!!!Insight needed!!!

[re-fin-away]

!!!Insight needed!!! How to grow SPS?

I started this tank almost a year ago with the idea of doing an SPS dominated tank. I am to the point where I need the help of the R2R family. I got my first SPS last November and the addiction began. My growth is ok my color is getting better, but not where I think it should be. I want to know what others use to increase the growth and color in their SPS. I was gifted some coral frenzy but have not used it yet. Any experience good or bad with this product? What other products or tweeks to my maintanace schedule would you make? How about the parameters? Would you adjust them at all? What equipment would you upgrade and to what?
Equipment:
180 gallon tank w/ 40 gallon sump SPS dominated.

8x80 T5 Sunpower fixture 6 ATI Blue + bulbs, 1 ATI Purple +, and 1 GE 6500K, actinics run 11am-10pm daylight 12pm-8pm.

xp1000sss skimmer
1 mp40 and 2 Octopus 3000gph
900 gph return pump
2- single BRS media reactors
Rkl with temp set at 79 degrees

This is my maintenance schedule for my SPS dominated tank.

Daily:
I check all equipment to ensure it is running properly.
Check parameters of Calcium and Magnesium and manually add BRS 2 part solution to recapture desired levels.
Clean the glass if needed.
Weekly or Bi-weekly:
30 gal water change using Reef Crystals.
Vacuum sand bed.
Empty and clean skimmer cup.
Check nitrates and alkalinity.
Monthly:
Change media out for GFO and Carbon

Clean powerheads when needed. Clean skimmer every 4 months.

I keep my calcium at 450 I keep my mag at 1450 and my dKH is at 9.3, I have never had to dose for my alk and I don’t know why.


Thanks for all the help in advance.

 

[redemer123]

I might be wrong on this but I think vacuuming the sand bed is actually not a good idea.

 

[re-fin-away]

Why is vacuuming the bed a bad thing?

 

[Nuocmam]

You probably never have to dose for alk because ReefCrystals is high in alk. Nothing wrong with maintaining your sand bed by vacuuming IMO. Sounds like you are on the right track to success. What is your NO3 & PO4 at when you test?

 

[Reef Pets]

The best thing to do is to leave the sand bed alone. Just get a couple sand sifters such as Nassarius Snails and most wrasse will help keep it stirred up a little. By vacuuming the sand you are releasing harmful gasses and taking out beneficial bacteria that is needed in your reef.

 

[m and m]

I have all shells in my SB and vacuum once a week and the stuff it pulls out is enough to make a 5g bucket almost black. I just can't imagine leaving it in there is good.

 

[re-fin-away]

Nitrates are undetectable now. When I did my tank transfer from my 72 it took about 2 months and a lot of water changes to get them down below 20 and went down from there. I have never tested for phosphates. I was wondering why and when I was going to have to dose ALK. I was a bit nervous that my test kit was bad. Good to know about Reef Crystals.

 

[re-fin-away]

The best thing to do is to leave the sand bed alone. Just get a couple sand sifters such as Nassarius Snails and most wrasse will help keep it stirred up a little. By vacuuming the sand you are releasing harmful gasses and taking out beneficial bacteria that is needed in your reef.

I have all shells in my SB and vacuum once a week and the stuff it pulls out is enough to make a 5g bucket almost black. I just can't imagine leaving it in there is good.

C'mon who do I listen to? :squigglemouth:
I should add that I have a shallow sand bed about 2" deep.

 

[Nuocmam]

Take a look at SunnyX's tank. He vacs it regularly.

 

[Reef Pets]

That is one thing I should have added.... It does depend on how deep of a sand bed you have. Myself, I would not vacuum a sand bed that is 2 inches deep. From my understand Ammonia will form in the sand bed that is 1 inch or deeper. When vacuuming out the sand bed you release the Ammonia into your water which of course creates unstable conditions. You will have an Ammonia spike during the vacuum. If you were not vacuuming the Ammonia would be broken down in your sand bed and released at a slow and consistent rate by sand sifters.

On the other hand everyone has their own methods and do what works for you being that every reef system is its own ecosystem.

 

[re-fin-away]

I do have abunch of nassarius snails and a conch so I may just leave the sandbed alone then.

Any opinions on the Coral frenzy? Or are there any other additives I should think about using? I like the less is better approch, but I know there is a reason some products are on the market, simply they work. I just want to know which ones work for SPS.

 

[re-fin-away]

some coral growth shots!
ORA plum crazy
Dec 2010

April 2011

Oct 2011

Red digi
Dec 2010

April 2011

Oct 2011

Hawkins
Dec 2010

April 2011

Oct 2011

 

[Nuocmam]

I really don't see you having a problem with growth. They look like they're doing well. Soon those pieces will be taking off.

 

[Reef Pets]

I agree, looks like great growth to me.

 

[re-fin-away]

I really don't see you having a problem with growth. They look like they're doing well. Soon those pieces will be taking off.

I agree, looks like great growth to me.

Thanks guys, but I have seen other tanks with the same SPS getting better growth. Have very many of you used a calcium reactor on their setup? I am getting tired of manually dosing the 2 part BRS solution everyday. Any suggestions or thoughts on this?