kukulkan67
New member
3dees , can you tell me some of the coral names you have in there, it looks awesome. I just started a 75 gallon with sump, and planing to get some softs, I had a nano with lps but no softs. thanks
Keys to Successful Softies tank
- Thread starter Jmunk
- Start date
3dees , can you tell me some of the coral names you have in there, it looks awesome. I just started a 75 gallon with sump, and planing to get some softs, I had a nano with lps but no softs. thanks
kukulkan67
New member
Thanks , more pictures will be nice.
kruse47
New member
I have been playing around with the idea of setting up a thirty gallon that i have sitting empty. so i have a few questions.
1. can you really get by with just a HOB. I have been pedigreed to think a sump/feuge with a skimmer is the only way to go.
2. since i do want a low maintenance tank can i get away with using from my 120 water to use in the thirty, or will i need to make new water every time.
3. how do you guy deal with evaporation?
Im not meaning to hijack the thread just have some questions. Thanks
1. can you really get by with just a HOB. I have been pedigreed to think a sump/feuge with a skimmer is the only way to go.
2. since i do want a low maintenance tank can i get away with using from my 120 water to use in the thirty, or will i need to make new water every time.
3. how do you guy deal with evaporation?
Im not meaning to hijack the thread just have some questions. Thanks
3dees
New member
hob skimmer? yes you can. I have severe back problems so I can't have a sump. my 120 gal. is doing fine with a hob Reef Octopus BH-2000. some will say it's not big enough, but many people run skimmerless tanks. my skimmer pulls a lot of junk from the tank. this hobby doesn't have to be as expensive as some would have you believe. sure, a sump is the best way to go, and those super expensive lights, skimmers, etc. would be great to have. I'm retired and can't afford that kind of equipment. I don't even have an ato. I just add my top off water first thing every morning. not knocking all the high tech guys. I'm just saying that there are different ways of doing things.
dustinkimpel
Member
1. Yes, you can keep anything sumpless. You can use a HOB filter to act as a sump and put any media you want in it. Just make sure you keep the pads clean. I would recommend getting an internal or HOB skimmer, I prefer the Hydor slim skim line. I had my 29 gallon running for 1.5 years before switching it to my 55.
2. Using your 120 water? If you mean the water you take out for a water change I would advise against it... you are pulling the unwanted nutriants out during WC so why put them in the other tank? If you mean mix up new water and use it for both tanks then yes, that's fine.
3. I Use JBJ ATO. if you keep a lid on your 30 evap will be brought down greatly. Before I had the JBJ I just poured a little water in it each day (not much at all)
I think there are a few myths out there regarding soft coral husbandry, particularly leathers. While they can do okay with lower light levels, they really come into their own with high intensity lighting, and they can take a lot of par. I've had a sinularia fully open just below the surface under 10k 250w aqualine bushke bulbs putting out par levels that would fry most other corals that close. Many leather species thrive in strong, surging flow, especially the thicker, stubbier sinularia. They also do very well with undetectable nitrate and phosphate levels... no "dirty water" needed.
lostintheocean
New member
My softies definitely grow better with nitrate in the water (dirty). Most of the, the more the better but there are a few, yellow fiji, that do like a little cleaner water. high flow is good for leathers and high light (normal reef light). The problem I have is gettign rid of the frags as some of them grow too fast.
urbanrat84
New member
I agree with all of this, well said.
Low flow tends to hinder leathers from shedding their layers at the bottom of the coral and it can cause a build up. I like to help my corals shed if I see any bits hanging off that haven't come free. Usually by waving my hand or gently brushing it off.
kkittredge
New member
Curious as to the opinions on dosing if only softies. 2 different pet stores say I still should dose an all in one product but seems overkill/oversell. I am running a small nano cube with really basic sofites, gsp, Kenyan tree, mushrooms. Things seem fine so not really interested in changing unless I am sitting on a time bomb. Figure bi monthly water change will add back nutrients.
My 50 gallon is mostly lps (hammer. torches, duncan, caulastrea) with a few soft corals and a lot of coralline algae, and I dose maybe about 20ml of two-part solution twice a week, if that. I think a 100% soft coral tank will have its needs met with regular water changes alone.
Naterade86
New member
Everyone is saying proper light but what does that mean. I have a red sea max 250.. with 6 t5...2 22k actinic, 1 pink , 1 purple 2 15 k blue white. Is that sufficient. Also the red sea come with a build in skimmer, carbon filters, stone media bag and several cooling fans. I have my system running with a Duncan, some green stars and buttons. I'm really wanting to add some nems. I currently doze with Red sea nopox. Advice. Parameters are spot on. Nitrate are 1ppm could prolly be higher advice?
- By proper lighting, they mean t5 / metal halide / led. Six t5 bulbs are more than enough for soft corals provided that the fixture has individual reflectors. Be sure to use high quality bulbs like ATI.
- I believe the best anemones for a small tank are flower anemones. They stay rather small, are hardy, and tend not to wander. Bubble tip anemones can get large or split, eventually dominating a tank (you'll likely regret adding one), and the other anemones are more delicate and demanding.
- No need to raise nitrate. My lps and soft corals are deeply colored and growing with no measurable phosphate and 0.2 ppm nitrate.
Naterade86
New member
I have a 65 gal.. my t 5 are red sea
urbanrat84
New member
Small nano cubes are much easier to do bigger water changes regularly on, so I would go that route rather than dosing anything. Check your calcium levels every now and then and adjust if need be.
If you do want to dose something, soft corals respond positively to Seachem Reef Trace with increased polyp extension, the most apparent response being in Sarcophyton sp. IME.
kkittredge
New member
appreciate the feedback and suggestions. going to stick with the w/c for now. Good to know on the Seachem Reef Trace.
Mock
Saltwater Junkie
I have to agree with the high flow high light argument.... While you can grow a zoa garden or shrooms under low light, Sinularas and Toadstools and such are used to massive amounts of light and love it....
I have two 400w halides over my tank with two MP40s and two Jeabo 40s, it was once a stony tank and the softies love the flow and light just as much as the hard corals did.
I have two 400w halides over my tank with two MP40s and two Jeabo 40s, it was once a stony tank and the softies love the flow and light just as much as the hard corals did.
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