Please help me have some SPS

[Angel*Fish]

The bad news is I think I have to buy a chiller :hmm1: I had some bleaching on my pretty Montiporas. My tank is just too darn hot. (This was my first summer with the halides)

But I've been reading about those new LED lights - but they'd cost more than a chiller?

 

[DarkXerox]

Well you can keep the ricordea in there, I haven't had a problem with them causing problems. You really can keep soft corals in there, just run some carbon to remove the organics.

Wait on the LED lights though, the jury is still out on if they actually put out the kind of PAR that they claim, plus it is a new product in the reefing world, and is bound to drop in price.

 

[anjhof]

Do you have a lid on your tank? Can you expose more surface area? If you can, you will lower your tanks temp. Also, look for a small an to clip above your sump - that will also lower your temp. One last option (I hate chillers - too expensive) would be to raise your lights an inch or four from where they are now. Any and all of these should help lower your temp without spending hundreds on a chiller.

 

[jeffnsa]

dont worry about the soft corals, you will justhave to keep them in check so they dont touch the sps. from your parameters and set up, i would say the only thing to worry about would be the heat. dont go out and change you tank or how often you feed your fish, just get a green slimer or other hardy acro.
i have always had a harder time with digitatas than acros.

 

[jeffnsa]

one more thing. your tank is unique, what works for someone else may not work for you. experiment and do the unusual for your tank and who knows you might discover the great new breakthrough in reef keeping.

 

[jeffnsa]

the first sps you should get is a frag from someones tank, corals you buy online or from a lfs could be from the wild and they have a hard time adjusting to a tank. frags from an established tank are a little more forgiving and have a better survival rate. once you have found out what makes your tank thrive, then start buying from lfs and others. just my .02 centsworth.

 

[Angel*Fish]

DarkXerox - There seem to be varying opinions on whether the softies are ok...Are the leathers & colt type corals more "toxic" than the shrooms? I can't remember why, but I seem to remember that there is some reason I don't want to run carbon 24/7

anjhof - I've pretty much done what I can do fan-wise running 3 large ones 2 in the sump area- but thanks for the suggestion - My lights aren't strong enough to move any higher IMO

jeffnsa - Thanks - What's a green slimer & could you name some acros that are hardier? The one I bought from LFS was aquacultured, but I bet they were ocean cultured not tank - I just saw this beautiful blue acro and went for it

I'll pick some up from local reefers when I get my temp. down. The bleaching of the monti. caps - taught me an important lesson.

jeffnsa, I just realized that the 2 montis i recieved as frags from local reefers show no signs of damge from the 90 degree temp. spike - the large colonies from LFS are the ones that had the most damage! Looks like your advice is right on target!

Would anyone be able to tell me if I should just frag off the good areas of a bleached monitpora cap type, btw? It seems to be spreading still on one of them...

 

[jeffnsa]

mixed tanks can be kept sucessfully just go to http://garf.org/
and go ahead and frag of the good piece, if it makes it good for you, if it doesn't you tried.
a green slimmer is also known as a. yongii , or try a stag acro, they are cheaper and hardier corals.
the best phosfate test kit to get is yourtank, do you have cyno,hair algea, or any bad algea growth? if not you don't have a phosphate problem. keep the tank as simple as possible and actually look at it instead of working at it, and you will soon learn to know when to test for something instead of testing once a week or more.
and the best advice at all is to HAVE FUN.

 

[Angel*Fish]

do you have cyno,hair algea, or any bad algea growth?

I get a manageable amount of diatoms that accumulate on the glass and some on the sand. I love my dwarf angels, who love diatoms, & am happy to "provide" this for them.

Otherwise never a bit of the hair algaes or cyano

I'll go ahead and frag my montipora - the white keeps spreading. Thanks.

When I get my temp. down, I'll look into those "easy' acroporas.

Maybe at this point I'll see if I can trade the phosphate test in for a Mg. I don't test every week any more either - my tank is pretty stable. I do try to test every 4-6 weeks though. I am buying a pH monitor though - need a gadget + peace of mind

I don't have any advanced stuff like Ca reactor (I drip Kalk) or CO2. But am considering the 2 part method (Ca & Mg) because my local reef club has gotten the supplies for cheap. Not even sure what CO2 and ORP are all about...need to do more reading

Thanks so much for your help Jeff

Thanks for thinking of the garf link -- I'll check it out - If I'm in there too long I hope someone will come in and save me! :lol: I've been in there before and it's crazy :wildone:

 

[Angel*Fish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7607171#post7607171 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Angel*Fish

Thanks for thinking of the garf link -- I'll check it out - If I'm in there too long I hope someone will come in and save me! :lol: I've been in there before and it's crazy :wildone:

Oh wow I checked the link - their website is much improved since my last visit

Looks like Sally Jo is still with us - that's good news

 

[andycook]

Did you keep the skimmer? How do you like it?

 

[Angel*Fish]

Me? I love it but my last skimmer was a Seaclone. Can't compare it to a Deltec or anything , but it more than does the job and is quiet & practically maintenance free

Why do you ask?

 

[andycook]

Do you think you have it dialed in properly?

Someone in this thread said to get a good skimmer. I admire the lifereef skimmer design but never had one.

What is the diameter of the skimmer?

-Andy

 

[jay24k]

You can have a mixed tank and be successful. I have mushrooms in my tank although I wish I didn't. IME, they do not keep the acros from growing. Leathers can be toxic to sps however running carbon will prevent it. I'd personally get rid of the leathers.

You can have that amount of fish, just make sure you can export any excess waste. I would start off getting a 2 inch frag of montipora and give it 2 months. If the color doesn't fade and it grows and encrusts, then you are ready.

I have several fish in my tank and my corals grow very fast. Proper husbandry is the key. The bad thing about the phosphate kit is it might not show your true reading as it can be consumed very quickly.

 

[Angel*Fish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7611697#post7611697 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jay24k
The bad thing about the phosphate kit is it might not show your true reading as it can be consumed very quickly.

Thanks for your help....Yeah, the phosphate test is still sitting in the box -- I hate to waste money & may trade it in on a Mg - but it must have some value - I wonder if there's optimal timing for a phosphate test like x amount of hours after a heavy feeding?

What is the diameter of the skimmer?

VS3-36
(36" tall) 400 gallons 1200-1500 gph 9 x 12
6 1/2 square base Can also be
used in-sump 6" diameter tube

I'm not sure about it being properly "dialed in" but I have it set where it produces sort of a tea colored skimmate.

 

[GARFVolunteer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7161570#post7161570 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Serioussnaps
One thing i noticed about your tank that will continue to cause failure in keeping acros is your livestock. No matter what corrective measures you take(id suggest a good skimmer, ro/di, and decrease feeding particularly the live brine) you wont have success if you are to keep mushrooms and leathers in the same tank. These corals are extremely noxious and will almost always outcompete acros and kill them. YOu may see some shorterm success with acros mixing with leathers and shrooms but no true long term. People are going to tell you contrary, but i challenge them to post the pics and then come back and post them 5 years from now with the same pieces.

 

[Angel*Fish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7614232#post7614232 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GARFVolunteer

Finally figured out those are before and after pics! Nice!Thanks for posting that.

I bought some grunge from you guys ~5mo. ago, btw, in a group order w/MARSH in Houston. I added other LS to the tank, so it's hard to make specific deductioins - but my DSB is now p-a-c-k-e-d with infauna - it's amazing how much food you can add with all that life in there! My temps are now ranging from 82--84 - not buying any more SPS until I get that down.

How is Sally Jo? I saw her beautiful garden & Veracruz photos on your site.