How do you care for your sps corals?
- Thread starter mike007
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Lol here is a list in order of importance
1) get 6 months of experience reefing with softies
2) tank that is fully cycled
3) protein skimmer that is rated for st least ur tank size
4) good lighting ie led, mh, t5
5) stability. This one is difficult. You need to pay attention to alk mg and ca levels. This can be done in many diff ways. Easiest at first is using kalkwasser.
1) get 6 months of experience reefing with softies
2) tank that is fully cycled
3) protein skimmer that is rated for st least ur tank size
4) good lighting ie led, mh, t5
5) stability. This one is difficult. You need to pay attention to alk mg and ca levels. This can be done in many diff ways. Easiest at first is using kalkwasser.
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Understand that in order to maintain your tank long term you must be able to maintain stable water parameters. Think about that before you set up. Research the Phosphate and Nitrate cycle. Ask your self how am i going to be introducing waste and how am I going to export waste. Do some primary research. Dont depend on hear-say and 35 random answers to what ever question you have. Read Randy Holmes Farley The Collected Work of Randy-Holmes Farley, Eric Borneman and Ron Shimek Ron Shimek's Website...Deep Sand Beds. Decide if you wish to go ULNS (Ultra Low Nutrient System) or natural reduction higher nutrient system. Either way, they both have advantages and disadvantages and they both work. However, every decision that you make during your build should reflect the strategy you decide to follow. Find people who have tanks that you like. Dont listen to what they say, look at their tank. When you see tanks you like discus the theory behind that system. Pick your fish to reflect the nutrient reduction strategy you decide on early. If you go natural steer away from predators and concentrate on omnivorous fish so that you can easier regulate your initial nutrient levels. If you decide what you want before you set up the long term maintenance of your system will be much less stressful in the long run. Hope this helps, try to understand the theory behind what you are doing as you make changes to your tank and remember there is no magic.
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OP
OP
I started this thread to find out what successful sps people are doing to maintain these guys. I have been raising lps for some time now and now i am wanting to go towards sps. I upgraded my lighting with Orphek leds and water parameters are right on. I have good flow with Ecotech powerheads. What else would you recommend?
kacrocorals581
Gotta have that acro
Sps=stability promotes success I run bio pellets algea turf scrubber a fuge skimmer rated 3x tank size 5 gallon WC Mon wens fri 10% once a month an a calcium reactor I dose two little fishes acro power every other day and red sea reef energy a an b the days I don't dose acro power
kacrocorals581
Gotta have that acro
And I have 30x water movement and 8 t5 and supplement led
Surfside74
Well-Known Member
+1. It is a must.
Surfside74
Well-Known Member
And take your time. Think about how you want the tank to look and get pieces you really like to fit with the design at hand.
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Bump!
This is all great advice but I completely disagree with #1. Why waste the money on a bunch of softies that grow like weeds and encrust to the rocks that you will soon want to mount SPS corals to?
Instead, start with easy to keep SPS like montipora's, stylophora's, seriatopora's and pocillopora's. Once you get the hang of the Alk, Ca and Mg and your corals are growing and coloful then step up to the more expensive harder to keep corals with all the fancy names.
One thing a lot of reefers forget, and with the flood of great skimmers. Don't put too many fish into your tank. SPS are pretty easy to keep great colors and growth if you don't have a bunch of fish requiring multiple daily feedings clouding the water raising nitrates and phosphates.
ifarmer
Valuable Member
i would say go for some easy keeping sps first if you have yet tried any SPS.
stability is very important
need to keep your eyes on ALK, calk all the time
growing sps is one thing, but trying to get good color is another task (you need good lightning, good flow and PO4 and NO3 must be low ).
you will experience RTN or STN at some point if you are going to keep SPS.
stability is very important
need to keep your eyes on ALK, calk all the time
growing sps is one thing, but trying to get good color is another task (you need good lightning, good flow and PO4 and NO3 must be low ).
you will experience RTN or STN at some point if you are going to keep SPS.
Reef Fever
Valuable Member
ive noticed a drastic health increase by doing daily to every other day water changes. reduces the need to dose and keeps things in check. I try do 5 gallons on my 104 each day. its quick, painless and the coral love it. use a good quality salt as well
specvjeff
Active Member
Low Nitrate and Phosphate, strong full spectrum lighting, strong random water flow, and keeping your salinity, temperature, alkalinity, and calcium very very stable. As soon as a switched to dosing pumps vs. manually dosing, I saw a huge improvement in growth and coloration!
