Need help setting up SPS holding tank.

Velcro · Oct 31, 2016

So, I'm done with my 150. Aiptasia and Dinos win. I want to start over and move to a 60 cube or something.

I need to set up a SPS holding tank. No fish, just frags. I'm thinking 40 breeder and I'll just use my 48" ATI 6 bulb over it (don't care about light spill). I have a par meter so I won't be frying things.

How does one go about setting up a new tank for coral only? Do I need any live rock? I work from home so I'm able to test alk multiple times a day as well as anything I need to. I have good powerheads for the tank. It would be sumpless. My skimmer would fit in there. I would move my APEX over to it.

So my big concerns are, do I need to cycle this tank? I have live rock in a nano that does not have any algae issues. j

ebushrow · Oct 31, 2016

If you just want to hold the sps you could use the 40gal tank....you should add some of the live rock from the nano...you can go sandbed-less easy enough... if you want a sand bed it will take longer ...just remember, the 40 gallon will need more attention than the 150 due to the small volume of water....since you are just using the skimmer as filtration, I would suggest more frequent water changes to export nutrients. If you start with completely new water, I would let it do a quick cycle ( the live rock and new water will work pretty fast) just test it. Otherwise, you should be good to go....did you find out where your Dino's came from? If it was the water you were using, you'll need to fix that or you will have the same issue all over again.