking of whot I really wonted to keep (corals) mixed reef or lps or sps

tank is 6ft 2ft 2ft rimless
lights" 3x hydra 26hd leds
skimmer reef octopus regal 200s
reef octopus pellet reactor with tmc bacto pellets
d-d reactor for rowa phos/or carbon
ceramic media blocks
maxspect 350 powerhead
vortec mp40qd
kamoa dosing pump
tmc tropic marin pro salt

 

[ACF930]

When I jumped into sps I went with what was fairly easy and then took it a step further with something alittle harder. 15 years later its still a love /hate relationship.

Agreed. Doesn't matter how skilled and experience you are - expect to have SPS die from time-to-time (and for reasons unknown).

 

[johnj]

would a calcium reactor evan on tank with small frags be more stable than dosing

 

[W1ngz]

A different point of view: I just upgraded my tank on the weekend and doing the lighting in the next couple of days. I've been doing this for 5 years, and I'm not letting myself buy any new corals until I learn the various quirks and behaviours of my new system. There's a bunch of things that are just slightly different to every environment, tank and reefer that the internet can't tell you.

You could, and you might succeed, but it wouldn't be the wisest choice. I would wait until you're confident enough that you don't need to ask the question.

 

[road_runner]

would a calcium reactor evan on tank with small frags be more stable than dosing

Bot necessarily. I ran sps dominate system for 6 years without CArx. It's all about the conditions required by the animals you want to host.

 

[road_runner]

Ita really not hard, rather just making informed decisions.

 

[Saintnovakai]

Have you watched all the BRS videos? Is this your very first reef tank? What I will say to you is that there is such a thing as a "Blue Thumb". Some people have it and some don't and have to learn it. There are people in this very chat that can throw anything into their reefs and it will grow even covered in sand and parameters that look off while there are others with strict parameters and husbandry who struggle with growing out a stub.

You or none of us really know which side you fall on. Only time will tell. What I can be sure of though is that the longer you spend aging the tank, it's bacterial populations and biofiltration is the better it will be at increasing its chances.

With all that being said, I'd aliken a newb jumping into SPS like a virgin who expects to last a good ten minutes his very first time. You might be lucky but most of us just end up apologizing and spending time online trying to learn as much as we can so it doesn't go that badly next time. Lol

 

[johnj]

Have you watched all the BRS videos? Is this your very first reef tank? What I will say to you is that there is such a thing as a "Blue Thumb". Some people have it and some don't and have to learn it. There are people in this very chat that can throw anything into their reefs and it will grow even covered in sand and parameters that look off while there are others with strict parameters and husbandry who struggle with growing out a stub.

You or none of us really know which side you fall on. Only time will tell. What I can be sure of though is that the longer you spend aging the tank, it's bacterial populations and biofiltration is the better it will be at increasing its chances.

With all that being said, I'd aliken a newb jumping into SPS like a virgin who expects to last a good ten minutes his very first time. You might be lucky but most of us just end up apologizing and spending time online trying to learn as much as we can so it doesn't go that badly next time. Lol

maybe just get tank running for few months with harder corals till know whot im doing" then start adding the harder sps later" few each month or two

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Your tank build looks go, doing a build thread?

I would say your 3- 26 lights may not be enough for a 6 foot tank. You may want to look into adding down the road to achieve the par needed for sps

 

[road_runner]

maybe just get tank running for few months with harder corals till know whot im doing" then start adding the harder sps later" few each month or two

Also come back to ask whenever you have question. This forum is full with knowledge experince and people who like to help.

Also I advice you either do some research or come ask when you planning filtration or adapt a method. Some times advices here and there can help great deal.

 

[Saintnovakai]

Your tank build looks go, doing a build thread?

I would say your 3- 26 lights may not be enough for a 6 foot tank. You may want to look into adding down the road to achieve the par needed for sps

Yeah I agree but if you don't have a problem using a chiller, I'd also recommend getting T5 supplement lighting. You can do only LED but there's a lot of merit to eliminating shading, hotspots etc if you're definitely thinking about SPS.

 

[johnj]

Your tank build looks go, doing a build thread?

I would say your 3- 26 lights may not be enough for a 6 foot tank. You may want to look into adding down the road to achieve the par needed for sps

Thanks mate" yes will do build thread" just got to get my ro and di pods and reel reef rock"
yes chap in shop said may have to swop out the centre hydra 26 hd for a hydra 52hd for harder corals

 

[NS Mike D]

I'm battling nuisance algae/bacteria for several years now, but I accept this as I am pushing the limits with a mandarin in a mixed reef nano.

Had I do do it all over again, I'd wait one or two years before adding sps and 6 months for lps. I lost too many frags in the beginning even though I had little to no nuisance algae and my parameters were in line with generally accepted parameters .


While i have nothing to back this up other than my own limited observation, I attribute my success with keeping sps and lps to the unseen (and seen) ..... the billions of microfauna, sponges, worms, pods, etc that are all doing their interacting.

Not sure if I would take the leap with the mandarin again (I added a second sump to up the pods production and feed the heck out of the tank to give it a chance to eat), but that was my self inflicted challenge when I was comfortable in raising the bar to see what I could do with the tank.

so yes it's possible for a newbie to start with sps. But, IMO, the downside in losing expensive frags and interest in the hobby from premature let downs isn't worth it. There is a reason why we see post after post about taking your time, going slow, getting through the uglies and letting a tank mature.

 

[johnj]

Also come back to ask whenever you have question. This forum is full with knowledge experince and people who like to help.

Also I advice you either do some research or come ask when you planning filtration or adapt a method. Some times advices here and there can help great deal.

yes you guys on reef2reef are top at help and make it lot better for new guys in the hobby