Clkwrk's 120g SPS tank setup and progression journal

[clkwrk]

keeping acros takes more dedication from the hobbyist. Mainly to provide a stable enviroment for your sps. It is once my husbandry improved and my stability of params (temp ,ph ,ca , alk,mg,salinity ect) That things started taking off and I had better luck with acros.


But as a newbie to sps I would recommend corals like digitata, montipora caps, pocillpora, green/brown with Blue tip stags, microplathma and I am sure I am missing a few. These all seem to be pretty hardy corals and were some of my first starters.

 

[Fmellish]

If I do a 20% water change once a month with instant ocean reef crystals, does that replace enough trace elements that I can not worry about calcium reactors and such stuff like that?

Or does every aquarist eventually need equipment like that?

And as far as stability, my temps go from 79 at night to 82 mid day, is that bad for SPS corals?

By the way, I have a monti cap, but it isn't growing at all. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks
Josh

 

[clkwrk]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6753213#post6753213 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fmellish
If I do a 20% water change once a month with instant ocean reef crystals, does that replace enough trace elements that I can not worry about calcium reactors and such stuff like that?

Or does every aquarist eventually need equipment like that?

And as far as stability, my temps go from 79 at night to 82 mid day, is that bad for SPS corals?

By the way, I have a monti cap, but it isn't growing at all. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks
Josh

20% once a month isn't enuff IMO . What type of fish load do you have .

What are your params ? Ca , alk, mg, Amonnia, nitrate and nitrite ?

Also IMO a 3 degree swing everyday is a little much . I have no more than a 1 degree swing a day . I know others that try and keep it with in .5 degrees and then again some with 2 degree swings.

Mainly you want to minimize swings of all your params.

Ca reactors aren't a necessity but more a coveinace for keeping alk and ca stable. Instead of daily doseing .

 

[Fmellish]

My alk, ph, ammonia, trites and trates are all ok. I've ordered a Salifert calcium test kit so I can start monitoring my calcium. I was kind of hoping my salt mix would contain enough trace elements that it wouldn't be an issue.

Daily dosing doesn't sound practical.

I have 7 small fish, and just a few frags of mixed sps and soft stuff. You can see on my website link.

Thanks
Josh

 

[clkwrk]

Okay its almost been 2 months so I figured I would post a few new pics.

Sorry for the dirty full tank shot . I haven't cleaned the tank since the reaquascaping . Work has kept me very busy and I have spent most my free time working on my new 180.

and a full tank shot

 

[clkwrk]

 

[Chrisrush]

Clkwrk,
You should be ashamed of yourself, posting those dirty, filthy pictures on the net.

All joking aside, everything looks great. How is the 180 progress?

Chris

 

[clkwrk]

:lol: Thanks!

The 180 is coming along nicely a few snags like I wanted a steel stand and now I have a wood one and a tank delay .

Here's the link to the 180BBsps thread

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=7093355#post7093355

 

[clkwrk]

Okay here is new tank . Follow link above to follow the progress. It has been a good 14months and now its time for my corals to grow out and time for me to collect my school of 20 lubbucks wrasses

 

[clkwrk]

I will also post some pre take down pictures here to view.

 

[clkwrk]

Sorry no pre take down pictures however the swap is done

Went from this

to this

And the link again to the new thread.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showt...355#post7093355

 

[edwar050]

I figured the 180 would give you much more room with your corals than the 120 but it looks like they will grow in fast in the 180 as well. Wish I had that problem with corals as beautiful as yours. Any changes in the CL for the 180? Are you enjoying the two skimmers?

 

[clkwrk]

Thanks! I am enjoying the 2 skimmers and there is no CL on the 180

 

[gman0526]

The tank looks great!!! I really like the layout on this. Good job.

 

[nccmike]

clkwrk, I tried to do the 3 collum look that you had previously but it never looks as good as yours.

I'm sure you have already been asked this question 1000 times but how do you do it?

Just stacking or are you drilling?

Nice tank!

 

[clkwrk]

gman0526-Thanks alot

nccmike- it was all just stacked nicely I have been setting up tanks for sometime and have done 6 tank swaps so it just gets easier for me .......Main thing is rock selection during the building of the islands. You got to have 2 nice stable rocks for the bottom of each one.

 

[clkwrk]

ah the memories

 

[clkwrk]

Man I still miss this tank

 

[elephen]

Looks super nice man!

 

[CPT. MURPHY]

Very nice!

CPT.