Looking to dive into something even more challenging than SPS...Need advice

[Dilan Patel]

Hey guys so as some of you may know I have a 180 gallon reef tank and it is practically full of frags now ugh no more room for new corals unfortunately...that was until the death of my 15in Fluorescent green monti cap I loved so dearly. But on the bright-side it has allowed me space for more corals . Figuring that I need some movement in my tank I was thinking of going the gorgonian route. I have kept non photosynthetic gorgonians before but always traded them in due to the fact the color never really appeased me. I have always loved the colors the non-photosynthetic gorgonians have come in. I think I want to give them a shot and was looking for some advice on how to keep them healthy!

Background on the tank:

180 gallon with a 40 gallon sump
skimz skimmer
BRS dosing calcium, alk, and mag
Dosed automatically acropower daily
De nitrator to keep the nitrates close to 0
Lit but 3 BB LEDS as well as two 5ft t-5 bulbs for accent lighting

Parameters:
Calcium ~400
Alk~9
Mag~1350-1500
Nitrate-<5 but greater than 0
Phosphate:~1

Flow is covered by two gyre xf250's run at 100% pulse

 

[Smarkow]

Certainly not an expert, but I've been considering the combo of an avast vibe zeo reactor, algae scrubber, no skimmer, and around the clock phyto dosing to try and get a lot of live prey suspended in the water. If you can get somebody with experience with NPS to chime in on this thread and describe how they accomplish that, you might be able to emulate them. I have the scrubber, dosers, and mini fridge to do it, and my tank has never had a skimmer... just can't quite get the courage to pull the plug and add the zeo reactor (and associated bioload) to it.

 

[Dilan Patel]

Anyone have experience. I know more than just me would like to hear from people who know how to keep these animals.

 

[DanConnor]

There's an nps forum on rc...

 

[DanConnor]

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/1/aquarium

 

[Dilan Patel]

Thankyou!

 

[KrisReef]

@Jomama might know a little bit about keeping filter feeders.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Certainly not an expert, but I've been considering the combo of an avast vibe zeo reactor, algae scrubber, no skimmer, and around the clock phyto dosing to try and get a lot of live prey suspended in the water. If you can get somebody with experience with NPS to chime in on this thread and describe how they accomplish that, you might be able to emulate them. I have the scrubber, dosers, and mini fridge to do it, and my tank has never had a skimmer... just can't quite get the courage to pull the plug and add the zeo reactor (and associated bioload) to it.

Most NPS corals/gorgonians can thrive, with right filtration and foods. Sun Corals, dendro's,non-photosynthetic gorgonians, even some sponges. I also use sulfur denitrator from time to time. In your case, if it was my tank, feed(sprinkle) manually or automatic
Foods like reef roids, I feed whole organic anchovies, locust,powder algea upto 2 microns for algae, all are flour fine and mixed with reef roids first. If possible feed every 3 hours, 24/7. Your other corals will benifit too. Keep eye on water perimeters. Also
The red cactus chile coral easy to raise.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Now if one day you really want a challenge the rest of your life then scleronephthya, dendronephthya, and others like it

With coral bans these are the only dendronephthya (carnation corals ) available. Yellow coral scleronephthya.

 

[Dilan Patel]

oh wow Thanks for the advice!

 

[Dilan Patel]

I really want to try the yellow gorgonian with white polyps you have or the blueberry one.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I really want to try the yellow gorgonian with white polyps you have or the blueberry one.

6 months ago I saw really healthy blueberry gorgonian, wish I picked up. Bummer