How long until you achieved consistent success?

[Flatlandreefer]

This isn't a debate about how to achieve success keeping sps but I am curious. Expierenced and successful sps keepers, how long did it take you to get to a point where you felt you were successful at keeping an sps dominant tank. Basically how long was your learning curve and what do you attribute your eventual success to? By success I would define getting good growth and having the confidence in yourself/system to purchase an expensive acro without worrying that you were going to kill it...lol.

 

[road_runner]

This isn't a debate about how to achieve success keeping sps but I am curious. Expierenced and successful sps keepers, how long did it take you to get to a point where you felt you were successful at keeping an sps dominant tank. Basically how long was your learning curve and what do you attribute your eventual success to? By success I would define getting good growth and having the confidence in yourself/system to purchase an expensive acro without worrying that you were going to kill it...lol.

It took me 3 years, learning and making mistakes.
This is also cause I like experimenting and went through multiple reefing methods before I settled on my current methods.

 

[Birddog]

I've had similiar experiences as Ohashimz (above). Had some pretty easy sps in my first tank and thought it would be easy in my second reef reef tank. In short it took me some time to learn the new tank with new lighting and how to dial it in, the capacity of my sump / fuge and its various components to consume NO3 and PO4. I feel comfortable now and have spent $$$$ on some nice corals. My success I would attribute to reading here on R2R (@bubbaque , @Rakie , @watchguy123 , @FarmerTy ) threads of those who regularily show their abilities on their build threads. Additionally patience and taking it slow are important qualities in reef keeping.

 

[jda]

Probably about six months once I focused on Acropora more. I did have an established tank with other types of coral, so some of this was earned already and did not count... I attribute a lot to this, but also real live rock and a few inches of sand make it really easy for me. Once you get it, it is like riding a bike and is easy to maintain, IMO.

 

[Rakie]

Expierenced and successful sps keepers, how long did it take you to get to a point where you felt you were successful at keeping an sps dominant tank.

People give me crap for this answer but it's the truth -- Instantly.

My cycle ended, I put in SPS the next day. And I tested on them heavily to learn what was and wasn't BS in the hobby.

 

[SeaDweller]

About a year? I learned from my mistakes and took things even slower this go around. For SPS in particular, my journey began in 2012. My current tank is probably my most stable, successful tank and acros went into QT/holding immediately and then this tank after a month or so.

 

[Ike]

I was keeping some wild SPS in the early to mid 90's when most were still struggling with it. Lots of flow via 8 very large power heads on a wave maker, dripping kalkwasser, air driven 4' protein skimmer, and running phillips bulbs with 175w 5500k bulbs Since I was able to do that, I'd say it's been relatively easy by comparison with modern equipment and techniques...

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Instant success as soon as I stopped worrying about no3 and po4.

 

[maroun.c]

3-4 years to really feel at ease running an sps dominated tank. but again back in the days it was as clear as it is now and many mishaps or parameters weren't as easy to detect/track as they are today.
its one thing to get a few frags to live initially but a totally different experience to manage a full blown tank with large colonies where the dynamics shifts much faster and where making a panic move or a mistake becomes more common and more damaging so this is why I strongly believe it takes a person a couple years at least to get to that stage then at least a year to go through the issues and feel more at ease.

 

[jda]

I wanted to amend my post a little bit since I think that there are a few levels of consistent success. I could pretty much keep almost any frag that I wanted as soon as I decided to keep them. I thought that I knew it all since they were growing and looked good - I was wrong. Tending to them once they got to softball size (at about six months) was another challenge and this is where I really learned the tricks of the trade and figured out that frags and colonies were not the same thing. I guess that I found that next level in about three years when my tank was wall-to-wall and I had to chisel out a lot of stuff and I learned what to put into my tank in the future (no more slimers, MBP&S, etc.).

 

[Flatlandreefer]

People give me crap for this answer but it's the truth -- Instantly.

My cycle ended, I put in SPS the next day. And I tested on them heavily to learn what was and wasn't crap in the hobby.

So you are saying there wasn't any learning curve and you didnt make any stupid mistakes early on that ended up in rtn frags? Corals seemed to be just as stable day 1 as a year down the road?

 

[Jettareefer223]

I’ll preface my experience with this... I started at age 11 having general success moved to sps quickly saved up for halides/VHO’s/more maxijets. I was constantly on our gigantic desktop computer pouring over Reef Keeping TOTM articles that was definition of a fun lol. Back I tried wild/mari colonies with very limited success it was frustrating for first year or so. Things changed with ORA/true cultured coral and understanding the Alk plateau. About 2 years it took to get results, and at that point I had mature sps/growth/there wasn’t “struggles”. I would’ve been less time overall I attribute my age/maturity level.

