8 Months of SPS Growth

[ridetheducati]

Update: 8 month growth cycle
Right side of tank 9/22/11.

Right side of tank 5/12.

Left Side Sept 2011.

Left Side May 2012.

FTS 9/11. Attempt at Panorama

Poor FTS 5/12.

 

[ChrisAnator03]

very cool nice work

 

[REEF SMAC]

Really nice progress shots. Tank looks great! :thumbsup:

 

[ridetheducati]

Thanks. I wish I had took some pix 18 months ago when I started this build. I remember saying to myself, "Why take pix of a bunch of 1" colored sticks".

At the two year mark, I may start over with a 300g build.

 

[Alex T.]

I really like the way you gave good space between SPS specimens so that they could grow into nice sized colonies.

Great job.

 

[120reefermadnes]

Very nice growth, please share a little bit about how you achived such great growth, what suplements do you add, how long your lighting cycle, water changes, how long was your system runing before adding sps, ect.

 

[CUNAReefer]

Very nice. Congrats on your success! James

 

[ridetheducati]

Very nice growth, please share a little bit about how you achived such great growth, what suplements do you add, how long your lighting cycle, water changes, how long was your system runing before adding sps, ect.

This build is approximately 18 months old; however, the tank has been setup for 13 years. Every 3 - 5 years, I tear down the reef and start over with the same live rock and 1" frags. I have plans to tear down and build a 300g in 2013, with SPS frags.

Biological filtration: Approximately 200lbs of live rock
Mechanical filtration: Bubble Master 200 Skimmer with mesh wheel
Lighting: (2) 400w MH XM 10K. 9 hours per day.
Carbon format: ZeoStart3
Coral foods: 6 drops of Coral Vitalizer three times per week and fish waste
Water changes: weekly 10%
Water Flow: (2) Tunze 6100
Supplements: Calcium Reactor for Alk, Ca, and Mg.

 

[rogerwilco357]

wow that is amazing what light do you use and Kelvin?oops just read it man I love the growth and the last time I had that much growth was from 10k Ushio I think 10k does all the work imo for lighting in Metal halides just cannot go wrong..

 

[flounderfish]

What brand salt? Any 2 part or GFO?

 

[sahin]

Wow that is very sat growth. Nice tank too.

 

[ridetheducati]

What brand salt? Any 2 part or GFO?

Instant Ocean, but I am contemplating switching to Red Sea Pro salt because it has values closer to NSW and its reasonably priced.

Calcium reactor takes care of Alk, Ca, and Mg. No GFO.