Need advice on birdsnest coral

[saltwater newby]

hello
I have a 75 gallon Red Sea reefer and it has been running for about 7 months. I have a gyre 130 for flow and 2 Kessil 360 we for lighting . The salt I use in my tank is the Red Sea coral pro brand and I also use carbon in a media bag in my sump. I also run an algae scrubber and bubble magus curve7 protein skimmer. I currently have 6 euphyllia corals right now that are thriving. I also have other small frags of corals that are doing good as well. I currently have about 11 fish in my tank that are doing well including a school of 6 chromis. I'd like to get a small frag of birdsnest coral but I'm obviously worried that I'd have difficulty keeping it being that it is an sps coral. id like to know if my equipment sounds ideal for keeping this coral and which of these species of sps is easier to keep. My parameters are
Nitrate 20
Phosphate 0.3
Ph 8.1
Calcium 400-410
ALK 9.1-9.8
Magnesium 1400

 

[Anirban]

You need to lower down your Nitrate to possibly 3-5ppm and phosphate 0.01-0.03ppm. Birdnests are generally tolerant but they are still SPS. So if you can keep those nutrient levels low they will grow quite well.

 

[jsker]

Also have the placement in the top 1/3 to the tank. Sps like good light.

 

[saltwater newby]

You need to lower down your Nitrate to possibly 3-5ppm and phosphate 0.01-0.03ppm. Birdnests are generally tolerant but they are still SPS. So if you can keep those nutrient levels low they will grow quite well.

Ok!
I'm hoping to get lower nutrient levels from the use of my algae scrubber but I do feed a lot since I believe it keeps fish healthy and active.

 

[saltwater newby]

Also have the placement in the top 1/3 to the tank. Sps like good light.

I have a nice open area to place it where it'll sit directly under my Kessils .

 

[jsker]

Birdsnest are lagoon corals and are found in shallow water. I have one of mine a little to left of my lights in the top part of the tank. 6"below the water line. It dose well and I have another about a 3rd down or 12 to 14" below the water line and that one since I turned up my lights is branching off all over the place. I have another one about 12" below the water line and that one is okay but I am watching it. I have be working on controlling my nitrates and green hair algae/ red slim with carbon dosing and I my be taking out to much nitrates, so I will be testing today.

You read and read but I have found the Po4 & No3 happy place is Po4 .02-.03 and No3 3-5 ppm. Of course every system is different but the is what I am seeing

 

[Downbeach]

I've had a number of Birdsnest SPS over the years, and found that the Pink and Hyacinth required the most light and flow(highest in my system), the Bird of Paradise and Ponape did better a little lower in my system with a little less light and lower flow, the green was the lowest in the system with the least amount of flow. I kept my system on the low nutrients side, not ULNS, but close, with PO4 in the .02 to .04 range and NO3 >1.

 

[saltwater newby]

Birdsnest are lagoon corals and are found in shallow water. I have one of mine a little to left of my lights in the top part of the tank. 6"below the water line. It dose well and I have another about a 3rd down or 12 to 14" below the water line and that one since I turned up my lights is branching off all over the place. I have another one about 12" below the water line and that one is okay but I am watching it. I have be working on controlling my nitrates and green hair algae/ red slim with carbon dosing and I my be taking out to much nitrates, so I will be testing today.

You read and read but I have found the Po4 & No3 happy place is Po4 .02-.03 and No3 3-5 ppm. Of course every system is different but the is what I am seeing

So needless to say, I definitely have to lower nitrates before getting a birdsnest coral??

 

[McMullen]

I don't stress over nitrates and find many Sps very tolerable of them. Alk on the other hand is the 'number' to focus in on. Birdsnest in my experience do not tolerate alk swings well and I consider them an indicator coral that something is wrong. If your acquiring a frag for under $20, which you should not pay more because they grow so rapidly then try it out. If after a month it's alive then your ready to move on to something else. Just remember to check alk and have a plan to start dosing Ca+ and Alk with Sps. Water changes likely will maintain one coral but three or four will require additives when they hit a growth spurt.

 

[twilliard]

I don't stress over nitrates and find many Sps very tolerable of them. Alk on the other hand is the 'number' to focus in on. Birdsnest in my experience do not tolerate alk swings well and I consider them an indicator coral that something is wrong. If your acquiring a frag for under $20, which you should not pay more because they grow so rapidly then try it out. If after a month it's alive then your ready to move on to something else. Just remember to check alk and have a plan to start dosing Ca+ and Alk with Sps. Water changes likely will maintain one coral but three or four will require additives when they hit a growth spurt.

This right here is the best to note
Well said

 

[jsker]

It your call, start dosing some type of carbon, if you see your No3 reading dropping and you get within the range, get a birdsnest and drop it in the system. Just look at you corals and fish, if they are happy you are good.

As I stated in another thread this morning, testing is great but not exact. Chasing number is not going to make you tank a success, it is when you get you tank tuned by using the test as an guide and eye everything. Every system is different. You just have to watch it, take notes like a map. when you have the right combination and your tank look healthy you are doing good.

 

[saltwater newby]

I don't stress over nitrates and find many Sps very tolerable of them. Alk on the other hand is the 'number' to focus in on. Birdsnest in my experience do not tolerate alk swings well and I consider them an indicator coral that something is wrong. If your acquiring a frag for under $20, which you should not pay more because they grow so rapidly then try it out. If after a month it's alive then your ready to move on to something else. Just remember to check alk and have a plan to start dosing Ca+ and Alk with Sps. Water changes likely will maintain one coral but three or four will require additives when they hit a growth spurt.

I do have b ionic 2 part ALK and calcium us magnesium. But I stopped manual dosing when I switched to Red Sea coral pro salt until I saw how it was going to affect my parameters. When you refer to "maintaining 3-4 corals" are you referring to sps corals??

 

[saltwater newby]

It your call, start dosing some type of carbon, if you see your No3 reading dropping and you get within the range, get a birdsnest and drop it in the system. Just look at you corals and fish, if they are happy you are good.

As I stated in another thread this morning, testing is great but not exact. Chasing number is not going to make you tank a success, it is when you get you tank tuned by using the test as an guide and eye everything. Every system is different. You just have to watch it, take notes like a map. when you have the right combination and your tank look healthy you are doing good.

You just described how I go about my tank. I've only been in this hobby 7 months but I have already learned not to chase numbers and I am so observative of my tank that I can spot any changes good or bad.

 

[jsker]

Then Roll with

 

[McMullen]

When you refer to "maintaining 3-4 corals" are you referring to sps corals??

Yes, I was referring to keeping sps.

 

[saltwater newby]

Yes, I was referring to keeping sps.

Gotcha!!!

 

[saltwater newby]

Thanks for the input guys!!!

 

[Russ265]

birdsnest is fine for your "dirtier" setup.

id lower phosphate though. gfo would fix it up in a jiffy.

i think you are fine otherwise

everyone else is spot on

 

[nex64]

As Russ said , birdsnest are pretty hardy and forgiving in dirty water.

If you're in SoCal , I'll give you some birdsnest / stylo frags to try . If not, I'm sure someone will hook you up with some free sps frags to try

 

[saltwater newby]

As Russ said , birdsnest are pretty hardy and forgiving in dirty water.

If you're in SoCal , I'll give you some birdsnest / stylo frags to try . If not, I'm sure someone will hook you up with some free sps frags to try

I'm in Kissimmee fl. Lol!! But nonetheless,thank you!!!