Im finally getting a grip on keeping SPS alive!

[chrisl10]

I have been buying sps for the last 3 or so years and have had NO luck with them at all, thanks to tons of reading here on R2R and BRS videos I am finally starting to get the hang of it and actually have some that have lives for nearly 3 months now. I am still working on getting better color and growth, But I think I found my comfort zone in keeping them from stn/rtn and bleaching. I really hope I didn't just curse myself saying that.

Anyway I purchased some frags locally from a fellow reefer and they are doing well, I also purchased some from an online vendor, they are doing ok. Of the 4 sps I got online 2 are still alive. They were cheap and no im not saying its ok to kill them I had to use something to start zeroing in the parameters and not worry about hundreds of dollars flying out the window yet again.

The top photo is from a local reefer and is doing well, I have not adjusted the color on this, and my camera skills aren't great but here it is anyway. Tubs Monti Stellata.

The second and third are the same acro, I have no clue what it is. color has not been altered. If you know or have an idea let me know.

I have some other Monti's in the tank that are doing pretty well also. Battery died on camera LOL

 

[MTBake]

Looking good! Not sure on the id. Hopefully someone chimes in on that.

What was the issue that prevented you from sps success? What changes did you make?

 

[jolt]

Good luck this go around. I'm also curious what you changed up ...

 

[chrisl10]

Looking good! Not sure on the id. Hopefully someone chimes in on that.

What was the issue that prevented you from sps success? What changes did you make?

Thank you!

There were plenty of issues, I think my biggest problems were stability (constantly adjusting dosing pumps) I thought that was the most important thing and I started chasing the numbers rather than keeping them solid. Then I thought my phosphates were an issue so I plumbed in a fuge into my system and it really helped things a lot but again I was chasing numbers. Now I don't get crazy when I see algae and start adding gfo and phosphate RX I also feed my tank lots now I used to feed maybe 2-3 times a week now, I do daily as well as dose amino s daily now. This really seems to have helped so much. I also did an ICP test and fine tuned some trace elements, that was just last week that I started dosing those. The next issue I have to work out is getting some Nitrates in the tank that are visible on the test kit. I think that will really make a difference.

 

[Surfzone]

Where are your Nitrates? You don't want them too low because that will cause issues. I keep mine between 4 and 5 ppm and Phosphates at 0.04 and 0.08ppm. How ever due to this I also keep a low Alk. I am glad that you seem to found your own recipe for some ganes in the hobby.

 

[MTBake]

Careful with nitrate dosing. Start slow. Test often. My system was using up nitrates like a sponge. Then, it all caught up and next thing I know, my phosphates dropped to 0. So I dosed phosphates too. Once the system balanced out, it quit using nitrates and phosphates up so quickly. I haven't dosed either in at least 8 weeks and I'm sitting at 25ppm nitrates and around .12 ppm phosphates. I'm done chasing both of those levels. Got tired of it. Corals look good and I don't have an algae problem.

I'm also a firm believer in the kiss method. Simple is often times better than over complicating things. Easier to figure out what went wrong as well.

 

[chrisl10]

Where are your Nitrates? You don't want them too low because that will cause issues. I keep mine between 4 and 5 ppm and Phosphates at 0.04 and 0.08ppm. How ever due to this I also keep a low Alk. I am glad that you seem to found your own recipe for some ganes in the hobby.

They are undetectable on my Salifert test Phosphates are .04 ish currently.

 

[chrisl10]

Careful with nitrate dosing. Start slow. Test often. My system was using up nitrates like a sponge. Then, it all caught up and next thing I know, my phosphates dropped to 0. So I dosed phosphates too. Once the system balanced out, it quit using nitrates and phosphates up so quickly. I haven't dosed either in at least 8 weeks and I'm sitting at 25ppm nitrates and around .12 ppm phosphates. I'm done chasing both of those levels. Got tired of it. Corals look good and I don't have an algae problem.

I'm also a firm believer in the kiss method. Simple is often times better than over complicating things. Easier to figure out what went wrong as well.

I hear ya with the chasing numbers game. I'm all about slow and steady now

 

[Bob Weigant]

I run my sps dominant tank (225G ) and its as bear as you can get. Tank , sump , skimmer. Nothing fancy at all. Ive done this for about 10 years. I dose manually and just test for alk/mag weekly. 10 percent water change weekly and sometime every other week. I may lose one here and there but thats pretty much it. For me simple is better. I wish you luck in keeping sps

 

[chrisl10]

I run my sps dominant tank (225G ) and its as bear as you can get. Tank , sump , skimmer. Nothing fancy at all. Ive done this for about 10 years. I dose manually and just test for alk/mag weekly. 10 percent water change weekly and sometime every other week. I may lose one here and there but thats pretty much it. For me simple is better. I wish you luck in keeping sps

Thank you!

 

[Bpb]

While not as much of a problem with montipora, I cannot stress enough the importance of healthy stock to begin with. Acropora with bacterial infections, red bugs, and flat worms can fizzle and fail even under perfect lighting and water quality. And these types of problems often need a quality macro lens, a keen eye, and an understanding of what you're looking for to even spot them. Unless you're spending all your money from the most reputable (and costly) aquaculturists, I'd venture to say that more often than not (can't realistaclly put a percentage on it), people are buying and selling some form of pest infected acropora.

Beyond that. I know it's not the "cool" new method to choose and that nowadays the more complicated looking bottles of individual fluids you use, the better a reefer you are (among the newer crowd anyway), but...for me, any time anything is remotely problematic, a series of water changes clears it up every time. NO, I dont ship off an ICP test every time something looks off. And I don't chase trace elements which is so in fashion now. 2-3 20% water changes over a week and everything perks up, every time.

Feed the fish alot, keep alkalinity low, keep nutrients low, keep the flow turbulent, keep the pests out, and acros will grow and be colorful. Easy as that

 

[PranK]

I think for me, and I am absolutely no expert, for years I have been fidgetting. Just changing stuff cause I was bored and wanted to see results. I'm now into remaining stable and focussing on one change at a time. For example I have now got perfectly stable alk (last few reads have been either 9.4 or 9.5) as well as super stable 8.3 - 8.4 pH. I'll now focus on stabilising other elements such as Phosphates (~.2) and Nitrates (undetectable - 1ppm) at their desirable levels.

Knowing that my Alk is stable means I can more easily focus my time on other things and eventually I can just tick all the stability boxes.

Your SPS look great though, well done and thanks for sharing!

 

[PranK]

I think for me, and I am absolutely no expert, for years I have been fidgetting. Just changing stuff cause I was bored and wanted to see results. I'm now into remaining stable and focussing on one change at a time. For example I have now got perfectly stable alk (last few reads have been either 9.4 or 9.5) as well as super stable 8.3 - 8.4 pH. I'll now focus on stabilising other elements such as Phosphates (~.2) and Nitrates (undetectable - 1ppm) at their desirable levels.

Knowing that my Alk is stable means I can more easily focus my time on other things and eventually I can just tick all the stability boxes.

Your SPS look great though, well done and thanks for sharing!