Newbie sps testing it out

[Jakemac]

Hey guys and gals,

Just thinking of trying out some SPS soon, so far i can handle LPS, softies, and an anemone without a problem. It seems my LPS are getting a lot of solid growth. Any tips other than whats in the stickys?

29gal Reef tank and the corals im thinking of trying are a nice size monti cap and acro. Guys giving me a sweet deal on them so im not worried if i kill them but obviously i want to make them work ;)

I run kalk and have never had an issue with PH, calc is normally holding about 500-550 so i know from what ive read thats a good spot for SPS

What do you all think?

 

[florida reef]

You also want to pay close attention to your magnesium and alkalinity. Also, I have had experience in the past with low alkalinity cause by high calcium. I would suggest getting a cheap sps frag from a fellow reefer and giving it a go.

 

[Aquaph8]

Focus on the Alk, keep it stable.

 

[Jakemac]

Yea i had it really really low at one point... like 1 or 2 dkh finally got it up to about 7 and its held there for months with running kalk. id say the levels havent moved much besides a little drop or a little raise with a WC but its so small the corals never look stressed in the proccess... but thats lps and softies lol.

 

[Zero Nitrates]

Go for it! Watch your Alkalinity. Monti caps suck it up.

 

[Dowtish]

I would try to get your cal down to around 420. 500-550 is too high. What kind of test kits do you have? If you want to keep SPS, you need a proper test kit for ALK CAL MAG and Phos

 

[bct15]

To keep acros alive you need to monitor the following with quality testing equipment,and I find the following values to be the best

Alk 7.8-8.4
Cal 400-430
Mag 1260-1340
Phosphates 0.01-0.03

And it also is beneficial to monitor the following

Nitrates 0

 

[Dtech07]

To keep acros alive you need to monitor the following with quality trading equipment,and I find the following values to be the best

Alk 7.8-8.4
Cal 400-430
Mag 1260-1340
Phosphates 0.01-0.03

And it also is beneficial to monitor the following

Nitrates 0

+1 This is great advice and once you get those parameters then keeping then stabilized is critical, meaning: You'll notice that your tank parameters will fall all the time within the advice that bct15 gave you naturally if your monitoring them so you dont want wild or wide swings in them. This is why most (i did say most not all) people once they they get into sps will perhaps pick up a doser or a Calcium Reactor these items once tuned in will help your parameters to maintain at the needed levels with out large swings, and allows you to dial up or down depending on your tanks needs. This will depend (putting a doser or Ca Reactor in place) on if you want to go heavily into SPS if not hand dosing is effective then.

 

[Genesis Corals]

Dosers are a must getting into SPS. With only a couple frags WC and Kalk might be able to keep up, but once you start getting more and even when your LPS start taking off you will need to dose. GL, try a birdnest or monti cap to start.

 

[Coral Revolution]

You might be able to get away with hand dosing on a small tank like yours. Agree with everyone's comments here, the biggest fluctuation is going to be your alk, so watch it like a hawk. FWIW I like to run my mag at 1400. Good luck on your SPS adventure, lots of dedication but also lots of rewards.

 

[Jakemac]

The guy im buying them from is selling me a nice monti cap and a mystery acro. Its a blue/purple fade and he said its about 2 in tall. I really love the monti cap but the acro ive been on the fence about getting. He selling them both for 20 bones and $20 of shrooms too. For $20 i think thats perfect pricing for attempting a tough coral

 

[buddythelion]

What I like to do is find an sps tank I like a lot and take the tids and bits I like and mimic it. Try to go for established sps tanks. Coral Revolution and Nuocmam are really good ones.