What do I need for an SPS dominant tank?

[Jayreef23]

Haha this is a tricky subject for me. I have 300 gallons in my system and was only doing 15 gallons twice a week. I have since stopped doing them for 2 reasons. I want to keep that tank stability and I feel like even a water change will slightly swing things. I also send in monthly ICP tests along with Moonshiners method of fine tuning my trace elements. the ICP tests also monitor if there is pollutants in my water where I would need a water change or if I need to run a media reactor to remove anything in my water.

Having said that you don't need to go this rout until you have been keeping sps for a while and feel comfortable tweaking things to get the most out of the corals.

I think in your case being a smaller tank and not spending too much money on things a weekly water change of 10-15% is a fantastic route. I had a 120 gallon mix tank that I was very successful just doing water changes and keeping my alk, calcium and mag in range.

Typically anything you change to the tank like flow or lighting your coral will typically stall on growth and color until it adjusts to the new growing condition then growth starts back up and you start to gain colors back. I currently have 2 sps frags that have been stalled for over a year doing absolutely nothing but sitting while 70+ other frags are growing great. Very important to set flow and light then leave it.

When you ask what equipment you will need in the first post it can technically be next to nothing. you just have to take that list I wrote above then research all the different ways out there to achieve that list. There are plenty of stories out there where people only did water changes and have a very successful reef. That never worked for me

Great thanks I’ll take everything you said into consideration and do 10-15 percent wc

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

You need an understanding conceptually of what it takes to keep SPS. But what you have as far as equipment will be enough to get you started. I had a 10g AIO that ended up being a grow out tank. I ran Kalk with my ATO and micro dosed Red Sea trace. With you using a 20g things move much faster and you have to stay on top of it. Your SPS consumption of trace and No3 and Po4 will be a lot faster so you have to be careful not to bottom out. Also, you will still have aptasia.

 

[Kiiyo]

Currently the tank is set up as a softie only tanks it’s been up for 7-8 months but the problem is there is aiptasia so I’m guessing I’ll take the rocks and dry them and keep the sand and water to cycle it quick

Most of the bacteria in your tank lives on your rocks not the sand or water, so drying them out could potentially lead to you having to cycle the tank again if you aren't running any other biological media.

There are a few different ways to deal with aiptasia that don't involve removing your rocks such as peppermint shrimp, aiptasia x, and lettuce nudibranch.

If things aren't completely out of control in the tank, I generally like to avoid tearing things down.

 

[kingranch2003]

Thanks… what do you think of a media reactor? Do I need one?

What would you put in ia reactor and why? My advice in any reefing adventure, is not to correct a problem that doesn't exist yet. With that being said, leave yourself room to make these additions and adjustments.

There are also sps species that don't require as strict parameters as others. Maybe start there and work your way up (pun intended intended). Focus on good random flow and check your par.

Good luck!

 

[kingranch2003]

Most of the bacteria in your tank lives on your rocks not the sand or water, so drying them out could potentially lead to you having to cycle the tank again if you aren't running any other biological media.

There are a few different ways to deal with aiptasia that don't involve removing your rocks such as peppermint shrimp, aiptasia x, and lettuce nudibranch.

If things aren't completely out of control in the tank, I generally like to avoid tearing things down.

Berghia nudibranchs for aiptasia, my friend.

 

[FrugalReeferJon]

SPS

A Reef master can’t be wrong

 

[Kiiyo]

Berghia nudibranchs for aiptasia, my friend.

Thank you for the correction!

 

[Faurek]

Simplified one good circulation pump, you want to hit 100x + of your total water volume and that's it for now, water changes will keep alk stable, skimmerless SPS can be done, keep the softies and put carbon.
In the future probably ato and doser

 

[Tonycass12]

So I have a Red Sea Max Nano approximately 20 gallons it is an AIO. I have a Radion xr30, an ATO,and stock return pump. What else do I need for a SPS dominant tank?

Doser, more flow

 

[dwarfseahorse]

Most of the bacteria in your tank lives on your rocks not the sand or water, so drying them out could potentially lead to you having to cycle the tank again if you aren't running any other biological media.

There are a few different ways to deal with aiptasia that don't involve removing your rocks such as peppermint shrimp, aiptasia x, and lettuce nudibranch.

If things aren't completely out of control in the tank, I generally like to avoid tearing things down.

Peppermint Shrimp have always worked great for me.

 

[euphlife]

Man we forgot the important part. Good dip process. I’m team bayers for everything.
15 oz in 3G of water and a pump in the bucket.
Another bucket of freshwater 3G of water and a tooth brush.
Another bucket freshwater 3g of water

Back in tank.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

depends on the sps- for birds nests and monti- you need good flow and reasonable stability and not necessarily strong light.

Acropora is a whole different ball game. I’m an acro newb and I can just tell you what i’ve learned through my research. 2 weeks so far with an acropora and it’s ok. But that could change overnight if my tank loses stability in any way.

 

[klc]

So I have a Red Sea Max Nano approximately 20 gallons it is an AIO. I have a Radion xr30, an ATO,and stock return pump. What else do I need for a SPS dominant tank?

You won't too much more for only 17 gallons of water. Take out some of the corals you have now to make some room then get yourself a little colony of pocillopora, Milka stylophora or Bubble Gum digitata and enjoy them. As a novice you'll struggle to keep/grow anything more in such a small volume of water. The 3 SPS corals I mentioned don't require much of anything special to thrive. After you've mastered EASY corals, get yourself some more EASY corals like green slimer or birdsnest. In a few years you'll upgrade to a bigger tank and then you can expand your collection to some of the more difficult corals. And personally, to start out, I'd avoid spending the dough with online coral vendors and get yours for little or nothing from clubs and other local reefers. There's no shortage of free corals if you establish a support group. Yesterday at our club meeting I gave away 6 colonies of what I mentioned. Keep us posted on your journey into SPS.

 

[tzabor10]

Money and patience

Great advice, self employed or in a higher tax bracket always helps with the bumps in the road

 

[Spare time]

Currently the tank is set up as a softie only tanks it’s been up for 7-8 months but the problem is there is aiptasia so I’m guessing I’ll take the rocks and dry them and keep the sand and water to cycle it quick

Just do a round of gel super glue or f aiptasia when they pop it. It will save you a headache of having to cure the rocks

 

[KLandry]

Man we forgot the important part. Good dip process. I’m team bayers for everything.
15 oz in 3G of water and a pump in the bucket.
Another bucket of freshwater 3G of water and a tooth brush.
Another bucket freshwater 3g of water

Back in tank.

How long in each? RODI DIP?