Keeping SPS without WC (with dosing)

[potatocouch]

What's your thoughts on keeping SPS without doing WC religiously (say once every 3 months) and keeping the trace elements (Basic 3: Mg, Alk & Ca) via dosing and No3 export via heavy skim (carbon dose)?

Has someone done this in the past for whatever reason it maybe (perhaps lack of time)?

The essential questions: would they thrive? would they barely alive? Not possible no way? Yes definitely? Growth? RTN?

 

[joseserrano]

look into triton, might be what you are shooting for.

 

[billwill]

That's about how often I do a water change, more or less. I think I do ok with sps.

 

[potatocouch]

That's about how often I do a water change, more or less. I think I do ok with sps.

Would you say they're happy and growing? What do you dose in your system?

 

[potatocouch]

look into triton, might be what you are shooting for.

A fellow reefer here also mentioned Dutch Synthetic Reefing, commonly known as DSR.

The thing I'm unsure of, logically you would need to dose more than just Ca, Mg and Alk to avoid WC and at the same time, replenishing corals uptake.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

My 3++ year old water does grow SPS with good color. I am on 1/2 year mark with SPS so I wont call it victory just yet but so far no RTN or STN.

 

[potatocouch]

My 3++ year old water does grow SPS with good color. I am on 1/2 year mark with SPS so I wont call it victory just yet but so far no RTN or STN.

You have not changed water since 3 years ago?

@Donovan Joannes would you say your SPS is thriving with growth and coloration?

Do you dose? If so, what trace elements do you particularly pay attention to?

Assumed you carbon dose too?

 

[billwill]

I run a calcium reactor, gfo, and have a refugium. I sometimes dose with Red Sea reef energy A and B.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

You have not changed water since 3 years ago?

@Donovan Joannes would you say your SPS is thriving with growth and coloration?

Do you dose? If so, what trace elements do you particularly pay attention to?

Assumed you carbon dose too?

Definitely dosing the alk/calcium (continuos IV dripper)
Weekly dosing trace elements, iodide & magnesium (straight dosing)
Daily dosing of amino acid, strontium, iron and potassium (drippers)
Once or twice new life spectrum micro feeder (broadcast)
Occasional AF flourine & Reef Energy
Monthly Prodibio reef booster
Home made denitrator - has been running perfectly, NO3 (3-5ppm) & less than 0.1 PO4 for more than a year

I bought IO slat (4kg purple container) to make up my SG whenever needed. I am not saying my SPS is thriving as I don't have any idea how to gauge "thriving". I still have a colony (tabling SPS) that I put in my tank more than two years ago (itchy hand ). I have 64 SPS frags/small colony and they do have nice color.