LPS / SPS advice for a Reef Noob :)

[Paperfish]

Good evening fine people!

I'm a reef noob.

My 52 gallon setup is up and running since March 2021.
I have a lot of Vermetid snails. They don't seem to bother my soft corals, but I'm planning to add SPS / LPS to my tank.

I wanted to ask the experienced reefers -> do (small) Vermetid snails pose a big threat to stony corals? <-
Any recommendations for a first timer in the SPS / LPS field?

An overview so you have an idea of my bioload / system:

Tech used:

- Aqua Medic Aquarius 60 (led lights + controller... whites dimmed to max 10% - reds off - UV max 20%)
- Hydor Slim Skim protein skimmer* Nano 250 (up to 66 gallon)
- Eheim Thermocontrol E 150W
- Small filter that I use to run carbon and aggitate surface area
- Jecod / Jebao SLW-20 M wave maker (@100%)
- Tunze Nanostream 6015
- Auto top off system
- Reversed osmosis system + Aquaforest Reef Salt

-> *No Sump (I use a protein skimmer...) <- | I do 30% water changes every month


Sand / rock

Sandbed: Red Sea Live Ocean White 0,25-1mm +- 1 to 2 inch.
Rock: AquaForest AF Rock Mix (Corraline algea is growing and the ugly phase is over)

Live stock:

- 3 Nassarius snails + 4 babies (wohooo!)
- 4 Trochus snails + 3 babies (wohooo!)
- 3 Bumble Bee snails (to eat my vermetid snails... with limited succes lol)
- 1 Seahare - still alive and kicking --> feeding nori sheets since the GHG have been eradicated
- 2 clownfish (Amphiprion Occelaris)
- 1 Royal Gramma
- 1 Peppermint shrimp
- 2 Filament-finned prawn-goby / presumably dead and eaten (they didn't dare to leave their cave to feed... haven't seen then in 2 months)


Softies:

- Zoa's (3 x different spieces growing fast!)
- Proto Paly's (as fluo green as they get - slow grower)
- Sinularia Dura fluo Green (growing fast)
- Gorgonian (looks very fluffy with open polyps, so seems pretty healthy)


Advice is welcome!

Kind regards,
Paperfish

 

[Reefer Matt]

I have not had any problems with vermited snails and lps or sps. Some people have claimed they do harm the coral, however, I suppose it depends on the species involved.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Good evening fine people!

I'm a reef noob.

My 52 gallon setup is up and running since March 2021.
I have a lot of Vermetid snails. They don't seem to bother my soft corals, but I'm planning to add SPS / LPS to my tank.

I wanted to ask the experienced reefers -> do (small) Vermetid snails pose a big threat to stony corals? <-
Any recommendations for a first timer in the SPS / LPS field?

An overview so you have an idea of my bioload / system:

Tech used:

- Aqua Medic Aquarius 60 (led lights + controller... whites dimmed to max 10% - reds off - UV max 20%)
- Hydor Slim Skim protein skimmer* Nano 250 (up to 66 gallon)
- Eheim Thermocontrol E 150W
- Small filter that I use to run carbon and aggitate surface area
- Jecod / Jebao SLW-20 M wave maker (@100%)
- Tunze Nanostream 6015
- Auto top off system
- Reversed osmosis system + Aquaforest Reef Salt

-> *No Sump (I use a protein skimmer...) <- | I do 30% water changes every month


Sand / rock

Sandbed: Red Sea Live Ocean White 0,25-1mm +- 1 to 2 inch.
Rock: AquaForest AF Rock Mix (Corraline algea is growing and the ugly phase is over)

Live stock:

- 3 Nassarius snails + 4 babies (wohooo!)
- 4 Trochus snails + 3 babies (wohooo!)
- 3 Bumble Bee snails (to eat my vermetid snails... with limited succes lol)
- 1 Seahare - still alive and kicking --> feeding nori sheets since the GHG have been eradicated
- 2 clownfish (Amphiprion Occelaris)
- 1 Royal Gramma
- 1 Peppermint shrimp
- 2 Filament-finned prawn-goby / presumably dead and eaten (they didn't dare to leave their cave to feed... haven't seen then in 2 months)


Softies:

- Zoa's (3 x different spieces growing fast!)
- Proto Paly's (as fluo green as they get - slow grower)
- Sinularia Dura fluo Green (growing fast)
- Gorgonian (looks very fluffy with open polyps, so seems pretty healthy)


Advice is welcome!

Kind regards,
Paperfish

Vermetid steal food, send off mucus strings and multiply often in the wrong places. Bumble bee snails will eat these readily

 

[Paperfish]

Vermetid steal food, send off mucus strings and multiply often in the wrong places. Bumble bee snails will eat these readily

Hi Vetteguy,

I spot feed my softies once a week (AF Zoa food). So I suppose that could counter the Vermetid's stealing?

My worry is that Vermetid snails might attach themselves to the calcium skelet of LPS / SPS...

My Bumble bee snails seem... rather inefficient / other options?

 

[Paperfish]

I have not had any problems with vermited snails and lps or sps. Some people have claimed they do harm the coral, however, I suppose it depends on the species involved.

