Tips for success with SPS, please

[redvicki]

I would love to get into SPS, but in the past I've had no luck. One time an evil snail ate them since then I've tried a couple but they do not survive. Tank parameters are great and are stable. Tanks been up almost two years. Any advice would be greatly appriciated. For lighting I have the aqualight pro which runs two MH, 2 fluorescents, and two lunar. It's time to replace them so please suggest what I should go with. I run a maxi jet 1200 mod, maxi jet 900, and a koralia 3. My return pump is a mag drive 9.5. Tank is a 72 gallon bow front with a 20 sump.Thanks in advance.

 

[sminker]

I would love to get into SPS, but in the past I've had no luck. One time an evil snail ate them since then I've tried a couple but they do not survive. Tank parameters are great and are stable. Tanks been up almost two years. Any advice would be greatly appriciated. For lighting I have the aqualight pro which runs two MH, 2 fluorescents, and two lunar. It's time to replace them so please suggest what I should go with. I run a maxi jet 1200 mod, maxi jet 900, and a koralia 3. My return pump is a mag drive 9.5. Tank is a 72 gallon bow front with a 20 sump.Thanks in advance.

1. Keep Alk, CAL and MAG in check.
2. DO NOT overfeed.
3. Properly sized skimmer (Does not have to be a high $$$ skimmer)
4. Change your bulbs every 8-12 months, longer depending on bulb.
5. Coral friendly tank inhabitants (i have no luck with angels)
6. I like to use chaeto, i have a huge wad i turn every week or so. You can also feed a tad heavier since the chaeto will help suck out the extra nutrients.
7. Flow. Powerheads need to be positioned to provide mulidirectional (is that a word?) flow. You can literrally blow the skin off corals if a powerhead keep hitting it from the same side.

Thats about all i do, and i havent had a single coral die on me, except when i had angels.

 

[Montreal Ray]

1. Keep Alk, CAL and MAG in check.
2. DO NOT overfeed.
3. Properly sized skimmer (Does not have to be a high $$$ skimmer)
4. Change your bulbs every 8-12 months, longer depending on bulb.
5. Coral friendly tank inhabitants (i have no luck with angels)
6. I like to use chaeto, i have a huge wad i turn every week or so. You can also feed a tad heavier since the chaeto will help suck out the extra nutrients.
7. Flow. Powerheads need to be positioned to provide mulidirectional (is that a word?) flow. You can literrally blow the skin off corals if a powerhead keep hitting it from the same side.

Thats about all i do, and i havent had a single coral die on me, except when i had angels.

Great list, allow me to add #8

8. Consistency of water parameters.

I am finally having great luck (knock wood) with harder to keep SPS such as Acros due to the fact that my ALK, CAL and MAG is very very steady. On the low end of the scale (C 425, A 9, M 1300) but consistant.

 

[pbnj]

Don't let your pH fluctuate drastically over the course of a day.

 

[mavjoy]

consistency and stability plus weekly or bi-weekly water changes of at least 10-20%

 

[redvicki]

What about lighting. Any suggestions on type and strength? Does it look like I should have enough flow? Thanks for your help.

 

[CleveYank]

Time, Money, Patience, Don't make any changes too fast, and test and adjust do not just wing it (Lazyness is a kill shot for pretty sticks).

Oh yeah and read the reef alchemy articles by Randy Holmes Farley until you have them down cold before you begin. I see so many posts from folks that have no clue about the Alk Ca Mg relationship and are wondering why their stuff is dying. If they would have actually done some heavy reading beforehand they would have been halfway to the prevention of problems point had they done so that a simple tweek of dosing or equipment would have prevented the whole thing. Not reading beforehand and then posting please save my reef posts just points to lazy reefin. So read the stuff a couple time and then ask some questions and you'll know it better than Randy and you'll be halfway to having the major tools to succeed.


Good Luck and welcome to the sometimes rewarding and sometimes frustrating world of SPS keeping...