Nano acro advice!

[sheeb]

I’m very new to acros and sps. They look so cool but I’ve always been intimidated by them. Tried one green cheap acro out and it died within a week. I’ve swapped tanks and started new and want some advice-
Big question:
how can I keep acros and sps in a 15 gallon jbj tank? I run a sponge for mechanical filter, carbon, gfo, (basic media) and some coral food dosing every other day. I’d really like to get into acros but don’t know where to start and I don’t want to waste my money if they just die.


Currently I keep a trach, torch, toadstool, shroom and a plate coral. Plus some other easy going corals.

Thank you guys! Any advice appreciated!

 

[welsher7]

What other equipment are you running? A little more information will help us help you.
LIght?
Powerheads?
ATO?
Dosing or water change schedule?

 

[sheeb]

What other equipment are you running?
LIght?
Powerheads?
ATO?
Dosing or water change schedule?

Light - ai prime 16hd
Powerhead- the AIO built in one. Thinking about getting a very small powerhead but not too sure if I need one yet.
ato- don’t need
Dosing and WC- dosing: nothing (yet)
WC schedule: every 1 1/2 weeks and top off as needed with RO water

 

[welsher7]

I'll start off with I'm not an acro expert, but what is suggested below is norm for SPS.

Light: The Prime is great light and will handle acros just fine.
Powerhead: The acros will need more flow than the corals you have now, and the return pump will not provide enough flow. An additional pump will be needed. The additional pump should have some kind of wave setting to help with random flow or to create a gyre.
ATO: acros will not appreciate fluctuations in salinity, so unless the tank is completely covered/sealed to eliminate evaporation you will need an ATO to maintain a stable salinity.
Water change/ dosing: will have to adjust depending on test results.

If you haven't already I'd suggest starting with some of the easier SPS, like montipora, stylophora, or seriatopora. To learn the dosing and testing requirements of SPS.

 

[sheeb]

I'll start off with I'm not an acro expert, but what is suggested below is norm for SPS.

Light: The Prime is great light and will handle acros just fine.
Powerhead: The acros will need more flow than the corals you have now, and the return pump will not provide enough flow. An additional pump will be needed. The additional pump should have some kind of wave setting to help with random flow or to create a gyre.
ATO: acros will not appreciate fluctuations in salinity, so unless the tank is completely covered/sealed to eliminate evaporation you will need an ATO to maintain a stable salinity.
Water change/ dosing: will have to adjust depending on test results.

If you haven't already I'd suggest starting with some of the easier SPS, like montipora, stylophora, or seriatopora. To learn the dosing and testing requirements of SPS.

There is a cheap gravity ATO I can get off Amazon. Will probably buy that even thought it doesn’t look the best. As for pumps, is there a very small gyre I could get? Or will they all be too powerful?

Im trying out a blue stylo right now. Seems to be going good but will have to see where the road takes me. I have tried dosing Red Sea ab+ but I’ve heard bad things about it so I stopped

 

[welsher7]

I'm not sure on the gyre sizes, but I'd think they may be bigger than you want. Jabeo has several controllable pumps and the smaller ones should be a good fit for your tank.

 

[sheeb]

I'm not sure on the gyre sizes, but I'd think they may be bigger than you want. Jabeo has several controllable pumps and the smaller ones should be a good fit for your tank.

Yeah. I’ve tried a few power heads in my time but they always seem too strong. I’ll be sure to update as I try it out!

 

[minus9]

Best nano powerhead is Tunze 6040. I ran a pair in my 22g sps nano (still have them running in a different nano for 7 years now).
So here’s my simple take on sps in a nano. Get rid of all the chemical filtration, it’s too easy to over do it in a nano. Temp and salinity should be stable as possible, but minor fluctuations are ok. I would do 15% weekly water changes with a high quality salt mix and I would use Tropic Marin’s CarboCalcium as my 2 part dosing. You’re gonna need another light (same one is fine) eventually as corals start to grow, so keep that in mind. Make sure you have measurable nutrients and find an alk level that works in your tank 7-9dkh is a good range, targeting 8ish. You don’t need a shimmer, but at a certain point, one may become necessary.
Alternatively, you could use Tropic Marin’s all for reef and skip water changes, but you’ll have to pay attention to the trace elements, as some might start to build up?

 

[Reefer6]

I’m very new to acros and sps. They look so cool but I’ve always been intimidated by them. Tried one green cheap acro out and it died within a week. I’ve swapped tanks and started new and want some advice-
Big question:
how can I keep acros and sps in a 15 gallon jbj tank? I run a sponge for mechanical filter, carbon, gfo, (basic media) and some coral food dosing every other day. I’d really like to get into acros but don’t know where to start and I don’t want to waste my money if they just die.


Currently I keep a trach, torch, toadstool, shroom and a plate coral. Plus some other easy going corals.

Thank you guys! Any advice appreciated!

What is currently growing in your system?

 

[Acros]

Achieving acro appropriate lighting could be a challenge considering that you have some low light corals.

You could still do it if you have a higher up spot with 250+ par on your rock work.

My IM25 nano is acro dominant, however my zoas and goni do not do well in that tank (mostly due to high flow). Acros are doing phenomenal.

 

[homer1475]

Best advice anyone could give you is stability. The best you can do to keep parameters stable(minor fluctuations are ok, but wild swings kill fast), the better you'll be in the long run.

