Am i new ready for SPS
- Thread starter ibill1971
- Start date
flying_dutchman
New member
How old is the system? Tank info, light, flow etc.? What do you test nitrate and phosphate with?
1st reef?
1st reef?
flying_dutchman
New member
More flow! How much watt is the MH 3' won't do with 250w.
Do you want it to be SPS dominated? If not just put the SPS in high flow (indirect) and at the top of the tank. Just start with a $5 monti.
I'm 100% that your nitrates and phosphates are not 0, drop test kits are just worthless for precession. But near 0 should be fine. High phosphates = brown SPS
Do you want it to be SPS dominated? If not just put the SPS in high flow (indirect) and at the top of the tank. Just start with a $5 monti.
I'm 100% that your nitrates and phosphates are not 0, drop test kits are just worthless for precession. But near 0 should be fine. High phosphates = brown SPS
The one parameter you are missing is possibly the most important, alkalinity. What is this at? How is the stability of these parameters especially temp, alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium? Stability is deffinately more important than a single measurement being in the right range for sps.
serpentman
part time superhero
I am also concerned about your alk. A ph of 7.6 is pretty low, even with the house closed up. Sounds to me like alk may be deficient.
How long has the tank been set up? Even though parameters may be in line, new tanks are prone to quirks and Murphy's Law. The recommendation to wait is often so the hobbiest themselves can develop habits and work out the kinks.
How long has the tank been set up? Even though parameters may be in line, new tanks are prone to quirks and Murphy's Law. The recommendation to wait is often so the hobbiest themselves can develop habits and work out the kinks.
psykobowler
New member
Calcium reactor or 2 part dosing ready?
aquariumclown
New member
The key to keeping sps, for rookies. These are general rule of thumb....
- Enough light for the coral that's actually in the tank. You don't need 4000w of light if your starting out, just enough for what's currently in the tank. As the tank become fully stocked, you might think about upgrading. I think it doesn't make sense to run so much lighting for the animals you "might" have 4 years down the road.
- Same goes for flow, it will change as the amount of corals you stock.
- "Stability promotes success". Keep all parameters as steady as possible. That means temp, ph, cal, alk, mag, po4, no3. These parameters will work to fight against you, away from stability. We use all kinds of automated systems such as skimmers, and reactors, dosers, electronic monitors, etc, to achieve stability long term.
- Enough light for the coral that's actually in the tank. You don't need 4000w of light if your starting out, just enough for what's currently in the tank. As the tank become fully stocked, you might think about upgrading. I think it doesn't make sense to run so much lighting for the animals you "might" have 4 years down the road.
- Same goes for flow, it will change as the amount of corals you stock.
- "Stability promotes success". Keep all parameters as steady as possible. That means temp, ph, cal, alk, mag, po4, no3. These parameters will work to fight against you, away from stability. We use all kinds of automated systems such as skimmers, and reactors, dosers, electronic monitors, etc, to achieve stability long term.
stooges3tx
New member
If you aren't sure that you can keep SPS here is what you do.
Fix your params to what you know you should. Keep them there for 4 months with no fluctuations and do regular water changes. Test your Ca Alk daily and Mg every few days.
Keep doing research on what SPS require while doing this.
If you can keep the parameters steady for 2 months with no fluctuations and study all the while you should be ready for SPS. If you can't and don't do this you are probably going to kill stuff and waste money.
Fix your params to what you know you should. Keep them there for 4 months with no fluctuations and do regular water changes. Test your Ca Alk daily and Mg every few days.
Keep doing research on what SPS require while doing this.
If you can keep the parameters steady for 2 months with no fluctuations and study all the while you should be ready for SPS. If you can't and don't do this you are probably going to kill stuff and waste money.
As previously stated your alk values are missing which is very important. Also why is the mag only at 1200 now? Why is the PH at 7.6 & why do you want to get it so high at 8.6? What is your SG?
aquariumclown
New member
PH of 8.2-8.4 is the range in the natural sea. Many people run theirs between 7.7-8.5 without any problems (not the swing, the range). I'm not sure where you got that you need to run your tank at 8.6 either.
stooges3tx
New member
If you stablize your parameters and keep them constant for a few months as I suggested, you will see what you need to do for supplementation. IMO many use CA reactors when they are not needed.
