secret to sps

[Nate82]

I'm relatively new to the hobby 4-5 month... i've tried a couple cheap frags and they all bleached except my monti cap which hasn't really grown... I have pretty decent flow in my tank and i run 2 24" T5s and i run another t5 for dusk and dawn whats the secret to these corals?

 

[Eklikewhoa]

Size tank?
T5HO?
Flow rate?
Parameters?
Maintenance routine?



I have kept SPS in my NC12g as well as my 30g(mostly SPS now) and in both I have always had the best results with "overdoing" everything.

Lighting....
NC12g - 2x70wMH +2x 18w PC actinics
30g - 1x250wMH + 4x24w T5HO actinics

Flow/Filtration......
NC12g - 2x Koralia Nanos and MJ900 return pump/ CPR bakpak skimmer modded
30g - 2xK2's + 2xK.Nanos and Eheim 1250 return pump/ Octopus NW-150

Maintenance.....
Both got/gets weekly 20-30% waterchange with Oceanic/RODI, Kalk Top-off water.

 

[oceanparadise1]

what are ur para, i know they must be near perfect and lots of flow and keep them high near the lights

 

[reefermadness]

More light. My SPS didnt really explode until I added the 250K Radium. Its been night and day since switching from 150 HQI.

 

[oceanparadise1]

i think it depends on what size tank the lights over as well i have 150 10ks in a 55 and near the top they love it

 

[mpoletti]

SPS= Stability Promotes Success

 

[paintballer768]

SPS= Stability Promotes Success

And tons of flow hahah.

 

[oceanparadise1]

hahah i like that marko

 

[Nate82]

my params are perfect i believe they're HO's and it's a standard 15 gallon tank i have a bakpak 2r with an mj1200 and a mj400 for now for flow but i also have an aquaclear 110 modded into a fuge that i modded the impeller and took 3 blades off but still turns over like crazy idk maybe i'll give it another go

 

[oceanparadise1]

bro, switch to hydors, much better IMO i got a piece u can grab if u wanna try

 

[Nate82]

hydor what?

 

[oceanparadise1]

hydor korialas like the power heads i have they are so much better for random flow and will def up ur flow rate

 

[Nate82]

i'm getting the powerheads that go back and forth and i can't spend 50 on one and i need one with the hose thing like i was telling you about ik which ones i'm getting

 

[dan10342]

i think flow is more important than light. if the flow sucks, the coral most likely will suffer.

whats the temperature of your tank nate?

 

[Nate82]

78-79ish fluctuates max it hits is 81 on those hot days but i just fixed that problem...stupid heater

 

[oceanparadise1]

no way dude light is just as important for sps if not more then flow

 

[dan10342]

no phil. haha. flow definately more important for SPS. chack out a TOTM a while ago on Reefkeeping magazine. the guy had like 2.5 watts per gallon of light.

 

[dan10342]

* definitely, * check, typos

 

[oceanparadise1]

dude watts per gallon means nothing now a days, so u cant go by that at all

 

[dan10342]

was just saying... flow flow flow. and i know wpg means nothing. at the time the TOTM article came out tho... ppl were still using that wpg rule.

IMO they both are important. but i dont think one is more important than the other.