Sps tank essentials and recommendations?

[refridgeRAIDER]

Hey guys, going to pick up my IM Nuvo 40g tomorrow and want to go sps dominant. I want to take everything really slow. from researching have seen that a good bit recommend a 6 month cycle which I am fine with as it'll give me time to save money for better equipment (rather then going cheap and forking it out later). I wanted to see what you guys recommend and get some help on how to do things right.

If you were to start your sps tank over from scratch what would you do differently? What equipment do you consider essential and why? Treat this as an "Sps tanks for dummies"

 

[xjiang7]

Always keep an eye on Alk

 

[refridgeRAIDER]

Always keep an eye on Alk

Thanks, any opinion on the Hanna tester?

 

[justingraham]

Well hum blank canvas huh

Two mp10's for flow get a reeflink as well unless u have an apex then wxm module.

I beleive these are all in one tanks so I would get one of them nice Skimmer's that fit in the back that doesn't have a known problem I would def get an ATO I would go with an apex in case u wanna get a controller down the road this way u could get a wxm module for the mp10s as well but in the mean time u could still run without a controller.

Now for lights I would just go all out and get 16" reef brite metal halide hybrids and call it done.

Enjoy tank.

I enjoy the Hannah tester for alk but I have to be consistant in testing to get consistant results.

 

[justingraham]

And I don't know about a six month cycle my tank is six months old look at my video in my signature

 

[ndrwater]

I would start with lighting and flow.
As for lighting, I would go LED. Reason is it is a one time cost (if you get a good one) as opposed to constantly having to buy bulbs with T5 or Halide. Not nearly the heat generated with LED compared to Halide and infinitely adjustable color spectrum without having to switch bulbs to change color to you and your corals liking.
Flow is also a biggie. Get powerheads that are proven to run long term, with hopefully the ability to create random flow.
Follow that up with the best skimmer you can afford in your price point, probably rated for higher tank volume than you actually have. Many skimmer brands have higher volume ratings than they actually are sufficient for when keeping SPS.
Oh..... And deep pockets... And a good sense of humor...

 

[refridgeRAIDER]

Well hum blank canvas huh

Two mp10's for flow get a reeflink as well unless u have an apex then wxm module.

I beleive these are all in one tanks so I would get one of them nice Skimmer's that fit in the back that doesn't have a known problem I would def get an ATO I would go with an apex in case u wanna get a controller down the road this way u could get a wxm module for the mp10s as well but in the mean time u could still run without a controller.

Now for lights I would just go all out and get 16" reef brite metal halide hybrids and call it done.

Enjoy tank.

I enjoy the Hannah tester for alk but I have to be consistant in testing to get consistant results.

Great info thanks! I really love the idea of MH would they raise the heat to much though?
I like the idea of the controller (pulling my wife into the hobby as well so she can understand the cost of equipment and not look at me like I am insane lol)

 

[refridgeRAIDER]

And I don't know about a six month cycle my tank is six months old look at my video in my signature

Awesome! How long did you cycle for? And what route did you go? Live or dry rock, adding pure ammonia, ghost feeding. Sorry if I am asking to much just want to do it right the first time

 

[justingraham]

I would start with lighting and flow.
As for lighting, I would go LED. Reason is it is a one time cost (if you get a good one) as opposed to constantly having to buy bulbs with T5 or Halide. Not nearly the heat generated with LED compared to Halide and infinitely adjustable color spectrum without having to switch bulbs to change color to you and your corals liking.
Flow is also a biggie. Get powerheads that are proven to run long term, with hopefully the ability to create random flow.
Follow that up with the best skimmer you can afford in your price point, probably rated for higher tank volume than you actually have. Many skimmer brands have higher volume ratings than they actually are sufficient for when keeping SPS.
Oh..... And deep pockets... And a good sense of humor...

I would think tho he would need at least two of whatever led on the market to get the coverage if it's the size of a forty breeder. And a lot of people goe leds then come back to the light side in two or three years as they are just missing something

 

[refridgeRAIDER]

I would start with lighting and flow.
As for lighting, I would go LED. Reason is it is a one time cost (if you get a good one) as opposed to constantly having to buy bulbs with T5 or Halide. Not nearly the heat generated with LED compared to Halide and infinitely adjustable color spectrum without having to switch bulbs to change color to you and your corals liking.
Flow is also a biggie. Get powerheads that are proven to run long term, with hopefully the ability to create random flow.
Follow that up with the best skimmer you can afford in your price point, probably rated for higher tank volume than you actually have. Many skimmer brands have higher volume ratings than they actually are sufficient for when keeping SPS.
Oh..... And deep pockets... And a good sense of humor...

Nice thanks! Would jeboa be ok if the vortechs are out of reach atm? I was also thinking the AI hydra 26 or 2 primes for lighting love the colors I see from them

 

[refridgeRAIDER]

I would think tho he would need at least two of whatever led on the market to get the coverage if it's the size of a forty breeder. And a lot of people goe leds then come back to the light side in two or three years as they are just missing something

With the 16" reef bride that was mentioned above would you get the same colors as say two AI primes?

 

[justingraham]

Great info thanks! I really love the idea of MH would they raise the heat to much though?
I like the idea of the controller (pulling my wife into the hobby as well so she can understand the cost of equipment and not look at me like I am insane lol)

The halides I have raise my tank a whole .5 degrees.

Awesome! How long did you cycle for? And what route did you go? Live or dry rock, adding pure ammonia, ghost feeding. Sorry if I am asking to much just want to do it right the first time

Ah maby I'm not the best example for someone starting out but I started half live half live that was dead. I ran it in a Rubbermaid pond for two months and when I filled my tank up that first day I had fish in it the next week I had 15 corals in and at the end of the first month I had 35 corals and 8 fish. And since then I have just been watching.

