Getting back into LPS; help with dosing and lighting

[Shilpan Patel]

Hey guys I have a 100 gallon aquareef 400 tank with 3x T5 bulbs (one socket damaged), softie tank, with 6 fish, a shrimp, a hermit crab and some snails. I have a refugium with chaeto. Tank is 3.5 years old.

For the past 1.5 years I’ve been doing 3 weekly 10% water changes with Red Sea coral pro salt. My Alk= 7.0, Ca= 380, Mg=1300 amm/nitrate/nitrite/phosphate =0. Never dosed, only got a testing kit recently and tested those parameters for the first time in a year cause I wanna get LPS now. Not SPS I don’t think I can handle those haha.

What is reccomended now for lighting and dosing for LPS these days? Any new equipment? I haven’t paid attention to new developments for a while.

My T5 bulbs need replacing in 6 months time so I’m thinking of changing my entire light fixture then if there’s something better? Since one socket doesn’t work.

And dosing, what’s a good method to start with just for LPS? Those parameters are probably stable cause I always do 3 weekly 10% WC for the past 2 years. Soft corals are fine and multiplying too much probably haha.

 

[timrocks311]

For LPS and softies you can stick with T5 if you like that. I have a 4-bulb T5 over my 40 gallon LPS tank but it's only a 16" high tank (i think). I don't know the dimensions of yours, but you might want to consider a 6-bulb fixture. LEDs work too, as well as a T5/LED combo.

For dosing, first I'd bump up your parameters a bit...calcium at least. If you're adding LPS one at a time, with your water changes you might realize you don't need to dose for a while. When you do, I'd consider 2-part and a doser to start with.

 

[Shilpan Patel]

Thank you!

LEDS don’t require as much bulb changing right?

 

[timrocks311]

Thank you!

LEDS don’t require as much bulb changing right?

none. they're most expensive up front but essentially maintenance free. both LEDs and T5 have pros and cons. A lot of people wind up supplementing LEDs with T5s for better coverage too.

 

[paul barker]

I would bump up the levels I have mix tank mostly lps my Ca is 430 my kh is 9 my no3 are around 5 po around .04 this are growing and looking good at them levels I run a led light