Going for SPS, what do you recommend?

[blennymower]

I just set up my tank and I'm dead set on making it SPS dominant. I would like anyone here to tell me what they think I should do to be successful. First, let me tell you where I stand.

It's a nano system, 20 gallon tank with a 10 gallon sump. (pictures to come soon).

For lighting I have a four lamp ATI Sunpower with two blue plus and two aquablue special.

For water movement an MP10

In the sump I have a Tunze 9002 Nano skimmer and two TLF150 media reactors that I will use to run GAC and GFO.

So is this alright? I was wondering if it's worthwhile to include chaeto along with the GAC and GFO; I'm worried it may not have enough nutrients and die.

 

[vegita51]

I had a 17g with sps that just had a hob refugium and ran carbon that grew sps just fine. I just kept up on weekly 4g water changes and that was it.

 

[javajaws]

I assume you'll do 2-part dosing? Getting things automated (ATO/dosing) goes a long way for helping stability - especially in such a small tank.

 

[blennymower]

Thanks for the reply. Yea, I'm going to be doing two-part dosing. I forgot to mention I have a Tunze ATO.

 

[BrassMonkey]

the smaller the tank the harder it is to keep the alk stable, especially when full of sps. you will need to dose multiple times a day and test very regularly for alk.

 

[Chris Lakies]

Alk stability is hard in a small sps tank. I have a 15 gallon. A maxima and 5 sps and i'm topping off with kalk. Kalk solution on my topoff is not saturated yet still adjusting.....

 

[blennymower]

I'll make a note of alk stability.

Here's the tank at the moment.

 

[danil]

I have 75g tank with sump and refugium (140g total) and Alk stability is still an issue. My system is still maturing but I know very experienced reefers with 150g++ systems still having Alk swings. How are you going to keep Alk stable? Tricky part the most 'hardy' hard corals you might want to start with like monty caps and some birds nests are fast growers and will deplete Alk really really fast.

 

[blennymower]

Testing and dosing

 

[blennymower]

The sump

 

[JustinM]

I think you are on the right track, looks good. I grow chaeto while running GFO and GAC, but I like to feed my fishies too. I drip my alk over night with a DIY dripper which will spread it out over 12 hrs, and just dose my calcium in the morning. If it's in the budget, I would definately look into 2 part dosing pumps when you start seeing your frags grow. It's my next buy. Good luck.

 

[blennymower]

Definitely looking at dosing pumps, I have to get a feeling for demand first though.

 

[M88A2]

the only thing i can think of is limiting your non-coral stock to juse a few if havent already planed to do so. Less feeding should help with water quality.

 

[blennymower]

For fish right now I just have a pair of clownfish, a chromie, and a sand sifting snail. I'm planning on adding one more nano reef fish and possibly some more snails, that's all. HOw does that sound?

 

[JAustin]

That looks like a great setup. I would look into a controller to help fine tune things. I can't wait to see pics when you get it stocked with corals.

 

[SPS_Rock]

Remember to take things slow