Introducing LPS with simple water changes

[Jrk2195]

So I currently have a soft coral 40 gallon AIO. With some clowns, a wrasse and a blenny. I’m currently reading up on LPS as I’m trying to make the jump into the next level. However, I am not trying to dose. My goal is to run a soft/LPS tank with no dosing and water changes every 5 days.

Now, my question is this. I’m using or going to be using Red Sea coral pro salt to mix my own water. I currently only use Red Sea blue bucket (simple salt). When would anyone recommend I add my first LPS. My personal guess is 3-5 water changes over a months timeframe would be enough to present a livable environment for a simple LPS. Keep in mind, I know I can test for the parameters, but I’m trying to avoid that. This is a simple experiment. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tim McLellan]

I have yet to make the jump to corals, so I can't really provide any insight into your primary question. But wanted to ask if you have investigated using Imagitarium real Ocean Water rather than mixing your own? Yes it costs more, but on a smaller tank it's not that much. I use it on WC for my 55 gallon and am pretty happy with the way things are going. My thinking is that it should have all trace elements needed and therefore hopefully I won't have to dose when I move to corals. I don't know that artificial mixes cover every last thing.

 

[Uzidaisies]

I was using that in my 14 cube at first, then I couldn’t get it for a couple weeks and had to switch to mixing. Testing with api(I know) always gave me high alk and low ph. The water out of the box was testing something like 11-12 dkh. I still don’t really know what to make of it. My alkalinity has slowly dropped down to around ten with the same test. That being said, I added LPS early, and haven’t really had too many issues.

 

[Jrk2195]

I have yet to make the jump to corals, so I can't really provide any insight into your primary question. But wanted to ask if you have investigated using Imagitarium real Ocean Water rather than mixing your own? Yes it costs more, but on a smaller tank it's not that much. I use it on WC for my 55 gallon and am pretty happy with the way things are going. My thinking is that it should have all trace elements needed and therefore hopefully I won't have to dose when I move to corals. I don't know that artificial mixes cover every last thing.

Artificials like Red Sea Coral Pro won’t cover EVERY last thing but it’ll cover everything important. However, once I get to SPS or a good amount of LPS, unprepared to dose. I also have a pretty easy system right now with water so I’m not worried about changing to different brands really. By the way as long as you have a good light and do weekly water changes, you can have softies. They don’t require any dosing. They simply like light, some others like Kenya trees like phytoplankton target fed but honestly softies don’t require anything if you’re not sure about getting yourself a soft coral.

 

[Aqua Man]

However, I am not trying to dose. My goal is to run a soft/LPS tank with no dosing and water changes every 5 days.

Most of us dose because it’s cost effective. Water changes alone could work though. I’d want a salt mix with a higher Alk. In my soft/Lps tanks, Alk gets used up quickly.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

what is your goal with this experiment? A water change every 5 days gets expensive and tedious and boring very quickly. Especially with the holiday season coming up, it might be hard to commit to such frequent water changes.

 

[cooltowncorals]

If you really want to keep it simple and easy I would go for it.

when I got my first tank around 20 years ago it was a 20 gallon with weekly 10 percent with no testing or dosing at all kept many LPS with no issues

you are fine to add one now to be honest

the issue you would run into at some point would be low alkalinity which would stunt growth but not kill anything unless the swings from changing in 11-12 dkh water into a tank with 6-7 dkh water would swing your tank more than 1.5 dkh or so shocking corals

personally I would suggest in the name of keeping things easy just to test alkalinity once a week do your Red Sea CP water changes and do no dosing until you saw alk consistently getting low between changes

 

[Jrk2195]

Most of us dose because it’s cost effective. Water changes alone could work though. I’d want a salt mix with a higher Alk. In my soft/Lps tanks, Alk gets used up quickly.

Now when you say quickly how many pieces of LPS and how large were they?

 

[Jrk2195]

what is your goal with this experiment? A water change every 5 days gets expensive and tedious and boring very quickly. Especially with the holiday season coming up, it might be hard to commit to such frequent water changes.

The goal of this is to show newer aquarists as myself that while dosing might sound tedious and intimidating, there are alternatives (to an extent). For people who either just joining the hobby or looking at LPS I want them to see that it’s possible to do it with simple water changes because let’s be honest, those should be happening weekly regardless.

and also I’m trying to do it in a way that won’t kill corals or fish.

 

[Aqua Man]

Now when you say quickly how many pieces of LPS and how large were they?

4 LPS, all growing well. Acan, Favia and an Alveopora. 20 gallon tank. I suspect that most of the ALK is getting used up by coralline. Water changes of 4 gallons done every 3 to 4 weeks. To keep my Alk stable between water changes, I dose.

How large? This favia is about 2”x3”

 

[Aqua Man]

Reefers out there that go bare bones, no sump,skimmer, canister, carbon or fuge.....just rock and flow....

Tell me what you are doing to maintain, and keep in touch with me if possible please. I am now at month 3 no skimmer. Flow is really good, Nitrates ticked up a tiny bit but pretty much still negligible. Phos non existent most part. No dosing, just the same twice weekly 2% on the water change...

www.reef2reef.com

The goal of this is to show newer aquarists as myself that while dosing might sound tedious and intimidating, there are alternatives (to an extent).