What does it take to keep SPS?

[ThatAquariumKid]

SO i want to add a tank to my house mainly sps based but a few LPS too. i am wonder hwat it really takes to keep SPS coral. is it harder than LPS. what do i do for nutrients and food for the corals. BASICALLY I WANT A FULL GUIDE. ALL INFORMATION HELPS THOUGH.

 

[Allmost]

takes dedication, patience, alot of reading, and some cash.

 

[jroovers]

I don't know if you'll get a "full guide" here per se, but I would start by going through member tank threads in this forum and learning the basics, and asking lots of questions.

Generally, compared to LPS, you will need:

- more flow
- more light
- more stable water parameters (Ca, Alk)
- less nutrients (N03 and PO4)

Do some research on carbon dosing as well.

Deep pockets never hurt either.

 

[captjab]

Jroovers nailed it IMO.

 

[reeffreak75]

It takes patience,dedication and cash for a good skimmer/flow/lighting/knowing the right people to trade amazing frags with...lol

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

also stability of the big 3, calcium, alkalinity and magnesium either by using a calcium reactor or a dosing pump. weekly, biweekly water changes. ensure that your pH stays within range.

that tank also goes through a maturing process, a lot of things start to stabilize (bacterias, microphauna etc) which is going to help with nutrient export.
there are a lot of ways to keep your nitrates and phosphates low, do some searches on that. I dose vodka that works for me but is fairly outdated.

there's a lot more that goes towards an sps tank but these are my top priorities.

 

[Digitalelectric]

If you get into SPS, you dont keep corals....you keep water. The corals just happen to live there Really I didnt keep SPS successfully until I got a large volume tank (125 + 50 gallon sump), did regular RODI water changes, Only use RODI for topoff, tripled my old systems water flow, dose kalk in topoff water, etc. It turned me into a very anal person. :hmm5:

 

[leveldrummer]

they like very nurtient poor water, high light, and strong random water flow.

i learned the hard way, once you have a tank full of SPS and they are all happy and start growing, you better have some methods in place to keep calcium and alk stable, because they will start to suck it up. a calcium reactor would be great, with a good probe and controller.

 

[Acronic]

A therapist Time patience dedication problem solving risk assessment confidence extensive research persistence routine plus all the above mentioned

 

[acroholicreefer]

Stability

 

[dan-in-gr]

Knowledge, stable tank parameters and money, you also need to be very patient. SPS grows slow, it can take two years to get large colonies, if watching corn grow is exciting, then this is for you. I have a 120 with about 30 small colonies and large frags all fully encrusted on rocks, I am just sitting back and waiting for its to really grow by winter. I check my levels frequently especially the alk. I dropped two-part and went to CA reactor and have everything dead stable.

Always expect costs, I am changing bulbs again and they are only 6 months old and recently noted that my temp probe for the Neptune Apex needs replacement and need a larger heater element to keep temps stable at night when I turn house temp down. There will always be minor stuff that must be done for health of tank and corals. Also just ordered reactor parts for a deluxe dual chamber sulfur nitrate reactor that I will be building later this week, to get nitrates at zero. I had it with bio-pellets had them on two tanks and just dropped them, they took out to much, now I have more nutrients and will get my 5 to 10ppm nitrates to zero on a permanent basis.

 

[Digitalelectric]

lol basically its....set up the tank...think to yourself..."man this is going to look sooo good in 15 months..."

 

[dvanacker]

15months? My tank is finally completely filled in and its. 3yrs old. Tons of corals and even some colonies from my old tank. It takes time...lots of it.

 

[Digitalelectric]

Well im not aiming for acro tables or anything.

 

[stevedola]

If im being honest it really only takes better equipment and a little more time to do more water changes. its not any harder than a softy/lps apart from having to buy a better skimmer, doser or calc reactor, controller, better pumps, stronger lights, and do water changes at least biweekly. you need to monitor your alk,calc,mag, and po4 + nitrates but oonce things get settled and stable thats a monthly check. be proactive and not reactive...do the work and the corals will show the results. IMO an sps is the only reef tank to have...everything else is just something that covers rockwork.

 

[JAustin]

Lots of good advise here. You really need to focus on alk. It will shift the fastest and have the deepest impact on color and growth. Not to say nitrates and phosphates aren't important, because they sure are.

Test your water, learn your system, and keep it clean and within spec.

 

[rchavez]

Lots of research online and patience.

 

[Grant W]

+1 to most of what has already been stated plus be very selective in your coral choices as these guys do grow, espacially once your system is dialed in, and set up a quarantine tank if possible or at least dip everything you get for pests. Assume every piece has the plague even if it comes from a "perfect" known source. Patience would also help as nothing good happens fast with acros. One final thing... Enjoy SPS are amazing once you get a handle on their needs.

 

[karsseboom]

Well im not aiming for acro tables or anything.

Why not?

 

[Acronic]

Well im not aiming for acro tables or anything.

Isnt that the whole point? :facepalm: