question for sps expert

[gunnwong]

currently I have some coral that I'm not sure I can handle in my tank or not.
I have T5 HO and PC light right now for my 55g tall tank.
The coral that I have is bird's Nest (Seriatopora Hystrix), Scroll coral (Turbinaria Reniformis), Pavona Maldivensis, and Echinophyllia(chalice). Do you guy think that they will be ok under this light?
I change the light timmer to 10hrs a day (befor use to be 8hrs a day) is this will help??

For the suppliment I currently use:
Calcium: B-Ionic and Purpleup
Magnesium: Seachem Reef advantage magnesium
Strontium: Seachem Reef strontium
Iodine: Reef Pure Lugol's plus
pH buffer: Kent marine pH-buffer

I usually add them every 4-5 day.
Is that enough or what produck I should use or add?
For the livestock I only have Allardi Clown pair and Fridmani Pseudochromis only.

thank you, any input is welcome.

 

[SteveOhh]

Are you testing for the supplements you are dosing? A good rule of thumb is..............if you don't test for it, don't dose it..

You should be ok for the chalice & scroll coral.............not sure about the birdsnest or the pavona

Dump the purple up too...................if you're parameters are right, coraline will grow like crazy on it's own..

 

[gunnwong]

I have the test for calcium and most of the basic stuff such as ammonia, natrate, etc..
but I don't have the test for strontium or magnesium or Iodine, that mean I should buy all that test kit? and how often do I have to test?
thank you

 

[gunnwong]

also all the brand that I use for my suppliment is good? or I should change to something else? (ESV, Seachem, ReefPure)
thanks

 

[gunnwong]

any expert?

 

[Primetime33]

I would not say that I am an expert, but after talking to Chris at reefer madness he suggested that I use Fiji Gold for the calcium supplement. He uses it in in his coral tanks. I have noticed a better calcium levels since using it. I agree with SteveOhh.. get rid of the purple up. The Fiji gold will add coraline as well if that is your intent. Just my opinions but by no means an expert.

Brock

 

[crushed_rock]

I have a 40 gallon tank. I'm currently llighting it with 2 T5 daylights @ 39 watts each and 2 PC actinics @ 96 watts each.

As far as SPS, i have two montiporas, green and orange of descent size and a chalice. I don't see anything wrong with it so far since I've only had added this in the past two weeks.

I'm not an expert but I've read enough and decided to keep this species under this lighting.

 

[Mcain Bwood]

As an expert i can tell you def need a magnisium test kit. If your mag is below or above normal levels you can bet your other perams are out of wack too. Dose the lugols every 7 days 2-3 drops depending on your stock.
Hows your algea growth do you have a full tank shot?

 

[crushed_rock]

You mentioned Lugol's. Instruction says 1 drop every 7 days. Is it safe to add 2 to 3 drops each week.

 

[Mcain Bwood]

I dont have the bottle with me but doesnt it give you a drop to gallon ratio?

 

[Yinger]

not an expert either, but I can tell you that you should definitely buy test kits like SteveOhh said. I'd get the alk, CA and mg test kits and start from there. Dosing is supposed to stablize your parameters, however, if they're unstable to begin with, you won't get too far. Also, make sure you phosphates are low as well because that can kill SPS corals pretty easily. I don't think you need to dose lugol's or purple up. I'd stick with the two part a and b. Also, because the bird's nest is the only thing right now that probably consumes CA and alk (maybe coralline algae too), you probably don't have to dose as much as you are. But i'd get some test kits just to be sure.

i think most SPS keepers will tell you the 4 most important things to maintaing SPS are:

1. water stability
2. water quality
3. flow
4. lighting