Looking for some advice from the experts

[cabinetmaker]

Asking this question to anyone with great success in growing SPS. If this was your system how would you run it for optimal SPS growth? I have been doing this for many years and have always struggled maintaining good sps growth. I have had some success but when I think I've got it I lose them very slowly.

My system specifications;
220 RR Display
2- 400 Watt Metal Halides single end 20k's on light mover, controlled by profilux3
2- 72'' VHO's both 454s actinic, controlled by profilux3
2- 36'' LED bars, controlled by profilux3
3- Koralia's in display, controlled by profilux3
Tunze Wave Box, controlled by profilux3
125 gal lighted refugeium w/ Red Mangroves, Red Gracilaria, Red Grape Algae, chatoe, and more with a 48'' 8 bulb T-5s, and 2-koralia's, controlled by profilux3
50 gal stock tank holding 35 gal for water changes
50 gal stock tank holding 35 gal dark refugium
100 gal stock tank holding 85 gal live rock sump
21 gal reactor for carbon
21 gal reactor for GFO
Super Reef Octopus 6000 External Protein Skimmer w/Coralvue Self Cleaner Head, controlled by profilux3
GHL Profilux3 controller: 3 power bars, 2- 4 pump dosing units, Probes: Temp, 2- PH, salinity, redox
Some photos of my system can be seen at, http://ciurf.com/gallery/album.php?album_id=3
Also Dosing: All Brightwell products,
Calcium
Magnesium
Alkalin 8.3
Potassium
BoroChrom
Reef Snow
KoralColor

<O</O

 

[rogerwilco357]

wow looks pretty complete you have the lighting , flow,skimmer and reactors only missing the bio-pellet reactor...

 

[elegance coral]

This is what I would do.

I would remove everything but the water from the 120 gallon fuge and turn it into a clean frag tank. No algae, no mangroves, no sand, no rocks.

I would have nothing in the "dark refugium" other than water.

I would insure that the display tank has enough rock to support the biological load (it doesn't take much) then remove all the LR from the 100 gallon stock tank and keep it clean.

I'd stop dosing all of those products and start dosing kalk in the ATO. When demand increases, I'd start dosing two part and monitoring mag. When that becomes to labor intense to keep up, I'd invest in a calcium reactor.

 

[sps_guy]

Calcium reactor and your prob is solved

 

[Pallobi]

Are u monitoring the parameters u are dosing for? Testing? How often? Not an expert, but I'm very much curious...

 

[bskiba]

I think one very important thing people often miss that is very basic is no Detritus collecting throughout the entire system. This is in Sumps, under rock, in Refugiums ect.

Three main factors that can inhibit growth.
-Low Ca and Alk,
-high phosphates
-low light

You have the equipment and as people have previously mentioned i would look into the refugium's changing and where nutrients can get stuck. My tank is new now but my fuge is simply a little rock on one side with Chaeto. No sand in the refugium as it is low flow and can trap detritus.

This is all my opinion. But stability is key. The goal of a system is to get all of the fish food out after is has processed. filter socks help when it isn't desolved and macro algae's and Gfo with help once it is desolved. just need to get to all of these things without getting stuck.

 

[Ralph ATL]

Great advice!

 

[cabinetmaker]

Are u monitoring the parameters u are dosing for? Testing? How often? Not an expert, but I'm very much curious...

Yes I test every three to four days,
calcium
mag
alk
posh
nitrite
nitrate
strontium
silicate

salinity runs at 1.026
ph runs from 8 to 8.8
redox 450s

 

[cabinetmaker]

This all is great advice and sounds like I first need to do away with the two refuges or just whats in them.

I'll keep you all posted to my progress in making these changes.

Thank you all.

Ken :wave:

 

[ct_vol]

Pretty sound advice given here. I see clients in Peoria a couple days every month. Shoot me a PM if you'd like me to stop by sometime and take a gander at your setup.