SPS ready?

[Mickle]

Hello,

I am thinking of trying SPS for the first time, particularly Montipora or birds nest. I have LPS doing awesome but I am unsure if my parameters are SPS ready yet. Everything has been doing great, haven't lost a single coral.

sg 1.023
Ca. 500
KH/Alk. 11.6
Magnesium 1500+
pH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate <10
Phosphate 0
My calcium, magnesium and Alk have always been high, my alkalinity is finally coming down from 16. I do weekly water changes. Would Montipora or Birds nest be able to grow in these conditions?

Thanks!

-Mick

 

[HB AL]

#s aren’t way off, only one way to find out, put a monti and Acro frag in there and see what happens. Maybe don’t try and buy anything expensive. Maybe try a red digi monti and a Green Slimer Acro to start off with and see how they do for a month. Good luck

 

[Aaron-A2]

I will say that parameters -- while important -- are not as important as stability. Are you still lowering your alk from your original 16? If so, I'd wait till you hit your target location before adding SPS. What salt are you using?

Since you were asking about monti's and birdsnest, you can find some pretty cheap frags of both usually, so if you aren't super concerned about the money, give it a shot! As @HB AL said, you can always try a green slimmer as well when it comes to easier-to-keep acropora.

 

[HB AL]

If your in SoCal I would give you some frags to try.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Alk is too high and phos is too low for acros

 

[Mickle]

I will say that parameters -- while important -- are not as important as stability. Are you still lowering your alk from your original 16? If so, I'd wait till you hit your target location before adding SPS. What salt are you using?

Since you were asking about monti's and birdsnest, you can find some pretty cheap frags of both usually, so if you aren't super concerned about the money, give it a shot! As @HB AL said, you can always try a green slimmer as well when it comes to easier-to-keep acropora.

I have just let the alk lower on its own I have not added anything to the tank to lower it. For salt, I buy already mixed saltwater I think they use Fritz RPM. Also what is the optimal Alk level? Liveaquaria says Alk 8-12 for Montipora.

If your in SoCal I would give you some frags to try.

Thank you, but I'm in Texas

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

My acros and monti’s like 7-8. You could have your alk higher but you would need more po4. What are you doing to keep your po4 so low?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Where in Texas? I’m in Houston

 

[Mickle]

My acros and monti’s like 7-8. You could have your alk higher but you would need more po4. What are you doing to keep your po4 so low?

I'm not sure, I just retested and let the test sit longer, looks like p04 is 0.25 - 0.1.

Where in Texas? I’m in Houston

I'm in Houston aswell.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I'm not sure, I just retested and let the test sit longer, looks like p04 is 0.25 - 0.1.



I'm in Houston aswell.

What test are you using?

 

[Mickle]

What test are you using?

Salifert

 

[Softhammer]

I would personally not try any. You parameters will work fine but it would be a much much better investment to gear up to make your own saltwater. Relying on store premix never ends well.

 

[Aaron-A2]

HTown rep!

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I would personally not try any. You parameters will work fine but it would be a much much better investment to gear up to make your own saltwater. Relying on store premix never ends well.

Agreed.

 

[marlinmon]

High alk and low nitrate spells trouble. Drop the former, or raise the latter. Go for some cheap SPS first

 

[Mickle]

I would personally not try any. You parameters will work fine but it would be a much much better investment to gear up to make your own saltwater. Relying on store premix never ends well.

I always hear of people having issues with salt mixes, what salt mix do you recommend?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I use tropic Marin pro, but I’m thinking of switching to their classic mix because the calcium mixes lower. All the tropic Marin’s mix to 7 dKH. Jason Fox and wwc and many of other vendors use instant ocean or Red Sea blue bucket.

 

[Softhammer]

I have used them all. They all work fine. The key though is being to control your own quality. At times fish stores have been known to be less than careful with their mixing. Like using tap water in a bind. Instant ocean is always a great starting point but virtually all main mixes work just fine. I personally mix it up with whatever is on sale as I use about a case every 4-5 weeks. I’m sure everyone here will agree though that initially the $$ are way better spent on an RO system. After that, go nuts with the SPS.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I use tropic Marin pro, but I’m thinking of switching to their classic mix because the calcium mixes lower. All the tropic Marin’s mix to 7 dKH. Jason Fox and wwc and many of other vendors use instant ocean or Red Sea blue bucket.

I quality 4 or 5 stage R/O system is the first step

 

[Softhammer]

Without question.