For those with SPS...

[kpcollins31]

For all of you who have been successfully keeping SPS corals, what are your lessons learned? I have been thinking about picking up a few over the holidays and I want to know what makes them thrive. I have a hydnophora that seems to be doing well (it has only been a few weeks though).

For example, what amount of flow seems to work best? Are you using wavemakers, closed loops, etc.? Right now, I would classify flow as one of the shortcomings of my tank. My flow consists of my return pump (Mag 7 -- 700GPH) and 2 Seio M820s (820GPH each) -- total flow = 2340GPH. That is 26X turnover but it is unidirectional (no wavemaker).

Kevin

 

[saltycreefer]

Hydnophora is an easy species to keep. The care is the same as an LPS IMO. The more flow the better for sps. Random flow is best. I like using a sea swirl for my return pump, which rotates the output 90 Degrees.

 

[xian]

I see you have T5's what amount of wattage are you running?

WPG is not an accurate measurement of anything but you're going to need a certain amount of T5 wattage to get good growth.

After that some sort of wavemaker will help with the flow. A scwd would work well with your mag 7

 

[kpcollins31]

The light is a 6x54W Teklight -- so 324W. From what I have read, I should consider adding some cooling fans since that seems to have a strong influence on the intensity of the light for T5s. The light seems plenty bright IMO compared to other setups I have seen using halides.

Kevin

 

[xian]

If you want a watt to watt comparison my 125 has 750W of MH and 260W of VHO.

 

[jallard]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8803582#post8803582 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xian
If you want a watt to watt comparison my 125 has 750W of MH and 260W of VHO.

Comparing T5's to MH is like comparing apples to oranges. I am sure SPS will thrive in your tank with the T5 fixture you have. Heck I have sps frags currently on my sand bed and the seem very happy

 

[kpcollins31]

Matt - That seems like a ton of light. I would hate to have your electric bill.

 

[xian]

After this tank settles in a bit more I'm going to experiment with shortening the burn time on the halides.

 

[gary greguire]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8803904#post8803904 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kpcollins31
Matt - That seems like a ton of light. I would hate to have your electric bill.

I had the three 250w halides on my 125 with four 96w pc switched to six overdriven t5's 600w total the sps love it. I still have my bulbs 8" off the water and haven't dared to move them closer yet...my biggest surprise so far has been how much the CA & Alk have dropped. I had to adjust the CA reactor up and drip kalk.

 

[xian]

Gary that pink Chalice is looking nice, so is that lime green acro you gave me.

Let me know when you've got more frags to sell.

 

[xian]

Gary that pink Chalice is looking nice, so is that lime green acro you gave me.


Thanks Again

 

[monti-mike]

I think flow and light and water pattern of flow all Imp, I personally use MH6500K 2-250 on my 180 with 3-160 03 Atinic on my tank and for spss it could be a bit underlit, but T-5 are way different and what ever works for u is verycool just make sure new and in Specturm, and balanced with a lot of 03 blues even in t-5s.........

And i think the Ocassional feeding seems for them to expand the best, but my personal opionion, but others say almost no feeding at ALL, but the corals would feed in nature, and i like to think how was the coral in narture and now in ure tank alot of research on the diff. spss ull keep in ur system, the montipora/velvet coral are always good fast growers and fragers early, but agin an opionion of mine....


peace


mike