My First SPS - What's next...

[Pico Keeper]

Ok, so I just got my first SPS. Since I'm new to the hobby and have only kept softies and LPS successfully I went with a Monti Cap since they are very easy. So far so good.

The tank is a 47g bowfront, which I would say is low flow for SPS but perfect for my LPS. It's lit by 2*150w 14k MH HQI & 2*39w T5HO Actinics and is fairly bright.

So my questions. Which SPS should I move unto next. The light is not a problem, the stonies will be mounted high in the water column, but flow is not nearly high enough for the more flow demanding stonies. I want a medium flow stonies, that are good for beginners.. What should I get?

I can add flow but my sandbed goes nuts, and all my LPS retract when I turn up the flow too much.

 

[Pico Keeper]

For everyone's information, here are my tank parameters

46g Bowfront
81-82 degrees
2x150w HQI 14k MH
2x39w T5 HO Actinic Supplimentation
1.025 Sg (33 PPT)
400ppm Calcium
0 Nitrate
0 Nitrite
0 Ammonium
8.1-8.2 PH
10 Dkh alk

I dose bionic at about 10-12ml per day of each to maintain calcium and alkalinity. I dont have auto top off, so I manually top-off with RODI everyday. I run carbon, phosban, and polyfilter for about 10 days a month, usually 5 days before and 5 days after my monthly 15 gallon WC (30%)

No sump, no refugium, chaeto in the display behind my rocks. Only 4 fish - jawfish, blenny, neon goby, watchman goby..

 

[TCU Reefer]

What do you have for flow currently? This is a necessity for a large majority of SPS.

Some easier SPS would be monti. digitata, A. yongei (green slimer), stags, birdsnest.

 

[Pico Keeper]

I currently have a small 200gph powerhead in one corner, an ac500 powerfilter, a maxijet 1200 behind the rock work to keep detritus out away from the backwall and that's about it. Also there's a tiny bit of flow coming from my HOB Skimmer..

I have two modded maxijet 1200's running smaller Dumas props with small shrouds. The modification made them so powerful, that I cannot use them in my tank. 300gph to appx 1200gph each I would say. I figured 2400gph/47g = 50x turnover. The only way to use these would be removing my sandbed, which I can't do because I keep jawfish and sand gobies.

 

[tonyscoots84]

if you put the 2 modded maxijets on a controller as a simulation between the 2 u can def. use them in the tank and the sps will like the random flow...

 

[Pico Keeper]

Actually I can't just one makes the sandbed rise, and makes all my corals close up. These are definately only for bare bottom sps only tanks. Or atleast much larger tanks. I'm running this in a 47 gallon...


I picked up a Blue Stag at my local reef club meeting tonight. Next week a friend is getting me two different green slimer frags. Thanks for the advice. Depending on how those go, I will begin to add some in a few months.. Cant wait to start growing sps.

 

[Pico Keeper]

BUMP! TTT!

 

[RichConley]

Pico, if you can't use them, you're not mounting them correctly. I've got a similar sized tank, and got much bigger maximods, and have no problem. Try putting them on the far ends of the tank, pointing towards the middle.

 

[afex]

what also might help is placing the PH lower on the pane (instead of near the top of the tank, if thats how you have it now) and angling it upwards at the surface

if they are pointing straight ahead then whever they hit the glass the flow will go straight down and stir up your sand.