Could use some advice on my nano SPS tank

[shortcake]

So I am currently running a 10 gallon SPS dominated tank (a few LPS in there too). I have two Koralia's (420 and 240) for flow. For lighting I run a 150w metal halide about 11in off the water and above that I have two 24w t5HO KZ Superblue running. I run the lights total about 11 hours. I also have a mini fan I use to control the heat. As for filtration I have a JNS Cyclone Skimmer and I do 2 mini water changes a week. I use Azox coral food a few times a week on top of zooplankton. Then I feed my clownfish and firefish some flakes daily. I usually don't have to do two part because the size of my tank/corals are not that big so usually water changes cover it (occasionally I use kalkwasser). I only have two colonies in there, the rest are all frags. The tank has been running about 4 months.

Parameters are...

Salinity: 1.026
Alk: 9.3
Calc: 420
Nitrates: 0

So I want to get my sps to color up more. Everything seems to be growing fine but the colors are still somewhat dull and I want to see if you guys have any advice as to things I can do to improve it. Thanks!

 

[Reefvet]

I want to see if you guys have any advice as to things I can do to improve it. Thanks!

Buy a 20H or larger and some more live rock.

Seriously. The key to success with SPS is stability. You've got a tiny little tank, maybe 8 gals. actual water volume and you're tweaking the heck out of it.

You're feeding way more than is needed. All you're doing is putting organics in the water that are going to break down and cause problems. With the light you have feeding probably isn't needed at all.

Anything you feed, dose or do that affects parameters creates a dynamic change in the tank because it's small.

You've got the lighting and skimmer to run up to a 50 gal tank. Why not do so ?

I've been keeping SPS for nearly 30 years and I wouldn't attempt a 10 gal., it's just never going to be stable to support corals consistently.

Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear but it's based on a lot of experience and better you hear it now than after losing a lot of corals.

 

[shortcake]

Thanks for the reply! And yes I agree, I do want to upgrade to a 20. Problem is I am still in college, so if need be transporting a 10 is a much easier than a 20. Also as crazy as it may sound, I still buy my water. My LFS has a really nice RO/DI system so I just buy one 5 gal bucket of saltwater and one of fresh from him every week or so. Also do you think the lighting is enough? I personally thought a 250 with a radium bulb would be much better! I was just worried about the heat.

 

[shortcake]

Also, my parameters have been pretty stable. My alkalinity is usually right around 9.3 and calcium is usually between 400 and 420. I do water changes twice a week and I don't even have to dose anything. I think its the lighting thats insufficient but I could use some opinions on the matter. Thanks