When do I know my tank is ready for SPS coral?

[Uzair Aiman]

Yup, thats what i meant by "nitrate locked". Often times, the absorption of N and P optimally stays within a fixed range of ratio in different organism, and experiments have shown that a system that has no phosphate will inhibit the absorption of nitrate in organisms like algae, (and vise versa). So since your nitrate is at 0 and high po4, its possible that the po4 absorption capacity of your different organisms are being inhibited by the lack of no3. Increasing no3 levels will "unlock" the po4 absorption in this case.

I haven't used potassium nitrate so can't really advise on it. I have used neonitrate before, with that product, I basically dosed daily according to the bottle instructions, and retested my params every 2 days. If nitrate lock was your issue, then you should start seeing po4 decreasing before seeing no3 increasing. This would especially be the case if you have algae (like a scrubber) as a part of your nutrient export.. With my tank, I saw an explosion of algae growth in my refugium and it was pretty effective and fast that brought both my no3 and po4 back to more acceptable levels.

I see, Ill try to research on dosing Potassium Nitrate before dosing it.

So for your case, you dose it any time you have unstable N and P in your tank? Will the tank get to a point where I dont need to dose it anymore as the parameters are all always "unlocked" already?

 

[Dkmoo]

I see, Ill try to research on dosing Potassium Nitrate before dosing it.

So for your case, you dose it any time you have unstable N and P in your tank? Will the tank get to a point where I dont need to dose it anymore as the parameters are all always "unlocked" already?

Every tank is different. Even tho this specifc mechanism is consistent, each tanks N and P relationship is different bc it depends on the N and P concentration of the things you feed, the kinds of organism thats in your tank, and the types of filtration and export you have. N and P imbalance at its core is cause by the stuff you feed has a n/p concentration that doesn't match the current N and P needs of your organism. I say "current need" bc As tank matures, the n/p needs of your organisms with change and it tend to get closer to what you put in. Often times it takes a long time to get there bc of the other stuff we do to our tank that upsets the balance. One thing you can control tho, is to focus on what you are currently feeding, there are a lot of posts on what kind of foods contain high po4 vs low po4, I'd start there.

For me, each was a one time thing that lasted a couple month or so. Most recent was bc I had a a very tough battle with bubble algae/bryopsis where I threw the kitchen sink at the tank that ended up with, among other things, dinos, and severely upset the balance and microfauna diversity of my tank. For me it was the opposite - I was "phospate locked" - 0 po4 but no3 getting out of control, so I dosed neophos for a few weeks, plus reintroducing beneficial microfauna (pods, phyto, MB7) for it to stabilize. 4 years ago, when my tank was still maturing (its about 5 years now) I had a bout of nitrate lock similar to what you are describing (0 nitrate and skyrocketing po4). Turns out my rock was leaching po4. I didn't want to use GFO for it so I started a refugium but the chaeto didn't grow, thats when I first heard the N and P relationships and started dosing neonitro. My chaeto exploded like weeds and brought down po4. That one took longer but I think after 4 months I stopped bc I saw that my no3 started to climb, presumably due to the neonitro dosing, when po4 went down to undetectable levels

 

[attiland]

So technically, for the whole week, I should have 8dkh stable? I didnt know that was possible! I thought corals will use up alk for the week and regardless it will lower my alk (and calcium,magnesium). If I were to maintain those nutrients at 8dkh the whole week, wouldnt the nutrients spike up when i do my water change at the end of the week?

I have high phosphates, thats why I use GFO but I have 0 nitrates. I might remove the bioballs soon as I think my tank is "established" enough than to use bioballs.

Ill get the calcium and magnesium testers soon before getting SPS corals I guess

The reality is you will have some swings in alkalinity especially if you hand dose.
for the sake of the example you have 8dkh in the morning and than dose AFR. By 11 am you have 8.5 which will be used by next morning.
with a doser you can split up the doses throughout the day therefore you more or less always have 8dkh.
the reason you have to check alkalinity at the same time every day is because it has a swing but it should be the same at the same time of the day.

Without dosing you will have low alkalinity / calcium/magnesium by the end of the week and when you do your water change it would go back up but that is a shock to the corals.
All changes good or bad is a shock to the corals so we have to aim to maintain the same. I even check new salt mix to match mg and alk in my tank before I add it to the system.

