How would YOU start new SPS tank?

[kdx7214]

I've had a tank up and running for a little over a year now. After a few failed SPS attempts, I've pretty much convinced myself that I'm just not doing it right. So, if you were going to start a brand new tank, what things would you do, monitor, and in what order?

I suspect everyone does it a bit differently which is why I'm asking about how you would do it.

Cheers!
Mike

 

[Spare time]

What has happened to the sps? We could try and narrow down what might be contributing to your issues.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Starting it i would use all ocean collected live rock...have you tried that?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I've had a tank up and running for a little over a year now. After a few failed SPS attempts, I've pretty much convinced myself that I'm just not doing it right. So, if you were going to start a brand new tank, what things would you do, monitor, and in what order?

I suspect everyone does it a bit differently which is why I'm asking about how you would do it.

Cheers!
Mike

I would have dosers for alkalinity and calcium and magnesium and I would do lots of testing of those three dialing in the dosers making sure they are a steady as possible day in and day out

 

[FMF0331]

Starting it i would use all ocean collected live rock...have you tried that?

I tried that many years ago, worked well until I had to move.

I'll be in Bangkok next year, maybe we can met up at some food court enjoy some som tum

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I tried that many years ago, worked well until I had to move.

I'll be in Bangkok next year, maybe we can met up at some food court enjoy some som tum

We can go to Chatuchak market and I'll show you all the good shops for the hobby! This place is a Mecca for the hobby in practically every way! Dirt cheap live rock straight from the ocean, super affordable corals (got 4 mini Scolys and a nice colony of Acans all for about $45 + $12 for delivery across town a few days ago), and you see plenty of rare fish and inverts come through the shops which are cool to see whether or not you have a suitable tank for them!

 

[Max93]

I would do:

kalkwasser straight off the bat
Moonshiners off the bat
Fishless until tank is fully colonized and fallow for 6 months

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I would do:

kalkwasser straight off the bat
Moonshiners off the bat
Fishless until tank is fully colonized and fallow for 6 months

Why fallow for 6 months? Don't you think fish and inverts help to establish a more natural microbiome which might give the corals a better chance at survival?

 

[RoseQuatics]

I restarted my tank to do an SPS tank. I have a build thread that covers what I’ve done so far if you want to check it out.

I’m by no means an SPS expert , but here are some of the things I’ve changed so far that I believe have been important.

1) I’ve increase my sump size, and consequently my refugium size. This increase in refugium size has helped me maintain a consistent pH greater than 8.0.

2) My old tank had a weak protein skimmer. I now have a Nyos Quantum skimmer that is exceptional at its job.

3) With my first build, I reasoned to myself that I didn’t need 3 or 4 pumps or 3 or 4 lights for my 120g tank. That I could instead just run the 1 or 2 that I had at a higher intensity and it would be the same. This is wrong. It is much better to run 3/4 at 50% than to run 1/2 at 100%. To say it another way, pumps and lights are not linear in the benefit they bring when adding more.

4) With my first build, I placed SPS coral in after 2 months of cycling. I think this is too early. With my second build, I begun placing SPS coral after 8 months of cycling. Because of this, I feel it has been less of a headache trying to keep the corals content while also battling all the stuff that comes with new tanks (dinoflagellates, cyano, algae, etc.)

5) Patience. Once you’ve gained confidence in the tank you have created you can sit back and watch your hard work take care of the corals.

On my build thread I had a Montipora frag begin to RTN right as I placed it from the bag it came in to it’s frag rack for acclimation. I was nervous but let it be for a couple days. The RTN stopped and once I let the coral settle for a little I did a brief CoralRX dip and placed it back. Since then it has fully recovered, healed, and grew over the course of a month. My old self would have begun fragging the salvageable pieces which would have stressed the coral more, probably killing it.

Honorary Mention
6) Although I don’t think this is necessary, I now carbon dose in the form of vinegar. Besides the benefits it brings for nutrient control, carbon dosing feeds bacteria that can be consumed by the coral giving it nutrition. I’m a believer in heavy in/heavy out. I personally think it is better to have low nitrate/phosphate from a heavy bioload tank than from a light bioload tank.

These are all just my opinion. From the papers I’ve read and the videos I’ve watched. As you mentioned, there are plenty of ways to be successful in this hobby. Coral Euphoria has a video on SPS fundamentals on YouTube. It’s a gold mine of information - as is the channel entirely.

 

[nothing_fancy]

Stable dKh is probably the most important from what Ive experienced. When I was mostly starting with LPS I didn't monitor as much. I am fortunate to have a monitoring device but before that I definitely tested quite a bit early on. Stability with dkh as well as nutrients is what you gotta keep an eye on IMO. Enough light and flow is obviously important to keep them alive and from there I believe that you observe and make changes that work for you. One of the most helpful things for me when I finally got into SPS was trying to get close to the parameters I was seeing from the places I was getting frags from. Asking questions like this on the forum, at your LFS and from coral dealers is always a great idea rather than winging it which I have tried and usually doesn't work out very well.

 

[ReefGeezer]

So, if you travel and have other life issues that get in the way, you have to make the tank run itself for longer periods of time and plan provisions for addressing issues when you are away or otherwise busy. SPS systems just won't wait long when they need attention or tolerate fluctuations in anything while waiting for maintenance to be performed. Besides quality lights and wavemakers, here's some things that will help:

1. A quality ATO with fresh water storage to make up 3 weeks worth of evaporation;
2. A skimmer that stays properly adjusted regardless of sump level or power fluctuations;
3. Some rock solid automated method of supplying alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, and trace elements;
4. Battery Back-up on critical equipment;
5. Ocean cured live rock and sand;
6. Fish that don't require specialized food and, better yet, eat the bad stuff in the tank;
7. A web enabled controller or at least a camera and smart phone app; and
8 Someone to call if the tank needs help while you are away.

