Ready for SPS?

[iLLwiLL]

Over the last few months I have been trying to get my 180 ready to migrate to something that can support and grow SPS. My biggest problem has been my love of tangs and keeping them fat leading to high nitrates and phosphates. below is my laundry list of upgrades . . .

I had an ASM G3 and a fuge for around a year and a half, but found a killer deal on a Super reef octopus 3000 XP internal cone. The fuge was removed to fit the much larger skimmer.

For flow there were 4 old school K4's that have been upgraded to 3 x K5's and 1 monster K8 now hooked to a red sea wavemaster.

The lights were some 60" T5's, upgraded to 250w PFO HQI's with phoenix 14k lamps . . . that led to the 1/3hp current prime chiller. tomorrow I will be completing my new LED pendants consisting of DIY heatsinks, 6 meanwells, 108 XP-E and XP-G LED's

Added a BRS dual reactor filled with carbon and phosban to clean up the water even further.

The only other planned upgrade I have on the horizon is a korallin 1502 calcium reactor setup. That coupled with kalk top off will be my primary dosing regime, tho I have been considering setting up a magnesium drip somewhere. Is there anything I'm forgetting or overlooking?

Thanks,

~Will.

 

[RynosReef]

What are your water parameters? Such as: salinity (and method of maintaining), temp (and daily swing), calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, ph, nitrate, phosphate. How long has the tank been set up? How many fish do you have? Perhaps a pic of the tank would help too? You might have the lighting and flow ready but without proper water quality sps decline. I hope all checks out bud! Sps are a fun challenge to keep and rewarding. Good luck!

 

[iLLwiLL]

well, parameters are fine as my softies and LPS have been doing great thus far.

salinity - 1.025 (topping off with limewater)
calcium - 420
alk - 10.9
mag - 1230 (boosting this now with mag flake)
PH - usually around 8
phosphates - undetectable after adding GFO
nitrates - 80 and steadily declining drop by drop with a 0 reading from the denitrator effluent.

~Will.

 

[RynosReef]

Well a few things jump out at me. First nitrates of 80ppm. Nitrates should be between 0 and 5ppm. 10ppm tops for sps. High nitrates can kill sps or at least cause them to turn brown. Also you need a very accurate reading of your phosphates. Under 0.1 and sps will live. Between 0.00 and 0.03 sps will do great. And this should be your target. Maybe take a water sample to a LFS with a high end phosphate meter to check. Both nitrates and phosphates are the top nutrients sps keepers try to keep down. Excess feeding, too much livestock, and not enough water changes or tank maintainence can cause excess nutrients. And unfortunately with 80ppm of nitrate you've got excess nutrients for sure and likely excess phosphates.

If I were you i'd wait on buying any sps and work on getting your parameters in check. And then maintain those parameters in check for at least a month or two. Then you can get into sps without heartache. LPS and softies are more tolerarant of nutrients. in fact many thrive in higher nutrient water, but not sps. Also what's your water temp? And the daily higest temp vs daily lowest temp? Your mag is good. And so is your calcium. I personally keep my Alk lower between 8 and 9. Maybe bring yours down a touch as 12 is max and your pushing 11 if your test kit is accurate.

I hope this isn't too much info. It took me forever to get my water up to par for sps. And I rushed it honestly and lost some really nice pieces. Im sure others will chime in, bit sps are great but you gotta have your water in check first, and your just not quite there yet.

 

[iLLwiLL]

ummm, the sulphur denitrator is knocking the nitrates down, once its done its job I will start looking for some trial frags to test the water and see how everything goes. the calcium reactor should drop the alk, and the temp is a steady 80 with the chiller in place, will prob be more like 78 once the LED's are done.

i'm not rushing anything, just looking for a fresh set of eyes (maybe someone else?) to look over my hardware list.

~Will.

 

[RynosReef]

Ah I see. Well hardware wise I think your golden. I hope I didn't offend. I meant I rushed it before. Just get those nitrates and possibly phosphates consistently low and you'll be set. Sounds like your on the way! Good luck!

 

[Felixc395]

Seems like you're managing thongs well and are well on your way to a very successful tank. The only parameter I really truly think of as a huge determining factor is phosphate. However, you have that under control, so great!

Just try a few frags to start out with and see how things go. But you might want to finish your LED's before you add SPS. The less stress from change the better.

Good luck!