SPS Growth Challenge - Anyone?

This is going to be mad crazy coral fun , lol . Also really looking forward to the outcome in multiple systems with some many different variables to share info on. This should be a real treat for sps fanatics.
 
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Rigght. Im hoping for a tenuis. They are such good growers

Yea that would be nice, to tell you the truth i really dont care what it is. Im really excited about all the data we will collect. What lights will you be running. Im going to use 24 cree 3w leds, or i might use my 14 gal frag tank with 12 3w cree leds.
 
I've PM'd Battlecorals to get the info on the colony that's been offered. Will update the thread tomorrow.

Can someone brainstorm a list of parameters to track for each entrant:
For example,

Tank size
Light type
Light wattage
Location (depth)
Flow (powerhead type)
Reactors
Media type
Bacteria
NO3
PO4
Alk
Ca
pH
Salinity
etc...

Once we have a final list, entrants should PM the information so we can build a quick database
 
List looks pretty sufficient. Keep us posted. Your right boxer. Doesn't really matter what kind it is. I run 250 radiums. I'll look forward to this on the morrow. Got work early. Keep up the work on this.
 
Instead of tank size, total system volume.
Also i don't test nitrates, phosphates, or ph. I'd prefer not to have to buy test kits. I think we should just stick with the big 3.
 
I am assuming that all parameters are optional for entrants, so its not a requirement - just useful information to have for anyone who wants to do some analysis of growth rates.
 
This is going to be awesome. +1 to salt brand and carbon dosing. I also think that we should include what additives we are using and maybe frequency and volume of water changes. This is going to be a lot of data. Hopefully someone is better with numbers than me.
 
Also I feel that we should either 1. Have battle corals (thank you for your generosity) frag, allow healing and take initial measurements of the frags (weight, height or what ever we agree on) or 2. Get the donated colony to an agreed on person who can frag, allow to heal, take initial measurement, and ship. My main concern is healing. I may be a bit crazy but I usually will not purchase SPS frag that hasn't been healed atleast 2 weeks. It would also be nice if the first measurement came from one person that way we are starting with a "clean slate"
 
This what I was thinking.

Upon entry give a good description of your system to include

Total volume
Salt brand
Fish in the system (bioload and maybe find a correlation between a certain species that is relatively unnoticed)

Equipment used for example:
What is used for flow and total estimated flow
Skimmer (brand and rating)
Reactors (with what type of media)
Uv sterilizer (brand and wattage)
HOB filter (size type And media)
Sump w or w/o refugium
Etc

Lighting
Lighting type (mh, t5, led vho, including color temp)
#bulbs and wattage used
Lighting schedule
Etc

Regular Maintenance
% Size and frequency of water changes
Frequency of changing any media
Any dosing (what and how much)
Any other additives
Etc

Target parameters
List your target parameters for (alk, cal, mag, ph, orp, nitrates, etc)

Then maybe every two weeks people can list the maintenance they actually performed and their actual parameters.
 
I think all these detailed specs should be required of winner....for entrants a simple tank size, lights, and whatever equipment should suffice. Let the winners specs show us what we were doing wrong
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

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  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

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