 

[Max93]

Why fallow for 6 months? Don't you think fish and inverts help to establish a more natural microbiome which might give the corals a better chance at survival?

Because fish create a lot of issues - pests, parasites. You want a fully established tank that way you don’t have to quarantine your Sps for 76 days in a separate tank.

if you have fish, then you add a ich infested acro to your tank - fish get ich. What now - catch the fish and put them in a separate tank? Seems backwards and more expensive to me.

establish your tank, fallow colonized with corals and inverts.
Buy quarantined fish.

saves a lot heartache in my opinion. If you’re concerned about nutrients just feed your tank, you don’t need fish to feed your tank.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Because fish create a lot of issues - pests, parasites. You want a fully established tank that way you don’t have to quarantine your Sps for 76 days in a separate tank.

if you have fish, then you add a ich infested acro to your tank - fish get ich. What now - catch the fish and put them in a separate tank? Seems backwards and more expensive to me.

establish your tank, fallow colonized with corals and inverts.
Buy quarantined fish.

saves a lot heartache in my opinion. If you’re concerned about nutrients just feed your tank, you don’t need fish to feed your tank.

Ok, i misunderstood what you were saying...i didn't realize you meant to fallow with the corals and inverts already in the tank.

 

[Max93]

Ok, i misunderstood what you were saying...i didn't realize you meant to fallow with the corals and inverts already in the tank.

Exactly! Yeah so, have your inverts and corals all growing and colonizing your tank. Then after being fallow for six months (I know it’s extreme to go 6 months fallow) then add your healthy quarantined fish to your tank. The downside to this method is you can’t add anymore coral afterwards, but it reduces your risk of sick fish significantly. Happy tank happy hobbyist

 

[Devaji]

We can go to Chatuchak market and I'll show you all the good shops for the hobby! This place is a Mecca for the hobby in practically every way! Dirt cheap live rock straight from the ocean, super affordable corals (got 4 mini Scolys and a nice colony of Acans all for about $45 + $12 for delivery across town a few days ago), and you see plenty of rare fish and inverts come through the shops which are cool to see whether or not you have a suitable tank for them!

maybe I missed the SW section but when I was there ( I few years ago now pre covid) I did not see any nice SW fish or LR next time I am there, i'll hit you up and you can be tour guide...lol

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

maybe I missed the SW section but when I was there ( I few years ago now pre covid) I did not see any nice SW fish or LR next time I am there, i'll hit you up and you can be tour guide...lol

It's a deal! The saltwater shops are kinda set back in a little maze and not many tourists visit that area (or the whole exotic pet area for the most part)...they mainly stay on one side...there are some higher end shops and a couple that do get some really exotic fish and even inverts like starfish endemic to southern Australia you'd never see for sale anywhere else...also a lot of the coral and some of the fish shops are brick and mortar shops

 

[Devaji]

It's a deal! The saltwater shops are kinda set back in a little maze and not many tourists visit that area (or the whole exotic pet area for the most part)...they mainly stay on one side...there are some higher end shops and a couple that do get some really exotic fish and even inverts like starfish endemic to southern Australia you'd never see for sale anywhere else...also a lot of the coral and some of the fish shops are brick and mortar shops

it's a deal I love Thailand been there 5 times now. we where planning to move there for a year but then the GF chickened out.

OP: sorry to hijack this thread. but if you have never been to Thailand GO!! amazing people, food, beaches, diving and so much more.

 

[gbroadbridge]

So, if you travel and have other life issues that get in the way, you have to make the tank run itself for longer periods of time and plan provisions for addressing issues when you are away or otherwise busy. SPS systems just won't wait long when they need attention or tolerate fluctuations in anything while waiting for maintenance to be performed. Besides quality lights and wavemakers, here's some things that will help:

1. A quality ATO with fresh water storage to make up 3 weeks worth of evaporation;
2. A skimmer that stays properly adjusted regardless of sump level or power fluctuations;
3. Some rock solid automated method of supplying alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, and trace elements;
4. Battery Back-up on critical equipment;
5. Ocean cured live rock and sand;
6. Fish that don't require specialized food and, better yet, eat the bad stuff in the tank;
7. A web enabled controller or at least a camera and smart phone app; and
8 Someone to call if the tank needs help while you are away.

I travel a lot, and agree 100% with the above.

I'd add.

Automatic dosing control based on measurement - I use Reef Factory kH keeper and Dosers which adjust dosing automatically.

My ATO reservoir is autofilled from the RODI filter using a dedicated controller with failsafes so I never worry about storing large amounts of DI water.

I have a dosing pump that empties the skimmer cup by a fixed amount a day to cover normal skimmate generation - that way it can't get out of control and end up as a freshwater tank.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

it's a deal I love Thailand been there 5 times now. we where planning to move there for a year but then the GF chickened out.

OP: sorry to hijack this thread. but if you have never been to Thailand GO!! amazing people, food, beaches, diving and so much more.

You can always DM me and we can talk there!

 

[homer1475]

Starting it i would use all ocean collected live rock...have you tried that?

Exactly this ^^

I will never do another dry rock tank in my life.