 

[alain Bouchard]

FYI. I see all that talk about your no3 and po4 that must be at a certain level...I run ULN, po4 and no3 virtually undetectable, and all my corals have very good growth and coloration.

 

[howaboutme]

Your tank will be ready when you don't need to ask this question. It has nothing to do w/ specific parameters, age of tank, etc. It has everything to do with knowledge. To know what to do in certain situations. That is what comes w/ time. Tank age is a by product of the first. Reading/research can only take you so far. You have to just do it. I put SPS (and anemone) in almost immediately.

 

[ZoWhat]

* When you have more money than Warren Buffett

* Have more luck than The Fightin' Irish

* And have more knowledge than Eric Borneman

.... then you're ready

 

[Sony Ph]

Hi. I have a 27gal AIO tank with 2 clowns, a 6 line and a hermit. Its 6 months old and algal bloom is receding and coming to and end. There are also spots of coraline starting to grow at my back wall. I would like to know when my tank and is it ready for SPS corals? I have a clam, a GSP frag, a zoanthid frag, 2 Yuma corals, a bubble tip anemone and a wall variant hammer coral.

Everything in the tank is thriving and growing quick except for my wall hammer which has been finnicky since the day I brought it home. New zoa heads growing, new Yumas growing, GSP growing at my back wall, Anemone puffed up and stable, hermit crab molting its skin a few days ago.

Parameters are as follows and I keep them stable there :
Salinity : 1.025
Nitrate and Nitrites : undetectable
Phosphates : 0.5 (might be quite high and Ive been having this issue for months now, but I heard with stability corals can thrive so I wont change it for now)
Ammonia : 0
Alkalinity : 7 at the end of the week and 8-9 after a water change.

I do weekly 10% water changes.

is it possible to add SPS corals already? If not, what should I shoot for if I wanted to add my first ever SPS coral? I am a beginner and have never bought/cared for SPS corals

I have Green Star Polyp, Xenia, some torch corals and BTA ( Bubble Tip Anemone) after 2 weeks. My tank is now more than 2 months old and everything seem pretty good. From my opinion, you should try to add some corals. Just make sure to check everything daily. Good luck and enjoy

 

[UGASealDawg]

Hi. I have a 27gal AIO tank with 2 clowns, a 6 line and a hermit. Its 6 months old and algal bloom is receding and coming to and end. There are also spots of coraline starting to grow at my back wall. I would like to know when my tank and is it ready for SPS corals? I have a clam, a GSP frag, a zoanthid frag, 2 Yuma corals, a bubble tip anemone and a wall variant hammer coral.

Everything in the tank is thriving and growing quick except for my wall hammer which has been finnicky since the day I brought it home. New zoa heads growing, new Yumas growing, GSP growing at my back wall, Anemone puffed up and stable, hermit crab molting its skin a few days ago.

Parameters are as follows and I keep them stable there :
Salinity : 1.025
Nitrate and Nitrites : undetectable
Phosphates : 0.5 (might be quite high and Ive been having this issue for months now, but I heard with stability corals can thrive so I wont change it for now)
Ammonia : 0
Alkalinity : 7 at the end of the week and 8-9 after a water change.

I do weekly 10% water changes.

is it possible to add SPS corals already? If not, what should I shoot for if I wanted to add my first ever SPS coral? I am a beginner and have never bought/cared for SPS corals

You will need to get your Alk stable. Swinging from 8-9 to 7 over a week is not going to be ideal for SPS. Are you dosing two part? SPS will suck up the Ca and the alkalinity will drop too. You have tube able to replace it and keep it stable - Ca 420 - 450, 440-450 is better. Alk, shoot for 9 and try to keep it stable. Stability is the ultimate key. If you think you have your numbers right and stable, I agree with trying a cheap monti or similar. If your wall hammer is “finicky” then you will likely struggle with SPS. Euphyllia, imo, are fairly middle of the road to keep happy - get your wall hammer happy and then you know you are on the right path. I am not a pro so take my advice for what it’s worth. Get a general consensus from other experienced SPS keepers. Best of luck!