Getting close to SPS... time to start changing my bioload?

[Shawn_epicurious]

My tank is almost 8 months old now. 200 gallons. It is getting close to being “mature.” 4 months ago I start getting ready for SPS. I need to make another refinement to my lighting.... under my tank is really solid (it’s all on my build thread) ...and, I just start researching upgrades for flow, while I deal with a high phosphate number. I am using PhosGaurd to bring it down and it hasn’t made a dent yet. When I run out, I think I’ll switch to GFO. ...I have a reactor... nuff of all that.

My current bioload is all softies.. a few ricordia... I started my tank with a cheap bioload of corals for two reason... I was afraid of killing them all at first and 2nd. I needed a bioload to get everything going while knowing I was going to evolve into.... something else. I dropped in the obligatory full tank shot below. Most of the things in my tank right now are things that want to take over my tank! I promised myself I would not buy anymore livestock for 6 months. That was almost 4 months ago. I need to start getting some of the softies out of my tank. My LFS has agreed to buy them. How much can I get away with taking out before I start adding new species?

 

[jsker]

Great looking tank.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Great looking tank.

Thank you : )

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Step one, get rid of that xenia! Maybe even get rid of the rocks the xenia are on (that stuff always seems to find a way to reappear).

Very nice tank btw! If your keeping a blue tang and a copperband happy you must be doing something right

 

[ReeferWarrant]

Nice tank! Yeah I've been cutting back on the beginner corals too. I had Pandora Palythoa and wow does that stuff spread quick. Luckily I caught it quick. I'm hitting up new reefers, theyre good corals to get the hang of things. Interested in the outcome of this post. I currently have a LPS and Soft dominant tank and want to go to SPS soon as well.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Step one, get rid of that xenia! Maybe even get rid of the rocks the xenia are on (that stuff always seems to find a way to reappear).

Very nice tank btw! If your keeping a blue tang and a copperband happy you must be doing something right

They are happy : ) thank you. Yeah...thats actually the one kicking my butt right now. I am happy the things has in my tank are propagating! It’s a good sign : ) Some of the propagation is kicking my butt!

 

[sawdonkey]

Dude!!!!!! Just buy a couple tester acros already! You’ve gotta be the most calculated and patient person to ever own a tank. Go for it! I’m confident you’re gonna do great. Every little thing doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect. You’ve got some wiggle room with most of this stuff. I’m looking forward to seeing you dive in.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Dude!!!!!! Just buy a couple tester acros already! You’ve gotta be the most calculated and patient person to ever own a tank. Go for it! I’m confident you’re gonna do great. Every little thing doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect. You’ve got some wiggle room with most of this stuff. I’m looking forward to seeing you dive in.

You Rock! ...and yeah, I over think stuff? : )

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Dude!!!!!! Just buy a couple tester acros already! You’ve gotta be the most calculated and patient person to ever own a tank. Go for it! I’m confident you’re gonna do great. Every little thing doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect. You’ve got some wiggle room with most of this stuff. I’m looking forward to seeing you dive in.

That just made me feel really good by the way! Thank you : )

 

[Daddy-o]

How often are you changing out your PhosGuard?
Cheers! Mark

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

How often are you changing out your PhosGuard?
Cheers! Mark

4 days

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

: ) back to my original question please?

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

So to answer your question. Yes. You are ready for some tester acros. You can also pull some softies and sell them. A general rule for sps is once you have good coraline growth it’s time for acros. I would get some serious flow going. Something like 4 mp 40’s. This may also help with your po4. For acros I feel flow is most important. Your tank looks great and I know you do your research. I’m looking forward to seeing this thing packed with sps.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Dude!!!!!! Just buy a couple tester acros already! You’ve gotta be the most calculated and patient person to ever own a tank. Go for it! I’m confident you’re gonna do great. Every little thing doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect. You’ve got some wiggle room with most of this stuff. I’m looking forward to seeing you dive in.

As soon as I get my flow fixed,I will start gathering some new corals! I am getting close a Bruh!

I failed at this hobby once... my last try. I know I am being overly cautious, but ........everything I read.... everything bit of good advice here is always the same exact thing... it’s about patience. My real goal here is tank maturity right now. Only time can fix that : ) In the mean time, I’m beefing up the equipment.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

This was a serious question btw... I’d really like to remove 6 ...overgrown, propagating softies from my tank. Is that removing too much at once? That makes up 60% of my current bioload. ...ish.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Go ahead and remove them. It won’t hurt to put a couple sps in also.

 

[dadnjesse]

If your going to be adding SPS, I would be careful with GFO

 

[terraincognita]

My tank is almost 8 months old now. 200 gallons. It is getting close to being “mature.” 4 months ago I start getting ready for SPS. I need to make another refinement to my lighting.... under my tank is really solid (it’s all on my build thread) ...and, I just start researching upgrades for flow, while I deal with a high phosphate number. I am using PhosGaurd to bring it down and it hasn’t made a dent yet. When I run out, I think I’ll switch to GFO. ...I have a reactor... nuff of all that.

My current bioload is all softies.. a few ricordia... I started my tank with a cheap bioload of corals for two reason... I was afraid of killing them all at first and 2nd. I needed a bioload to get everything going while knowing I was going to evolve into.... something else. I dropped in the obligatory full tank shot below. Most of the things in my tank right now are things that want to take over my tank! I promised myself I would not buy anymore livestock for 6 months. That was almost 4 months ago. I need to start getting some of the softies out of my tank. My LFS has agreed to buy them. How much can I get away with taking out before I start adding new species?

You can look at my 10G i just added 3 SPS frags.

It's only 2 months old.

Your tanks is like 20x more beautiful, and probably 15x more established.

I'm sure you will have 0 problem with this sps man. your husbandry is out the roof.

IME. SPS just want stability. Dirty or Clean, not as big as a deal as stability. Sudden shift from dirty to clean, or clean to dirty is what kills them overnight with RTN.

If you're using GFO, dont change that, etc etc.

Dont make any MAJOR changes. After adding the SPS. If there's somethign you want to change, change it now and then wait a week.

I think you could remove all the xenia, and be totally fine.

Also jsut realize if you take bioload out, reduce your feedings, that alone is going to make big differences and help offset any kind of swing.

 

[bobnicaragua]

Make sure you are ready to test and maintain your alk and calcium with either 2 part or kalk. (I do regular water changes and only test alkalinity) I would start with some stylophora and monitopora.

You should be fine taking out the softies.

 

[bobnicaragua]

You can look at my 10G i just added 3 SPS frags.

It's only 2 months old.

Your tanks is like 20x more beautiful, and probably 15x more established.

I'm sure you will have 0 problem with this sps man. your husbandry is out the roof.

IME. SPS just want stability. Dirty or Clean, not as big as a deal as stability. Sudden shift from dirty to clean, or clean to dirty is what kills them overnight with RTN.

If you're using GFO, dont change that, etc etc.

Dont make any MAJOR changes. After adding the SPS. If there's somethign you want to change, change it now and then wait a week.

Great advice here.