If u never had corals before I do not recomend my method I would just do it a little diff. Let the tank cycle with half and half rock like I did. Add ur fish test alk everyday just to understand ur tank. In a month or so order up a battle box from Adam at battle corals and tell him ur a beginner. He will give u some relitivly easy sps corals and just test and try to keep ur alk consistant everyday. After u understand how ur tank works then order up another battle box or a box from aquavista on here and watch ur corals grow.

 

[xjiang7]

Thanks, any opinion on the Hanna tester?

I have the kh and PO4 one, both good

 

[justingraham]

With the 16" reef bride that was mentioned above would you get the same colors as say two AI primes?

No not at all u would just get a tank lit by metal halides

And a house that glows

 

[refridgeRAIDER]

No not at all u would just get a tank lit by metal halides

And a house that glows

[emoji23]

 

[Peng]

Essentials:
1. a good skimmer
2. good light -> T5 or T5MH or T5LED
3. doser for Alk (basking soda) and Ca (calcium chloride)
4. wave makers. Jebao or MP
5. Fish

I would have done differently:
1. I would have not bought a biopellet reactor. I would have not used biopellets or phosguard, which stripped my water of nutrients and caused many problems and numerous corals lost
2. I would have added corals especially SPS much much much later than I did. My tank took a full year to establish and stabilize.
3. I would have added APEX leak detector asap.
4. I would have set up the ATO at the beginning instead of procrastinating
5. I would have fed my fish more to keep nutrients up
6. I would have faced nuisance algae with calmness and understanding that their appearance was a necessary phase of a new tank and that I shouldn't have tried to intervene
7. Generally, I would have kept my sump setup much simpler with just a skimmer

 

[refridgeRAIDER]

Essentials:
1. a good skimmer
2. good light -> T5 or T5MH or T5LED
3. doser for Alk (basking soda) and Ca (calcium chloride)
4. wave makers. Jebao or MP
5. Fish

I would have done differently:
1. I would have not bought a biopellet reactor. I would have not used biopellets or phosguard, which stripped my water of nutrients and caused many problems and numerous corals lost
2. I would have added corals especially SPS much much much later than I did. My tank took a full year to establish and stabilize.
3. I would have added APEX leak detector asap.
4. I would have set up the ATO at the beginning instead of procrastinating
5. I would have fed my fish more to keep nutrients up
6. I would have faced nuisance algae with calmness and understanding that their appearance was a necessary phase of a new tank and that I shouldn't have tried to intervene
7. Generally, I would have kept my sump setup much simpler with just a skimmer

Awesome great stuff here!

 

[ndrwater]

Not going to disagree with anyone who has had, or uses Halide currently. But....
I ran Halide for 2 years here in Southern California, and a chiller was absolutely necessary during the summer months. Granted my tank is big. 8' to be exact, and I had four 250 watt bulbs in addition to T5. My issue wasn't color or growth, but the bill. Bill as in electric bill. In Anaheim where I live, we have our own utility company in Anaheim public utilities and get the cheapest rates anywhere in CA. The biggest bill I had was the summer before I switched to Radions.
Take a seat and ponder this for a second.... $1600 electric bill....
Yes, SIXTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS.
That was it for me. Dropped a fat chunk for 5 Radions, but with LED, no more chiller, no more HUGE bills from the power company. Same tank, same corals (better growth and color IMO) and now $300 electric bills...
Just something to consider...

 

[Tautog]

I'm in just over 2 yrs, I went with Live Rock, my tank never cycled, then added Live/Dry from BRS, be sure to cure this rock 6 weeks in SW, with heat and circulation in total darkness.
LEDs last forever, cost less annually, and don't give off a quarter of the heat, most tanks using T-5's or MH also run a chiller, AC for your tank. A sump with a skimmer and refuge, Reef Octopus 2000 is easy to clean. And make cleaning everything easy or it's a pain, and then you will be lazy about it. The biggest thing I would consider is going bigger tank wise. A large display, 180. 2' x 2' x 6'. I did, and wish I went 220 gal. There's lots of reasons to go big. More variety. More water gives you a little more room for errors. And yes, the bigger tank will cost more at start, but the end result is incredible. More corals, more fish, more of everything! I don't watch TV with a 6 foot DT that is captivating. Think of all of these options over and over, and over again. Then make the commitment. But before you buy anything, I would speak to someone from BRS, Bulk Reef Supply. Then call Adam from Battle Corals and bounce everything " you think " you would like to do. Ask for his recommendations, and go with his options. I wish I knew him before I started. He will help you, and spend more time better than anyone else I've ever met. I just received my order. It was a "War Chest" of Acros. The finest corals, at the best prices, and the chunkiest!
You're already thinking right, buy quality equipment once! Best of Luck!

 

[refridgeRAIDER]

Not going to disagree with anyone who has had, or uses Halide currently. But....
I ran Halide for 2 years here in Southern California, and a chiller was absolutely necessary during the summer months. Granted my tank is big. 8' to be exact, and I had four 250 watt bulbs in addition to T5. My issue wasn't color or growth, but the bill. Bill as in electric bill. In Anaheim where I live, we have our own utility company in Anaheim public utilities and get the cheapest rates anywhere in CA. The biggest bill I had was the summer before I switched to Radions.
Take a seat and ponder this for a second.... $1600 electric bill....
Yes, SIXTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS.
That was it for me. Dropped a fat chunk for 5 Radions, but with LED, no more chiller, no more HUGE bills from the power company. Same tank, same corals (better growth and color IMO) and now $300 electric bills...
Just something to consider...

Holy crow that's insane! I live in southern FL so heat is a concern of mine as well