Thinking about SPS dominant...

[HuskerBioProf]

I had a 75 gallon up for years, but got too busy with graduate school. I had mostly LPS corals and a few softies, but also a monti digitata and a birds nest that were doing well and growing quickly.

I like the idea of watching frags grow into large colonies, so I am thinking about having the 40 breeder I am working on be a SPS dominant tank with some LPS.

Here is my current equipment list:

Sump: 20 gallon tall
Lighting: 2x Hydra 26 HD
Skimmer: Reef Octopus 110 Space Saver
Flow: Hydor Koralia 3rd Generation 1950 GPH

I overbuilt my stand to have a lot of equipment room underneath. I am relatively experienced in reef tanks, but my SPS experience has been in the easier to keep species. I am currently cycling my tank. My question is: for those who are SPS experts... is there any equipment I am missing that you would consider essential? Should I increase my flow (or add a second powerhead/wavemaker to add turbulence?)? I have space for reactors and dosers, but I have never used them before. How important are these for having a thriving SPS tank? I do want to have some LPS and some select softies, as well (zoanthids, at the very least).

Thanks!

 

[reefmutt]

First, let me congratulate you on your decision to go sps! You have chosen wisely.
You will absolutely need either a calcium reactor or a method for dosing calc/alk.
I would suggest either another powerhead or wave maker for added turbulence.
Depending on fish load and nutrient levels, you may need space for a media reactor for either biopellets or media for housing bacteria..

 

[Hentz]

I'm with Matt, congratulations on choosing this route. They're finicky but extremely rewarding!!!

It's a smaller tank so you'd probably get away with a doser, or even hand dosing. Get high quality test kits for Alk, Cal, Mag, Phosphates, Nitrates. Also a solid refracto meter! Another thing is I'd add an ATO. This will keep your salinity and parameters very stable, as you know. SPS LOVE stability!

Another thing, I see you're using Hydra 26 HD's. Good choice! I use them as well. My SPS absolutely love them. If you'd like, I can send you my profile that I use. My tank dimensions are incredibly similar as I'm only 1-2" off from a 40 breeder. In fact, I'm using a canopy built for a 40 breeder and it fits like s glove .

Enjoy your SPS. You will realize very quickly sticks are incredibly addicting!

 

[HuskerBioProf]

The ATO is my next purchase plan. I was planning on the Tunze osmolator with ~7 gallon reservoir. I had a drip Kalk doses on my 75 (that also functioned as a rudimentary "auto" top off). It was almost impossible to perfectly equilibriate with evaporation and calcium depletion.

When you say hand dosing, do you mean additives daily or with water changes? I would rather limit the daily "chores", if possible. Would a calcium reactor or a automated doser be better in my case? EDIT: after looking into it, adding Kalk to my auto top off sounds like a pretty easy and cost effective solution. Does this sound reasonable for a tank of my size?

I also dont like the look of too high of a volume of rocks, so I only have around 30 pounds. Would a carbon/gfo reactor help in this case? (The plan is for only 6 fish: yellow watchman goby, flasher wrasse, green clown goby, Oscelaris clown, and orchid dottyback).

I would love to see your program. I was frustrated with the WI-FI on the lights while working with them in my shop, but it worked a lot better once I got them inside. My wife didn't want a canopy (it would also look odd on my oversized stand), so we needed lifts that looked good from the outside as well. I am starting to really like them. The colors from pictures don't do them justice.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

I echo my fellow sps keepers and welcome you to the world of sps (hopefully the world of acroporids).

I use a kalk stirrer in my set up driven by a peristaltic pump. It is a good idea to decouple kalk dosing from auto top-up because evaporation rate of a reef tank varies depending on a number of factors, such as ambient temperature and the degree of water surface movement.

If you keep heavily stocked tank with sps, then kalk will not meet all the calcium and alkalinity requirements unless you have a large set up. You will then need to make up the difference with perhaps separate dosing based on a two-part methodology, such as Randy Holmes-Farley's Receipe 1 or recipe 2, or balling lite, etc.

Have fun.