Whats your favorite method of SPS Husbandry?

[Bomber]

Bomber,

It would be great to see your tank in person. I wasn't trying to say that you don't have any color, just that I don't see any neon blue, purple, pink etc. acros in your pics. I assume this is by choice.

It's by limitation, Tom.

I also recall you saying something about not starving the zooanthella (sp?) to get intense colors?

Don't follow you here at all.

I believe the acros you keep are Atlantic species? Are they generally available, or do you need a permit or something to get them?

You know the answer to that.

 

[Whaledriver]

I would also say that lighting is overrated as far as wattage goes. It's not a race for most of us. I am happy for thing to be healthy and growing. The other reason is to keep thing affordable as far as electicity goes.

 

[deansreef]

bb, lots of flow, low fish load, and ample lighting is what i will try on my new 180...

 

[boobookitty]

I think lighting becomes less critical as water quality improves. I have 1700W of MH (and about 700W of PC), added prior to starting zeovit, but given the results others have had with zeovit with less lighting (but excellent water quality), I probably don't need it anymore to get the coloring and growth I wanted.

I won't take out the lighting, but I'm with JBNY these days...pristine water quality is more important than outrageous lighting.

Arthur

 

[kev apsley]

I dunno about lighting not being as critical as you would think. I have seen many acro tanks that have pristine water quality but crappy colorations in the corals (browns and greens) I don't think you can under estimate lighting as a key componet for coloration. I also believe the intensity and uv radiation of the bulb brings out the protective zooxanthellae in the corals, creating the bright colorations in sps

 

[boobookitty]

I don't think that lighting is unimportant at all (I have to say that with close to 2400W ), but with my phosphates and nitrates driven into the ground by zeovit, I think I could have gone with 250W MHs instead of 400W without ill effects on coral color. There are several zeousers achieving great results with 250W instead of 400W, and I'll bet that's true for those using other means to achieve nutrient-poor environments.

Arthur

 

[kev apsley]

I don't think that lighting is unimportant at all (I have to say that with close to 2400W ), but with my phosphates and nitrates driven into the ground by zeovit, I think I could have gone with 250W MHs instead of 400W without ill effects on coral color. There are several zeousers achieving great results with 250W instead of 400W, and I'll bet that's true for those using other means to achieve nutrient-poor environments.

Arthur

point well taken!

although I don't use zeovit and I have great coloration. I just watch how much food I feed my fish and use heavy wet skimming, along with bi-weekly 10% water changes. Usually a small algae bloom is my indicator of too many nutrients in the system.

 

[joefish]

I have to agree with you guys who say lighting is overrated .
JBNY said it a while ago, and I thought he was nuts . Then I took out my failed DSB , turned up the flow and with the same lighting everything took of with color and growth .So quality and flow IMHO are more important then lighting .

I love it when I find out someone was right instead of nuts .

Put one in JB's column

 

[Konadog]

For those of you who had a DSB and went BB, have you had any problems keeping your Ca and Alk stable as maybe your SB was helping buffer the water?

 

[joefish]

For those of you who had a DSB and went BB, have you had any problems keeping your Ca and Alk stable as maybe your SB was helping buffer the water?

As far as I can tell it's exactly the same . I really don't think that the sand buffs ALK at all .

IMO

 

[Konadog]

Good to know. I have slowly been removing mine, about 5# per water change and was just wondering.

 

[boobookitty]

Hey, Ken...

How have you planned to get the sand under the rocks? I've been thinking about doing the same thing, but don't know how to get the sand under the rocks without causing an earthquake...

Arthur

 

[Konadog]

Arthur, my rocks were put in first, then I put the sand in around them. It's not a DSB but more a shallow one. I have been sucking out sand with each water change the last month, it will take a long time the way I am doing it, so I may just redo the tank at some time (did I say upgrade) If I do get it all out, my plan was to just use a power head to blow the last bits of it to the front.

 

[boobookitty]

Yah, you're lucky. I'm imagining starting the process, then one night having an avalanche when that last keystone grain of sand gets sucked out under one of my piles.

Arthur

 

[yikan]

- look away when you feed your fish... so you don't overfeed
- observe your tank (not see...observe) at least 15 mins per day
- turkey baster

 

[joefish]

Let's try and get some opinions from people who swithced their origanal Tank types . What they like better or worse from the change .


DSB to BB
BB to DSB
SSB to BB
SSB to DSB

and so on and so on .....



I know there is more down sides to all these ways . Lets get them out there.This way when someone is choising they know what they are getting into .

 

[MiddletonMark]

Joe, I went SSB [1/4 to 1/2", 1-3mm with a little sand] to BB

Took a while, but great improvements after a few months, tank is better than ever right now, around 7 months in.

 

[drtango]

Reeftank v1.0 SSB

Reeftank v2.0 DSB

Reetank v3.0 Starboard (current)



John

 

[joefish]

Reeftank v1.0 SSB

Reeftank v2.0 DSB

Reetank v3.0 Starboard (current)



John

Thats good stuff , Now dish on the thoughts you were having whilke doing the changes , and the Hindsight of mistakes .

 

[drtango]

Joe-

v1.0 was my first attempt at saltwater after a huge disaster in the 80's. Started with SSB that evolved to almost a DSB. Moved and tore down tank at about year 2, was primarily softies. Tried SPS, that tank was a death trap for delicate corals.

v2.0 was DSB from the start, great growth and color for 2 years, stable for 1 year, then obvious decline with slow loss of colonies, no growth, poor color. Tank was primarily SPS. Did all the usual "rescue" moves like adding bigger sump, chaeto etc. to no avail. Realized a DSB is just like a septic tank--if you take good care of it, it works for awhile but still needs "pumping out" when full.

v3.0 is BB/Starboard, super clean, with an over-sized skimmer, ozone, water movement, following Bomber's lead. Near dead SPS from v2.0 are colorful and fraggable again, coloration is outstanding.

v4.0, when I win the lottery, will be a 1000 gallon tank, bare bottom, with surge tank and direct link to the Gulf for constant NSW changeout (I'll be living in the Keys). Might not even need a skimmer with this system.

John :rollface: