What is your secret in SPS success?
- Thread starter ScubaNemo
- Start date
Can you suggest brands for the amino acids and micro elements please?
Scorpius
Stick Head
I use Acropower and I run Fauna Marine balling light trace 1,2,3 additives in my alkalinity and calcium 2-part.
Thanks for the info. I'm hearing about fauna marine for the first time. Just watched a couple of videos online. How long before you start seeing a different in the corals colors and growth? And do you get any algae after using these products?
Scorpius
Stick Head
The Fauna Marine products I never noticed any increased algae. Acropower on the other hand you need to start slowly with it or you'll end up with cyano/algae issues. I'm up to one capful per day on my 65 gal system 70+ gal with sump. This seems to be my sweet spot.
Now whether its both products or not, but all my lps and sps have upped on growth and color. Could be system maturity as well, but I'll keep dosing these products as I feel they help my system out. Your results may vary.
phenom5
Member
Absolutely, more important than lighting IMHO. People seem to focus so much on lighting, and it is important, but IME good water parameters and good flow trump lighting *most* of the time.
d2mini
Premium Member
Ah ok. Yeah, i thought you meant stuff from your hands hurting the tank.
I agree... the less futzing around you do the better!
Highly agree with this statement, esp for Acropora
codydemmel4
Active member
what would you guys suggest for a 180 gallon tank with mostly SPS? would 2 gyres on the end be enough for flow. I am trying to figure out what seems to be the sweet spot in flow for SPS mostly acros
In my 120 I put my first SPS corals less than 2 weeks after the cycle was complete and everything (now 20+ various SPS frags and colonies) has been thriving for the past 3 months. I don't buy the argument that new tanks have trouble with SPS. Keep your parameters steady and SPS will be happy regardless of tank age. Of course you need to be diligent, I test Alk everyday and my calcium reactor setup (masterflex pump + electronic co2 regular) is great and keeps everything rock stable.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2197142
Great thread over in the sps section. I love how simple he keeps everything yet has some of the best success I've seen.
Great thread over in the sps section. I love how simple he keeps everything yet has some of the best success I've seen.
Depends on your rock work, if starting out with just frags 2 would be a good starting point but if you have some larger corals you transferring over or you plan on buying larger wild colonies it might be wise to have an additional pair of tunzes or something similar to be able to direct current towards more flow demanding colonies/species.
Scorpius
Stick Head
I prefer unicorns that have rainbows come out of their posterior.
jbvdhp
Active member
Yeah, but my TDS meter always reads 5 ppm after the DI canister from that source.
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SkullV
They Got My Number
My "secrets" are
Plenty of other components to a successful SPS tank but those are some of my top tips.
- Very high flow --I run 2x gyre 150 on my current 40br SPS reef. They are on icecap modules and alternate 30 min at a time. They run at 45%.
- Regular weekly 10% water changes --I use plain IO salt but am switching to Aquaforest because their Alk matches my desired levels
- Ignoring "pointed" forum posts (X product is junk, X product is the best no matter what, you must do this, you can't do that, etc.) from people who don't have a build thread or photos of their tank somewhere on the forum. -- "The proof is in the pudding"
Plenty of other components to a successful SPS tank but those are some of my top tips.
Scorpius
Stick Head
I run dual DI canisters so it's all good. I also always remember to rotate the 2nd canister to the number 1 spot when the number 1 canister is depleted. :lol:
jbvdhp
Active member
Like many have chanted stability is key and unless you are determined enough and can be around the aquarium often then automation is your friend as long as it is redundant and reliable IMO. Yes this can mean buying expensive equipment, but you are paying for peace of mind and not having to be a slave to the aquarium. This is why I will never use a system where I am required to do something daily (zeo/ AF) because alot of us have busy lives that take us away from the aquarium, I was traveling alot this spring and started a new relationship, my tank got badly neglected, went two months without a waterchange, no testing, very little dosing, only thing I found the time to do was to feed my fish or have someone feed them for me.
Then when life slowed down I busted out the razor blade. I thought I would find a few dead corals after scraping the glass, some had lost some color but all were alive and had grown significantly. Tank was on autopilot and did well. First water test 5/20 was only .5 lower in DKH than it was on 1/19.
If I didn't invest well underneath my aquarium, then I would have lost my investment inside my aquarium. If you are the type who can be around 365 days a year and take minimal vacations or time away from the tank and you think you can commit to daily tasks, dosing, weekly testing, water changes, buy all means let my advice go in one ear and out the other.
Then when life slowed down I busted out the razor blade. I thought I would find a few dead corals after scraping the glass, some had lost some color but all were alive and had grown significantly. Tank was on autopilot and did well. First water test 5/20 was only .5 lower in DKH than it was on 1/19.
If I didn't invest well underneath my aquarium, then I would have lost my investment inside my aquarium. If you are the type who can be around 365 days a year and take minimal vacations or time away from the tank and you think you can commit to daily tasks, dosing, weekly testing, water changes, buy all means let my advice go in one ear and out the other.
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