10G Clam and SPS Adventure

[zeuss zoso]

10G Clam and SPS Experiment

What does it take to keep clams and SPS in a small closed system?

The goal of this project is to learn the needs of clams and SPS, and to measure the usage of calcium, nitrates, magnesium by the clams. I will also measure growth and feed live phytoplankton. As for the SPS I want to see the needs and what niches it would consider a good home. Everything going into this tank is going to be aquacultured, except for a select few pieces to compare growth, coloration, and mortality rate. I will begin stocking in late August.

Tank Specs
10g AGA
70w pendant by Mirepa 10k Ushio Bulb
Aquaclear 30
Maxi-Jet 400
Stealth Heater 20
2 Tier eggcrate shelves

Stocking
My goal is to purcahse cheap frags of SPS, and small clams.
SPS frags in the 1/2 in. - 1in. frags.
Clams in the 3 in. range. All crocea.

Experimentation

Calcium:
What level of calcium yields the best growth and overall health?

Magnesium:
What level of magnesium yields best growth and overall health?

Alkalinity:
What level of alkalinity yields best growth and overall health?

Stronium:
What level of stronium yields best growth and overall health?

Additives

Seachem Reef Advantage Calciumâ"žÂ¢

Seachem Reef Advantage Strontiumâ"žÂ¢

Seachem Reef Advantage Magnesiumâ"žÂ¢

Seachem Reef Builderâ"žÂ¢


Alex

 

[AIMFish]

Good luck on your experiment! I hate to sound bad but it seems like there are going to be far to many variables to draw conclusive results.

 

[zeuss zoso]

I agree. I think I may cut stronium and magnesium. Thanks for the imput.

 

[jasno999]

You are still goign to have too many variables. YO uwill never know what one thing is producing the positive or negative results you see.

YOu might be messign with calcium levels but the interaction with calcium and PH or Calcium and ALK could affect the results.

Really there is probably an ideal combination of all the different elements for each and every coral. It is probably a little different for each. But in the end the best thing to do is probably to mimic the ocean and its mixtures of components as best you can.

I am nto saying that your experiment is not interesting but I jsut don't think you will be able to draw any results of meaning from it. Cause there are too many variable and there is no way to get around that.

 

[zeuss zoso]

Yah, I am just going to mess with calcium and alkalinity a little. I will start at ocean level, and then move up a little. For alkalinity I will do that later. I just want to perfect calcium level for the certain animals and the amount used.
ALex

 

[Milleme]

I think youd be better off dripping kalk or at least a two part additive instead of all the individual seachem products. It would give you a more stable enviornment that you will be able to adjust for your experiments without throwing everything off balance and always chasing numbers to get your calcium higher or whatever. EX: instead of raising your calcium using seachem then countering it with buffer to stabalize your KH you could just add more kalk to your drip and acheive the same thing without all the going back and forth. Also you said you where going to mess with calc a little then mess with akalinity, this isnt how it works, they are tied together so u have to mess with them together .

JMO, goodluck with the experimenting it sounds like a fun little project!

 

[zeuss zoso]

Aight. I am probably gonna drip kalk after doing some research. Probably get a guesstimate on evap. and fill some sort of IV and hang it above the tank. So if it evaporates .8 gallons per day I will fill the bag with .8 gallons and have it slowly drip in.

 

[Milleme]

Sounds good. But i think you could use a bigger container that you could drip from so that it lasts longer than just one day. But if space is an issue or you are trying to be exactly on go for it. It just sounds like more work than needed, but if your dedicated to it, then do it.

Are you planning on doing it this way so you can control the calcium and akalinity levels better or is space the issue?