Any particular species you would recommend?

- Euphyllia...
- Acropora
- Bird's nest (Seriatopora)

....

 

[Reefer Matt]

Any particular species you would recommend?

- Euphyllia...
- Acropora
- Bird's nest (Seriatopora)

....

If you have a good handle on keeping softies, I suggest the Euphyllia next.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi Vetteguy,

I spot feed my softies once a week (AF Zoa food). So I suppose that could counter the Vermetid's stealing?

My worry is that Vermetid snails might attach themselves to the calcium skelet of LPS / SPS...

My Bumble bee snails seem... rather inefficient / other options?

And they can. You can also apply a dab of gel superglue from the dollar store over each hole to stop them or break tube off at very bottom base and discard
For lps- mysis shrimp also recommended which I feed most of mine
Powdered foods tend to raise phosphate

 

[Paperfish]

If you have a good handle on keeping softies, I suggest the Euphyllia next.

Makes sense I guess // Got my eye already on this one:

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

SPS corals will grow over the tubes, but the tubes keep growing, and your sps corals will end up looking spiky, its ugly.

Branching types of lps like hammers, duncans, etc., will not really be bothered, but things like acans and favia's will be forced to stop growing due to the spikes on the rocks, it can even make the coral retract.

If you broadcast feed like I do and you dont really try to stop their multiplying like I didnt, they can really become a major problem.

 

[Paperfish]

And they can. You can also apply a dab of gel superglue from the dollar store over each hole to stop them or break tube off at very bottom base and discard
For lps- mysis shrimp also recommended which I feed most of mine
Powdered foods tend to raise phosphate

Super glue is going to be hard since they live in dark unreachable caverns
Killing them of with a long knitting needle is an option (the ones I can reach)

Mysis Shrimp / I use that from time to time as well to spot feed the bigger polyps
You are right about the phosphate... need to watch out.

 

[Paperfish]

SPS corals will grow over the tubes, but the tubes keep growing, and your sps corals will end up looking spiky, its ugly.

Branching types of lps like hammers, duncans, etc., will not really be bothered, but things like acans and favia's will be forced to stop growing due to the spikes on the rocks, it can even make the coral retract.

If you broadcast feed like I do and you dont really try to stop their multiplying like I didnt, they can really become a major problem.

Good to hear that the branching types aren't really bothered.
Euphyllia... might just be the next thing to add in that case...

 

[exnisstech]

Hi Vetteguy,

My Bumble bee snails seem... rather inefficient / other options?

Add more bumble snails? 3 really isn't very many. Could always take them back to the store later if they become a problem

 

[Cali Reef Life]

Another great thing to kill them is a screw driver etc anything that smashes them. Its free to and probably more effective. Can maintain a healthy population this way.

I didn't see you mention your parameters. Most important is alk, calcium, salinity, temperature and magnesium. Also can test phosphate and nitrate once in awhile.

Also once you add these corals your probably going to have to dose alk and calcium at first manual is fine but eventually a doser makes things simpler. Stability is key to success don't need anything to fancy but checking these things and looking for potential failures or improvements once a week is great way to have success. Lastly QT or dipping coral is something to look into if not done already.

If you look at everything at once its overwhelming but its all just a bunch of simple things.

 

[Paperfish]

Add more bumble snails? 3 really isn't very many. Could always take them back to the store later if they become a problem

Yeah 3 really isn't that many... / I will try to manually kill of as I can

 

[Paperfish]

Another great thing to kill them is a screw driver etc anything that smashes them. Its free to and probably more effective. Can maintain a healthy population this way.

I didn't see you mention your parameters. Most important is alk, calcium, salinity, temperature and magnesium. Also can test phosphate and nitrate once in awhile.

Also once you add these corals your probably going to have to dose alk and calcium at first manual is fine but eventually a doser makes things simpler. Stability is key to success don't need anything to fancy but checking these things and looking for potential failures or improvements once a week is great way to have success. Lastly QT or dipping coral is something to look into if not done already.

If you look at everything at once its overwhelming but its all just a bunch of simple things.

My Parameters:

- Temp: 26 Celcius / 78.8 Fahrenheit
- Salinity: 1.024
- PH: 8.2
- NO2: Undetectable
- NO3: 0.20 ppm
- ALK / CALC / MAG -> need to check

Dosing: when I do 30% water changes every month... is dosing still needed? I assumed that the trace elements are being replenished that way or.. not entirely?

--> Screw driver = nice weapon lol, cheers

 

[Cali Reef Life]

My Parameters:

- Temp: 26 Celcius / 78.8 Fahrenheit
- Salinity: 1.024
- PH: 8.2
- NO2: Undetectable
- NO3: 0.20 ppm
- ALK / CALC / MAG -> need to check

Dosing: when I do 30% water changes every month... is dosing still needed? I assumed that the trace elements are being replenished that way or.. not entirely?

--> Screw driver = nice weapon lol, cheers

At first water changes worked for me but once you get a certain amount of coral growth it consumes a lot daily. Going a whole month will cause swings. You can switch to 15% twice monthly to maintain at first. BRS two part or something similar will be needed eventually. Im dosing over 30 ML of pure alk and calcium daily.