SPS Inclusion

[sjkarrow87]

I've had a reef tank for the past 10 years or so and always stuck to non-sps corals due to the need for better water parameters. At this point I am getting the itch to start trying some colored sticks and want to be prepared.

My current tank is a 3 year old 27 cube (sumpless) with 4 mp10's, OR T247 that is dosed daily with ESV B-Ionic due to the amount of soft corals.

Am I safe to assume the main areas I should be testing outside of Phosphates, Nitrates and Nitrites are pH, Alk and Calcium? I just bought AquaForest Test Kits along with Coral Rx to dip. I'm basing this on a sticky in the SPS section called: Let's talk about Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium in an SPS Tank

Am I setting myself up for failure with a tank that is dominated by soft corals? I'm simply looking for a few frags to put on a frag rack on my glass:
- Blue Acropora
- Birdsnest
- Montipora
- Pink Stylophora

 

[billdogg]

Nice looking tank!

IMHO, you will have a hard time getting any stony coral established, much less thriving. The primary reason for this is the chemical warfare that will occur between your softies and the stony corals. Soft corals release turpines, and without aggressive skimming and lots of carbon I really don't think the stonies will stand a chance.

As for testing - At this point, testing for either ammonia or nitrites should be unneeded. You are way past that point. Ditto with pH. I have not tested for pH in over 20 years. It just doesn't matter, and if you do go chasing some magical number, all you will do is elevate your alkalinity and/or calcium way past normal limits. The only things I test for are Calcium, Alkalinity, and about every 2 months, Magnesium (or if I can't get the Ca/Alk balanced), and salinity.

hth

 

[sjkarrow87]

Nice looking tank!

IMHO, you will have a hard time getting any stony coral established, much less thriving. The primary reason for this is the chemical warfare that will occur between your softies and the stony corals. Soft corals release turpines, and without aggressive skimming and lots of carbon I really don't think the stonies will stand a chance.

As for testing - At this point, testing for either ammonia or nitrites should be unneeded. You are way past that point. Ditto with pH. I have not tested for pH in over 20 years. It just doesn't matter, and if you do go chasing some magical number, all you will do is elevate your alkalinity and/or calcium way past normal limits. The only things I test for are Calcium, Alkalinity, and about every 2 months, Magnesium (or if I can't get the Ca/Alk balanced), and salinity.

hth

I was afraid of the warfare between the softies and sps, especially with how much of the actual tank is filled with soft coral. It wraps all around the back as well. My ultimate goal was 5-7 frags that were able to grow on the rack and look somewhat decent.

I don't think I'd ever take the soft coral out without completely restarting the tank. There are 10+ Bubble Tips hidden in the tank as well so that limits rock space too.

 

[billdogg]

Time for another tank! Really, that is always my suggestion when someone wants to branch out (pun intended) and try the more challenging SPS corals.

 

[crawlerman]

If you really want to try, run lots of carbon and buy a cheap frag. You can probably get a green slimer or orange monti cap for cheap.

 

[sjkarrow87]

If you really want to try, run lots of carbon and buy a cheap frag. You can probably get a green slimer or orange monti cap for cheap.

Thanks-
I have a HOB Filter that I run chemi-pure elite in now hoping to help. In addition I did buy 2 Acro frags early last week to test as they were cheap ($12).

I figure I'd give these a 4-5 weeks before thinking of adding more.

 

[Uncle99]

I have a packed softies tank and just three SPS which I placed at the top for water movement and light and all on one rock.....softies are at least 1 foot away...and run charcoal....so far....all good....even the acro...

 

[hkgar]

How's your lighting? SPS need high intensity lighting. Stable dKH - are you testing that?- and low PO4 and NO3

What are your levels for
calcium
alkalinity
magnesium
nitrate
phosphate

 

[sjkarrow87]

How's your lighting? SPS need high intensity lighting. Stable dKH - are you testing that?- and low PO4 and NO3

What are your levels for
calcium
alkalinity
magnesium
nitrate
phosphate

I'll have the answers to the levels for 5 above in the next few days. I just got the test kits for Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium. For nitrates/phosphates I currently have the cheap test kit that has the colors you match up.

Lighting is an Ocean Revive T247 which I've seen many others on the board use to grow SPS.

 

[Betaktical]

If you really want sps and don't want a new tank just frag off most of your softies and use them for trade in. Just make sure to give your tank time to adjust after fragging. With the amount of softies you have you could eventually have an awesome sps tank. Just make sure to keep up with the more specific parameters and have enough lighting and you should be fine

 

[sjkarrow87]

I just Finished testing my water parameters or at least a portion of them:

Calcium I am definitely high, right around 500
Alkalinity I am at 7.3
pH I am at 8.1
Salinity 1.024

 

[hkgar]

not good

 

[sjkarrow87]

not good

Sorry got the pH and Phosphates mixed up.

I dose ESV B-Ionic Calcium Buffer System daily and may increase dose 1 (Alk.) and decrease dose 2 (Calc.) Need to get the ratio more proportionate to see if that helps however for the time being will stop dosing and let the levels come down. I still need to test Mag and Phosphates.

 

[crawlerman]

Those levels are fine, just keep them steady. Alk is on the bottom end of the safe range, but I feel you will have more trouble if you try to raise it. What about nitrates and phosphates?

 

[sjkarrow87]

Those levels are fine, just keep them steady. Alk is on the bottom end of the safe range, but I feel you will have more trouble if you try to raise it. What about nitrates and phosphates?

phosphates i need to test still, need to get a test kit for that an magnesium. i would say were barely above 0

 

[crawlerman]

magnesium would be good to know, that might be why your alk is low even though you are dosing. I don't see much algae in your tank, so I would guess your nutrient levels aren't too bad. Sometimes chasing numbers can lead to more problems than letting things be if the corals look good. I would like my alk to be a little higher, but it seems to be most stable at 8.5dkh, so instead of trying to raise it and have it fall back rapidly I just keep it there and everything seems happier. But there is no harm in bringing up magnesium if it is low.

 

[crawlerman]

Also, I've found that whenever I want to change a parameter, (phosphates, alk, mag) I go 1/4 the recommended rate. Slower change is better.

 

[Uncle99]

Get Magnisium say 1320-1360 right first...then test the other two...then dose if required.