Flow:
You'll need to add a PH of some sort. If you can find a nero 3, they work great for a nano, and are very adjustable.

Dosing:
In a nano WC's are your best friend until the point where WC's can't keep up with consumption. Then you'll need a dosing regime. I've read good things about all for reef, but have never used it myself.

Your light will be fine for now, until the frags become colonies and start to shade each other. Might have to add something stronger in the long run.

Acro's aren't any harder then any other coral IMHO. You just have to keep things very stable, and have strong lights, and a decent amount of flow.

One thing nice about nano's, it doesn't take long for the tank to fill in and give that well maintained, full tank, mature look.

One thing to keep in mind, not sure how long you have been in the hobby, but do not fall into the ULNS trap, it just makes things much harder in a nano. There was a thread a while back in the SPS section about where us acro keepers keep our nutrient levels. You would be very surprised at the nutrient levels most of us keep our tanks these days, and have very colorful, and healthy corals. I'm not saying ULNS doesn't work, but it makes things much harder riding that razor edge.

 

[Steven Garland]

I have been keeping acro's in pico's for years and let me say a few things:

Soo let me start by saying you,you need an ATO. Salinity is a huge factor in stability for acro's. Really stability of all params are going to be your key factor. Manual top off is risky,can work but I am willing to put money on your salinity will still fluctuate within a few points.

Whatever your params you have,within range or not keep them stable. That is going to be your key factor.

If you can manage 200-250,maybe 300 par wherever your acro's are you will be fine. As long as everything else is stable and go all over the place you will be successful.

Just run carbon,filter floss,good strong random flow,stability.

So I am going to setup a 10" sps cube shortly. DIY controllable light,simple ATO,filter with carbon and filter floss. Super simple,super easy.

 

[sheeb]

What is currently growing in your system?

Green torch, spaghetti leather, hammer, blue stylo (trying it out) , ricordias and rodactis shroom, large toadstool, plate coral and trachy. I think my toadstool is shedding that’s why it’s not opened. Looks waxy so I’m gonna blame it on that lol. Fish- 1x Firefish , 1x clown, 2 pipefish.
Here’s a pic

also thanks for all responses! Didn’t expect so many people to reapond

 

[sheeb]

Best advice anyone could give you is stability. The best you can do to keep parameters stable(minor fluctuations are ok, but wild swings kill fast), the better you'll be in the long run.

Flow:
You'll need to add a PH of some sort. If you can find a nero 3, they work great for a nano, and are very adjustable.

Dosing:
In a nano WC's are your best friend until the point where WC's can't keep up with consumption. Then you'll need a dosing regime. I've read good things about all for reef, but have never used it myself.

Your light will be fine for now, until the frags become colonies and start to shade each other. Might have to add something stronger in the long run.

Acro's aren't any harder then any other coral IMHO. You just have to keep things very stable, and have strong lights, and a decent amount of flow.

One thing nice about nano's, it doesn't take long for the tank to fill in and give that well maintained, full tank, mature look.

One thing to keep in mind, not sure how long you have been in the hobby, but do not fall into the ULNS trap, it just makes things much harder in a nano. There was a thread a while back in the SPS section about where us acro keepers keep our nutrient levels. You would be very surprised at the nutrient levels most of us keep our tanks these days, and have very colorful, and healthy corals. I'm not saying ULNS doesn't work, but it makes things much harder riding that razor edge.

Thinking about getting Nero 3 or this hyyger nano powerhead on Amazon. I used it before, works amazing just not as nice quality.

 

[sheeb]

Best nano powerhead is Tunze 6040. I ran a pair in my 22g sps nano (still have them running in a different nano for 7 years now).
So here’s my simple take on sps in a nano. Get rid of all the chemical filtration, it’s too easy to over do it in a nano. Temp and salinity should be stable as possible, but minor fluctuations are ok. I would do 15% weekly water changes with a high quality salt mix and I would use Tropic Marin’s CarboCalcium as my 2 part dosing. You’re gonna need another light (same one is fine) eventually as corals start to grow, so keep that in mind. Make sure you have measurable nutrients and find an alk level that works in your tank 7-9dkh is a good range, targeting 8ish. You don’t need a shimmer, but at a certain point, one may become necessary.
Alternatively, you could use Tropic Marin’s all for reef and skip water changes, but you’ll have to pay attention to the trace elements, as some might start to build up?

Hey can you send me a link to the tunze? I can’t seem to find it online

 

[minus9]

Hey can you send me a link to the tunze? I can’t seem to find it online

 

[sheeb]

Pricey lol

 

[sheeb]

What about the tunze 6020? I’ll include 3 options.
Tunze 6020.000 Nano Stream https://a.co/d/09VZkBd
hygger Mini Wave Maker Magnetic DC Powerhead with LED Display Controller for Saltwater Tank, 1600 GPH Aquarium Water Circulation Pump 5 to 30 Gallon https://a.co/d/gj4ratB
Innovative Marine Wavelink DC Wavemaker Powerhead (Desktop: 165 - 1500 GPH) https://a.co/d/3qQGFqt

 

[Steven Garland]

Tunze Turbelle Nanostream 6040 (53 - 1190 GPH) | Premium Aquatics

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[Steven Garland]

Why not find a used mp10 ? There is always TONS for sale.