Fast forward nearly 15 or so years continued sucess the “struggles” returned, and after setting up my current tank post a short exit from reefing. My core was there I could keep sps alive, lackluster results at best. I bought into all the obsessive nutrient control/dosing everything in existence/fancy gadgets. My point in rambling on is this once I let go of new era methods and stripped my system of anything that wasn’t fundamental. I was working against myself and success was unattainable. 2 months after I was back on track. I simplified my life the sps are happy. Classic Reef keeping TOTM are my bible.

 

[Jettareefer223]

Instant success as soon as I stopped worrying about no3 and po4.

Right on! Nutrients don’t exists. I use to tell myself so I didn’t feel obligated test in the beginning. Now it’s a distant memory never looked back! Sold the 3 different Po4 Hanna eggs that had ticked me off for ages lol.

 

[Rakie]

So you are saying there wasn't any learning curve and you didnt make any stupid mistakes early on that ended up in rtn frags? Corals seemed to be just as stable day 1 as a year down the road?

Yep. They aren't difficult to keep, your tank doesn't need to mature for x years, blah blah blah.

Have nutrients = zero problems. Nutrients are a buffer for alk spikes, too high par, coloring issues, paling issues, and in my experience rtn issues.

I don't have anything ever just rtn unless it was knocked onto an lps by snails.

I do everything differently, and because of that, I don't have the typical problems other people do.

 

[road_runner]

Yep. They aren't difficult to keep, your tank doesn't need to mature for x years, blah blah blah.

Have nutrients = zero problems. Nutrients are a buffer for alk spikes, too high par, coloring issues, paling issues, and in my experience rtn issues.

I don't have anything ever just rtn unless it was knocked onto an lps by snails.

I do everything differently, and because of that, I don't have the typical problems other people do.

Wow, Good for you man!

That being said, To new reefers I say, this is not common at all and not always the case. So do tour research and learn pros and cons of things...

 

[Flatlandreefer]

Good input so far, keep it coming. As far as difficulty of sps, obviously it is proven that they can thrive in a wide varieties of systems and I'm sure with time they become just as easy as any other type of coral to care for but I don't think there is any denying that they are far more sensitive and less forgiving to human error than the other corals that we keep.

I have come to appreciate the need to understand every change that I make to the tank and the effect that it can have on my acros. I think everybody knows that a sudden change in light intensity, salinity swing, dosing issue etc can have an impact on coral health but as far as sps I think it takes first hand expierence of the impact of these mistakes to really appreciate how immediate the impact can be.

 

[jda]

They kinda become harder with time, at first, since colonies are much harder to maintain and care for than frags.

Once you get good at colonies, then they get easier over time.

 

[BestMomEver]

Well, here’s the thing.... after about six months I added some acros. They did ok. Colors weren’t spectacular and growth wasn’t great but they were alive. After about a year when I knew more and my tank was more stable, my SPS started growing a lot. The colors still weren’t great so I started reading and asking questions. I ordered the Red Sea Colors program, and things started changing quickly. Now, all I do is a few water changes, change out filter socks, dose calcium and buffer, and add the Red Sea elements.

Still not stunning, but I’m working on it! In the end, I’d say 1-1.5 years before my tank really settled. I’m slow.

 

[Rakie]

Wow, Good for you man!

That being said, To new reefers I say, this is not common at all and not always the case. So do tour research and learn pros and cons of things...

I disagree -- I think this is not oy completely common, but exactly what new reefers need to hear.

Years of experience has taught me most info out there is flat out wrong. I've guided many people brand new to the hobby to success by using nutrients when conventional wisdom was failing them.

I think it's actually the other way around -- it's much harder to keep SPS in a low nutrient tank.

I think conventional wisdom is very wrong on the subject of SPS. Most people who struggle stop struggling once they give the living organism what it needs -- food.

 

[road_runner]

I disagree -- I think this is not oy completely common, but exactly what new reefers need to hear.

Years of experience has taught me most info out there is flat out wrong. I've guided many people brand new to the hobby to success by using nutrients when conventional wisdom was failing them.

I think it's actually the other way around -- it's much harder to keep SPS in a low nutrient tank.

I think conventional wisdom is very wrong on the subject of SPS. Most people who struggle stop struggling once they give the living organism what it needs -- food.

Not sure what you advocating for....do not learn? Do not read? Do not seek knowledge?... and when you say guided what does that mean exactly? How and why... if you do not think there is a learning curve?.

Remind me not to take your advice if one day I asked for it because by same logic you have here, your advice should not be taken since you are putting it out there ha ha
As I said thu, good for you and glad you enjoying the hobby.