sps dominant tank 101?

peter

peter

Member
#1
Joined
Nov 6, 2009
Messages
2,392
Likes
24
Points
38
Location
Baldwin Park
#1
Ive always loved sps for their colors and unique growth patterns, to me a reef ismt a reef with out some pretty sticks. Ive been trying and failing. At first the frags do really well and starts to encrust and keeps its color, but eventually they start to brown and recede, then die. Any good tips i know water paremeters are important but ive seen amazing tanks with the bare minimum. My first question for now is... do sps tanks tend to do better with less rock? I currently have a 24" tall tank with a rock wall about 18" tall thats pretty close to the back wall. Should i remove most of it and leave more open space for better flow?? Thanks for in advance
 
lurking

lurking

2
#2
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Messages
6,741
Likes
84
Points
48
Location
Long Beach
#2
It would help if you could list your equipment. Sps do best with stability usually needing an ATO, dosing pumps or a calcium reactor and good nutrient export along with excellent flow. Sometimes a rock wall can hinder the flow and create dead spots.What is your water quality like? Can you be specific?
I love the look of sps as well!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
peter

peter

Member
#3
Joined
Nov 6, 2009
Messages
2,392
Likes
24
Points
38
Location
Baldwin Park
#3
Well as for equipment.. i have 65g tank 29g sump/refugium. Lighting is 6-39t5ho ati bulbs, sca 301 skimmer, 2 mp10s for flow, i think a rio 26hf as return. I have a reefkeeperlite for ato.
havent tested in awhile but tank is usually at 78-80 for temp cal 430, alk 8, sg 1.026
 
Justkeepswimming

Justkeepswimming

Member
#7
Joined
May 26, 2011
Messages
3,985
Likes
286
Points
48
Location
Murrieta
#7
Everything you posted seems to be good. Maybe post a pic of the tank so we can get an idea of what your working with lol? As for the rock question, if you have so much rock that it is restricting flow and allowing detritus to build up you might want to consider a open reefscape to increase flow or eliminate dead spots.

What is your phosphate, mg and nitrate at?
How are you supplimenting alk and ca consumption? Dosing or ca reactor?
Make sure your mg is spot on so you can keep alk and ca saturated without precipating out of the water, which will make them more stable.
The main thing is consistency! Keeping alk at 8 or what ever you choose with minimal to no fluctuation because in my experience, alk is the one thing you dont want to swing.
When you do water changes make sure your salinity, temp, alk and mg are all the same as your tank water...
If you post the answers to the questions we can get a better idea of what might be happening.
 
peter

peter

Member
#9
Joined
Nov 6, 2009
Messages
2,392
Likes
24
Points
38
Location
Baldwin Park
#9
No doser, i just manually dose a little alk everyday and 3ml of nopox at night. I try to do water changes every week but its more like 10g every 2-3wks. no test kit nitrate or phosphate but in assuming its very little due to nopox. My refugium is about 5gallons filled with chaeto only no sand or rocks.
 
Justkeepswimming

Justkeepswimming

Member
#12
Joined
May 26, 2011
Messages
3,985
Likes
286
Points
48
Location
Murrieta
#12
peter said:
No doser, i just manually dose a little alk everyday and 3ml of nopox at night. I try to do water changes every week but its more like 10g every 2-3wks. no test kit nitrate or phosphate but in assuming its very little due to nopox. My refugium is about 5gallons filled with chaeto only no sand or rocks.
Click to expand...
There is the problem, assumptions and sps don't mix! Lol
Everything has to be precise. I would stop blindly dosing alk if it isn't measured and also stop dosing the nopox.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Top