Bio load for sps tank

[fab1971]

The size of my tank is 36 gallons and I have a skimmer rated for 50-60 gallons. What is ideal for an sps tank. I'm thinking less of a bio load is better when keeping sps. So would 3 small fish be ok or am I pushing it? I'd like a small clown, small wrasse and maybe a jawfish or firefish. Thanks, Frank.

 

[subielover]

Those 3 fish should be fine. I actually like a lot of fish in sps tanks, seems to give me better coloration. Of course an oversized skimmer, refugium and biopellets do help with the bioload. What skimmer do are you going to be running?

 

[fab1971]

Just bought an aquamax hob1

 

[subielover]

That is a nice skimmer, I run the Warner Marine H2 on my 40 breeder and love it.

 

[fab1971]

What are bio pellets? I've read about them a few times but never in full detail. What do you need to run them? I skimmed some threads where some say they are effective and others that disagree.

 

[Kataro]

Bio pellet is almost like vodka dosing I believe, just in solid form. You'd need a reactor that can run those biopellet. There are some problem that I read about SPS rtn and such... but I think it might be because nutrient drops too fast. Same thing can occur if dosing vodka to drop nutrient too fast. Someone correct me if I'm wrong

 

[Kataro]

Oh and my bioload for my SPS tank is fairly high... I think about 30 fish? and I feed twice daily (currently 3 times for my new anthias). As long as your skimmer is good and you have a way of keeping nutrient down, SPS will do fine.

 

[Troylee]

3 fish should be no biggie IMHO... Just stay on top of water changes and you could do it without a skimmer...

 

[subielover]

3 fish should be no biggie IMHO... Just stay on top of water changes and you could do it without a skimmer...

But why would you want to, lol

 

[Captain Nemo]

Personally I think you will be perfectally fine with 3 fish. You could probably have more as long as you keep the water parameters good.

 

[Tabasco1]

+1 that you would be just fine with those 3 fish. IMO you could add another small fish or some sexy shrimp.

 

[aj1980]

I run a tunze DOC 9002 in a 45 gallon.

 

[gqjeff]

Going ULNS for SPS you will reap the benefits of more feeding and more waste from fish and food. That's half the problem with drab looking sticks and washed out colors. To low of nutrients and the corals themselves r starving.

 

[jagermeister]

Oh and my bioload for my SPS tank is fairly high... I think about 30 fish? and I feed twice daily (currently 3 times for my new anthias). As long as your skimmer is good and you have a way of keeping nutrient down, SPS will do fine.​

What size tank do you have?

 

[fab1971]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll stick with 3 small fish and a pretty little blood red shrimp.

 

[Kataro]

Jagermeister, my tank is a 150 gallon. The fishes I keep are fairly small though, and most will stay small =)