New to SPS... Advice?

[tangboy]

Alrighty, since I have restarted my 40g breeder I have been wanting to dabble in the SPS realm, at least to create a mixed reef. So after skimming thread after thread, there are a lot of different ideas out there. So let me list my stats and get your advice on what to start with (easiest/hardiest) to even see if I want to go down this road!

Equipment:

40g drilled
250W HQI MH with PC Actinic Supplements
Mag 7 return pump
Reef Octopus 110
29g Sump
Hydor Koralia 2 & 3

1. Easiest SPS to keep that is still nice looking
2. Hardiest SPS to keep that is still nice looking
3. SPS to stay away from if I do not have Kalk doser etc etc etc
4. No bioload = weekly or biweekly 10% WC?
5. IF I were to get fish on a topless tank, what would you suggest?

That's it for now, thanks for suggestions!

 

[m and m]

Sps stands for stability pramotes sucses. I would recommend using a little two part between wc it will help alot and make a big difference and not make such a big alk swing.

Sps you can start with digi birdsnest and montis

I would stay away from acros really only stay with what I said there easiest.

Wrasses are jumpers so steer away maybe a yellow tang clowns are safe in the fish department

 

[nixer]

i would also urge you to add dipping and/or QT to your list of things for sps keeping

 

[m and m]

I would also suggest using only ro water tape water is very unhealthy for coral. Also stay on top of adding water as top off. I see you don't have a ato adding water won't mix right away and could stress out coral alot so adding water daily in such a small tank would be a must. Also you Salzburg will be like a yoyo which isn't stable my old 40 breeder it was like a water bottle a day in my first conpartment. Fans also cut down on the evaporation if it's blowing across the surface.

 

[tangboy]

I do have a R/O unit that we also use for drinking water. In the winter so far, I haven't lost much water to evaporation so that is a good thing but we'll see about summertime.

I guess I need to research 2-part a little more. Not sure all the chemistry involved even though I do teach chemical aspects to my science classes.

Done the YT and the clowns... might just do a goby army :)

 

[Rockadile]

brs had a nice video to understand alk cal and mag and their realations

YouTube - How calcium and alkalinity function in the aquarium

 

[davelink]

learn what monti eating nudis look like, and acro eating flatworms, if youre tryin to go for sps youre gonna have to keep an eye out for these guys. big time eh

 

[davelink]

also i would suggest weekly water changes, and yeah i know plenty of people go a couple of weeks to a month, but if youre tank is not established and younger than a few years old, weekly will help keep it more stable if you have the time and patience for it. my corals are much happier with weekly than bi weekly. i dont have a top on my tank either as far as fish go, the only jumpers are like some gobies and hawks really from what ive seen, never had a tang or chromis or clown jump ship (not yet at least)

 

[m and m]

Also you said you have a mixed reef right now. I would look into some carbon so you dont get Chem war between your corals. You can just run it in a rex and change it out every month and it will clean up your water.

 

[davelink]

^^^ yes i didnt use carbon for the first year or so after i setup my reef, and when i did, man, the water gets so clear its ridiculous

 

[aalvarado87]

if you want to get into the sps realm start out with some digis and some birdenest thats how i started. Try and get some from locals so your not paying the big bucks. Get those guys going and see how things go. Once you see that you can keep those then maybe get something else. I know a lot of the high end stuff has awesome color but those are also harder to keep. Also for some easy acros miami orchid is pretty simple and green slimers do pretty good as well

 

[cee]

brs had a nice video to understand alk cal and mag and their realations

YouTube - How calcium and alkalinity function in the aquarium

Pretty good basic explanation. tangboy, PM me withe your email and I'll send you a little write up I did for ETRC a few years back which goes into a little more detail (Word document). You shouldn't have trouble following it if you understand a little chemistry. If you don't follow it I can talk you through it over the phone.

Dave

 

[dougers31]

I dont' think it was mentioned but poccilipora are good beginner corals, and as for a fish possibly a pygmy angel... just watch out for nipping.

 

[akabryanhall]

I like Monti caps and encrusting montis, two of the easiest to keep sps. Birds nest corals are good as canary birds. If something is weird in your tank, they'll be the first to whistle, but are generally very hardy.