Perfect SPS tank

[907_Reefer]

I believe @907_Reefer posted a small sps tank over grown sps tank with explosive coralline algae growth, absolutely stunning.

You may be talking about our previous tank from ~2013, if so, thanks

The live rock back then was just fantastic, we ran this 55g (HOB filtration) under 8, 4' T5s half blues half whites. Tank was less than 2 years old here, we sold it off when we moved up to Alaska.

 

[Mortgaged Reefs]

What would you say is the perfect SPS tank?


Talking just the right size for both stags and plating sps corals.

I would say the easiest one for you to maintain. The reality is you can maintain SPS in any tank. It all boils down to the amount of time you have to pour into it and keep up with stability. If you can do that in a small tank in your office per se where you can watch over it every day then great. A large retake may be easier if you don’t have as much time but be prepared to dedicate large chunks of time in frequently. Small tanks, equal frequent small maintenance. Large tanks equal infrequent large maintenance.

 

[Ol’ Dog Trey]

I started with a 180 and i thought that was a great size. Plenty big, but not too big where lighting and filtration was crazy expensive. The 6x2x2 footprint allowed a lot of room for corals and fish. I had a 125 freshwater, which was only 18 inches deep and I found that extra 6 inches in depth made a huge difference.

“I found that extra 6 inches in depth made a huge difference”……..

That is… what she said.

 

[Gill the 3rd]

“I found that extra 6 inches in depth made a huge difference”……..

That is… what she said.

lol I didn't even realize when I wrote it...Michael Scott would be proud.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

I would say the easiest one for you to maintain. The reality is you can maintain SPS in any tank. It all boils down to the amount of time you have to pour into it and keep up with stability. If you can do that in a small tank in your office per se where you can watch over it every day then great. A large retake may be easier if you don’t have as much time but be prepared to dedicate large chunks of time in frequently. Small tanks, equal frequent small maintenance. Large tanks equal infrequent large maintenance.

Honestly, I have ran everything from 3 gallons to 300 and can say that all ranks have needed the same attention. This theory that large tanks don't need the attention small ones do is not true in my book.

 

[Smoke-Town]

I think the best advice I've seen is the 24x24 minimum width and height. I would add to that and say length also. 24x24x24 is a nice minimum for a rank that intends to actually GROW sps colonies... not just hold frags for a month or so for blue Instagram pics then die or relocate to proper aystem, which is often what happens with those.

I currently fiind myself with sps growing within an inch of each side of my 24" wide tank. In hindsight I should have built the aquascape with the thought of only using 50-75% of the width.

Height has different issues. My tank is shallow... 16 inches... way too shallow if you like sand. Sps need high flow so I wish this tank was at least 24" tall so I could place pumps higher and hopefully they wouldn't blow my sand around. Also the more height you have the better potential for awesome vertical coral growth. With the lighting we have available today, par at depth isn't really a concern anymore.

Length really is about your available space and the number of fiah and what type and size of fish you want to keep.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

I think the best advice I've seen is the 24x24 minimum width and height. I would add to that and say length also. 24x24x24 is a nice minimum for a rank that intends to actually GROW sps colonies... not just hold frags for a month or so for blue Instagram pics then die or relocate to proper aystem, which is often what happens with those.

I currently fiind myself with sps growing within an inch of each side of my 24" wide tank. In hindsight I should have built the aquascape with the thought of only using 50-75% of the width.

Height has different issues. My tank is shallow... 16 inches... way too shallow if you like sand. Sps need high flow so I wish this tank was at least 24" tall so I could place pumps higher and hopefully they wouldn't blow my sand around. Also the more height you have the better potential for awesome vertical coral growth. With the lighting we have available today, par at depth isn't really a concern anymore.

Length really is about your available space and the number of fiah and what type and size of fish you want to keep.

Ahh! This was the kind of response I was looking for. You hit all the points right on the head. It's strange how a question on what is the best size for SPS corals turns into length fish need to swim