The "SPS bug" has bitten...need some guidance.

André Brasil · Feb 13, 2019

First of all, thank you for taking the time to help me with my "issue".

The help I need is pertaining this tank:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/andrés-11g-custom-aio-now-bare-bottom.445167

When I imagined and designed my tank, it was meant to be a species tank for a small Mantis Shrimp. That never happened, and since then it has morphed into a mixed reef.

Starting out, I never thought I'd want SPS...the hassle of regular water testing, dosing, pristine parameters, etc, was a turn off for me. All that changed when I was offered a couple easy SPS.

Now, I even bought a couple Acropora!

Thing is I'm not sure my tank setup and maintenance routine on a pretty small tank, can handle that.

My current setup is:

Tunze 9001 skimmer
Sicca silent 1.5 pump fully open with a spin stream noozle
AI Prime HD
Adjustable 50w heater
Sponge and purigen

10 - 15% WC every other week.

Aside from a little Salifert All In One once a week, I'm not really dosing anything.

Don't usually test the water - I kinda eyeball it from the apearence and look of things. Recently, noticing some SPS didn't seem to be growing, I tested alk and saw it was low at 5,7.

Also I struggle with keeping the salinity stable. I'd topping once a day enough?

What I need help with is knowing how to proceed further. What can I do / change / add to my setup as to make it a viable SPS dominated little reef?

This is the tank today.

Crabs McJones · Feb 13, 2019

You'll definitely want your alk to come up. Minimum of 7 DKH. Do you know what your calcium level is? That you want around 420-470 ppm. I would also look into an auto top off. Salinity swings can be an issue for any coral. You can top off with Kalkwasser in your top off water, this will bring up your calcium and alkalinity, as well as raise your PH

TriggerFinger · Feb 13, 2019

I have no advice for you, I just wanted to say you have a beautiful tank.

Xandernfs · Feb 13, 2019

Crab said it all and I'm actually using kalk in my ATO. It has helped a lot with my pH swings. I would also look into more forgiving SPS like stylophora, montipora digitada, and birds nest. These will help you get used to the more demanding acros.

André Brasil · Feb 13, 2019

Crabs Mcjones said:
You'll definitely want your alk to come up. Minimum of 7 DKH. Do you know what your calcium level is? That you want around 420-470 ppm. I would also look into an auto top off. Salinity swings can be an issue for any coral. You can top off with Kalkwasser in your top off water, this will bring up your calcium and alkalinity, as well as raise your PH

Great ideas, thanks.

I've heard using kalk with your auto top off can be hard on the pump - is that accurate?

My calcium is at 440 with a salifert test kit.

André Brasil · Feb 13, 2019

TriggerFinger said:
I have no advice for you, I just wanted to say you have a beautiful tank.

Thanks ^^

Crabs McJones · Feb 13, 2019

André Brasil said:
Great ideas, thanks.

I've heard using kalk with your auto top off can be hard on the pump - is that accurate?

My calcium is at 440 with a salifert test kit.

It can be if the bottom of your reservoir gets caked up with kalk paste (kalkwasser settlement) you'll have to regularly clean your reservoir to help avoid this

André Brasil · Feb 13, 2019

Any specific cautions i should keep in mind regarding the size of my tank?

rock_lobster · Feb 13, 2019

Kalk will not be sufficient for a tank like this unless you are evaporated a ton of water from even then probably not. Those SPS need a lot of alkalinity and calcium (and they are just babies right now) you will have to dose or do much larger weekly water changes to meet their demand. Small tanks also need much more frequent testing then larger ones.

André Brasil · Feb 13, 2019

rock_lobster said:
Kalk will not be sufficient for a tank like this unless you are evaporated a ton of water from even then probably not. Those SPS need a lot of alkalinity and calcium (and they are just babies right now) you will have to dose or do much larger weekly water changes to meet their demand. Small tanks also need much more frequent testing then larger ones.

So, for right now kalk might be enough, but not on the long run - did i get that right?

How would i tell when its time to complement further?

rock_lobster · Feb 13, 2019

André Brasil said:
So, for right now kalk might be enough, but not on the long run - did i get that right?

How would i tell when its time to complement further?

Possibly. Are you already dosing fully saturated kalk with your topoff? if so your Alk is currently very low so it is not keeping up as it is.

André Brasil · Feb 13, 2019

rock_lobster said:
Possibly. Are you already dosing fully saturated kalk with your topoff? if so your Alk is currently very low so it is not keeping up as it is.

Like i mentioned above, I'm not dosing anything at the moment, just water changes.

rock_lobster · Feb 13, 2019

André Brasil said:
Like i mentioned above, I'm not dosing anything at the moment, just water changes.

Oh sorry then yes you should start using kalk to boost your alkalinity or dosing. Or do larger water changes and test at least once a week.

ReefSlice · Feb 13, 2019

I'd just start doing water changes every week and look into dosing BRS 2 part. A $50 set will last you years on that tank. Get that alk up ASAP. Tank looks very good!

Sod Buster · Feb 13, 2019

No jokes here. 1st thing to do is get a credit card secret from your other. 2nd is an ATO complimented with a ph probe. Spend the time to read the lime water threads, as that's how you start before things get serious. A ATO pump from spectrapure or any external dosing pump will be ideal for the kalk water as it's not in the crud. Put in failsafes so the ATO will not dump the whole load, that will kill everything. Salinity aim for 1.027 if you swing all over the place lower, keep that in the thousandths'. SPS respond to things that happened weeks ago in the tank, stable temp, ph, alk, cal, mg, nitrate, phosphate, and your mood. Use the test kits first, and your eyes to take in the beauty. You will know when kalk is not enough when your alk & cal drop in 12 hours. Have fun w/ it, SPS are fun.

André Brasil · Feb 13, 2019

Sod Buster said:
No jokes here. 1st thing to do is get a credit card secret from your other. 2nd is an ATO complimented with a ph probe. Spend the time to read the lime water threads, as that's how you start before things get serious. A ATO pump from spectrapure or any external dosing pump will be ideal for the kalk water as it's not in the crud. Put in failsafes so the ATO will not dump the whole load, that will kill everything. Salinity aim for 1.027 if you swing all over the place lower, keep that in the thousandths'. SPS respond to things that happened weeks ago in the tank, stable temp, ph, alk, cal, mg, nitrate, phosphate, and your mood. Use the test kits first, and your eyes to take in the beauty. You will know when kalk is not enough when your alk & cal drop in 12 hours. Have fun w/ it, SPS are fun.

Lol,

What role would the PH probe have? What would a fail safe look like?

Any credit card secrets any want to share?

Sod Buster · Feb 13, 2019

You need to know the ph on the 24 hour swing as it varies based on Co2 and lighting. 8 is a good average for 24 hours. Optical sensors, float sensors, or pressure sensors are the ATO failsafes. My ATO is the spectrapure brand. It is air pressure actuated to turn it on/off. All sensors can fail & the outcome is a fried tank & wet floor. Air pressure sensors are less likely. I have air first w/ a optical backup. Kalk will raise your tanks average ph, as saturated, it is around a ph of 12.