Fishless SPS Tanks? How do you do it?

[rushbattle]

How do y’all do it? I have been struggling a bit with a few of the acros from @Battlecorals shipment from Dec 1 due to low nutrients, I think. I am currently running a 66 gallon fishless holding tank, but setting up a 200 frag/coral qt that will be fishless that will compliment my display. Curious how folks that don’t have fish pooping all day handle food input, nutrients, and whatever else might be different from a system with fish in it. Thoughts?

 

[EmdeReef]

Feed coral foods add amino acids or even add fish food. If you want more precision you can dose nitrate and phosphates and maintain desired levels.

 

[rushbattle]

Feed coral foods add amino acids or even add fish food. If you want more precision you can dose nitrate and phosphates and maintain desired levels.

Ah, I should have stated what I’m currently doing.

Feeding reef chili once at night, which I don’t really like because it floats even after long soaks in saltwater. Feeding Reef Frenzy once during the day, which I do like. Use diy solution of glutamatic and aspartic acids. Corals get spot fed with pumps off, then the circ pumps come on and return pump off for 30 mins. Using NaNO3 to keep NO3 around 10ppm after it crept down to 0.25ppm and I raised it over a few weeks. Corals seem to be generally happy, but a few other the December acros are still brown town. They came in pretty cold, then had to deal with low nutrients for a few weeks. Seem to be on the upswing now.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

I would do it by adding fish to the tank. You can also feed the tank coral foods like Reef Roids and amino acids. Keep alk, cal and mag near NSW levels if your tank is running low nutrients.

 

[EmdeReef]

Ah, I should have stated what I’m currently doing.

Feeding reef chili once at night, which I don’t really like because it floats even after long soaks in saltwater. Feeding Reef Frenzy once during the day, which I do like. Corals get spot fed with pumps off, then the circ pumps come on and return pump off for 30 mins. Using NaNO3 to keep NO3 around 10ppm after it crept down to 0.25ppm and I raised it over a few weeks. Corals seem to be generally happy, but a few other the December acros are still brown town. They came in pretty cold, then had to deal with low nutrients for a few weeks. Seem to be on the upswing now.

Best to dose nitrates daily. You’ll want to keep phosphates detectable too but in general will take dosing less often. Takes a bit oftrial and error to tune things especially with hobby grade kits but once you do you can keep whatever levels you want. Swings are not recommended as I’m sure you know so pick a number between 1-10 for nitrates and try to keep things stable. Amino acids will help too, In a low nitrate environment tend to boost cyano so wait until your nitrates are stable.

Browning could also be due to lights, lack of certain trace elements and other issues too.

 

[rushbattle]

I would do it by adding fish to the tank. You can also feed the tank coral foods like Reef Roids and amino acids. Keep alk, cal and mag near NSW levels if your tank is running low nutrients.

I can’t run fish because I’m using it as a fallow environment to eradicate ich and velvet. I would love to get some for all the obvious reasons!

I do run aminos, diy glutamic and aspartic acids. I’ve been adding more recently.

Reef roads are so expensive, but I’m considering brineshrimpdirect golden pearls as a substitute. I think I’ll get some ordered. Good idea!

 

[pecan2phat]

Long term, I was unable to keep a fish-less SPS tank clean of annoying algae. Had to add amino, nitrates to sustain but algae was a constant problem without fish to keep it in check.

 

[rushbattle]

Best to dose nitrates daily. You’ll want to keep phosphates detectable too but in general will take dosing less often. Takes a bit oftrial and error to tune things especially with hobby grade kits but once you do you can keep whatever levels you want. Swings are not recommended as I’m sure you know so pick a number between 1-10 for nitrates and try to keep things stable. Amino acids will help too, In a low nitrate environment tend to boost cyano so wait until your nitrates are stable.

Browning could also be due to lights, lack of certain trace elements and other issues too.

Do you think just adding inorganic N and P is enough to sustain Acropora long term, or would you add organics like reef roids as well? Lots of testing before the levels stabilize!

@drernesto The Reef Kinetics Reefbot can't get here soon enough!!!

Once my long term holding tank is set up I will be sending in ICP tests every few months to see how trace elements are trending in a fishless environment. It shouldn't be much different, but I am sure the fish uptake something, they are growing and metabolizing after all!

The following is my lighting setup:
LED and T5 Combo Input

Thanks for the input!

 

[rushbattle]

Long term, I was unable to keep a fish-less SPS tank clean of annoying algae. Had to add amino, nitrates to sustain but algae was a constant problem without fish to keep it in check.

I add @UWC Vibrant every couple of weeks, which could be part of the brown coral and low nutrient situation I have going. @UWC do you have any ideas about a fishless SPS tank? Your input would be appreciated!

Otherwise, did you have any urchins? The legends like @glennf advocate keeping urchins for algae control. I will have some in the fishless system for sure. Just have to figure out how to keep the frag plugs in the rack!

Thanks for the input!

 

[rushbattle]

Anyone else have any input? I’d really like to have fish but the QT/fallow situation remains. I’m thinking some sort of auto feeder for the corals.

 

[fermentedhiker]

Do you keep any freshwater tanks? If so you could dose a little bit of freshwater tank water to supply a mix of nutrients without actually having fish in the system?

 

[Cnidoblast]

Dosing the supernatant from dissolving freshwater fish pellet food in RO/DI water should be a decent enough nutrient broth - The FW food in say petsmart is quite nutrient dense @rushbattle

 

[hart24601]

Just because no fish doesn't mean shouldn't feed the coral! Reef roids, reef chilli, baby brine shimp, and other appropriate sized food depending on coral. No reason inputs can't be just as high without fish if still exporting. Just balance like everything else!

 

[rushbattle]

Just because no fish doesn't mean shouldn't feed the coral! Reef roids, reef chilli, baby brine shimp, and other appropriate sized food depending on coral. No reason inputs can't be just as high without fish if still exporting. Just balance like everything else!

I’ve got Reef chili, and various sizes of golden pearls which is approximate to reef roids, but that is only one size.

I think I’m going to set up an auto feeder with golden pearls of various sizes so I know the tank is being fed consistently.

 

[rushbattle]

Just because no fish doesn't mean shouldn't feed the coral! Reef roids, reef chilli, baby brine shimp, and other appropriate sized food depending on coral. No reason inputs can't be just as high without fish if still exporting. Just balance like everything else!

I’m on board, ive upped my feeding and I guess I’ll continue on that path!