Well dinos are getting under control ( finally ) but the montiporas and spongodes are goners. Crazy thing is that im getting good coralline growth and was always told that its a good sign of being able to keep sps.
Why cant u keep sps?
- Thread starter ycnibrc
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sgrosenb
Active Member
Hey folks - MAJOR update here. You can read about my tank woes in the attached thread. Short story is that I started my tank in November 2018 with all dead rock and let my tank run for about 15 months; I couldn't keep SPS corals to save my life, despite every parameter being perfect. Fast forward to March 2020 where I pulled out about 80% of my dead rock and replaceed it with 40lbs of live rock from Tampa Bay Saltwater and 100lbs of live frock from KP Aquatics (for those of you keeping score, I like KP Aquatics rock a LOT better). Now, faster forward to today, where I have 8 SPS frags that are all either growing or encrusting very nicely and have been for about 1 month. Colors are amazing, great polyp extension, etc.Hey all- just a short update - I finally got my 40lbs if live rock from Tampa Bay Saltwater and put it in the tank today. I'm going to wait about 4-6 months and then try SPS again. Feel free to read about my tank and give any suggestions. I'm hoping the dead rock / bacteria is the problem.
Tank issue Thread:
SPS Keep Dying - Please Help - Tank Parameters Seem Ideal
Hi all, I am hoping to find out what the culprit for my tank is that is killing all my SPS. I’ve done a fair amount of research over the past year, and from what I can tell, my water parameters, lighting, nutrients, etc etc. are all in-line with what a successful reef tank should have to let...www.reef2reef.com
After my experience, I am a 100% believer in the idea that live rock is the key to adding bacteria, sponges, etc etc and getting corals to thrive. I would STRONGLY caution people against setting up a new tank with 100% dead rock. The difference in my tank from 3 months ago is astonishing and undeniable - corralling algae exploded, corals look perfect, and there's way more life to look at in the tank via featherdusters, small crabs, sponges, shrimp, etc. I am no pro at this, and am not in the marine field at all, but for my experience, all signs point to live rock being the key.
-A (finally) happy reefer
Sgrosenb I am glad things finally perked up. Did you just throw the rock right in the tank or did you let it sit in a container for a while and let it cycle a little?
I have always added new live rock every few years, maybe 10 pounds a year. I stopped a while ago when the rock stopped coming in and it’s probably time for me to start again because one I need more rock and two nutrients aren’t being handled like they were in the past and seem to build up easier. Stinks adding the Florida stuff is so expensive. Maybe it’s time for a local group buy.
I have always added new live rock every few years, maybe 10 pounds a year. I stopped a while ago when the rock stopped coming in and it’s probably time for me to start again because one I need more rock and two nutrients aren’t being handled like they were in the past and seem to build up easier. Stinks adding the Florida stuff is so expensive. Maybe it’s time for a local group buy.
sgrosenb
Active Member
Thanks! It's exciting to finally have progress. For the rocks - I just put them right in the tank. For Tampa Bay Saltwater, they delivered it right to my door, in water, and I placed it right in. For KP Aquatics, I'm lucky enough to live near the keys so I drove down and met up with Philip. He had the rocks nicely packaged and in water. They were in my tank within 2 hours of picking up the rocks. Tons of life on them - sponges, algae, shrimp, crabs, sea stars, feather dusters, etc. Highly recommend KP Aquatics, despite their higher price. I think Philip is shipping in water now, but not sure.
Good to know
That is a pretty cool affirmation. My experiences are very similar.Hey folks - MAJOR update here. You can read about my tank woes in the attached thread. Short story is that I started my tank in November 2018 with all dead rock and let my tank run for about 15 months; I couldn't keep SPS corals to save my life, despite every parameter being perfect. Fast forward to March 2020 where I pulled out about 80% of my dead rock and replaceed it with 40lbs of live rock from Tampa Bay Saltwater and 100lbs of live frock from KP Aquatics (for those of you keeping score, I like KP Aquatics rock a LOT better). Now, faster forward to today, where I have 8 SPS frags that are all either growing or encrusting very nicely and have been for about 1 month. Colors are amazing, great polyp extension, etc.
After my experience, I am a 100% believer in the idea that live rock is the key to adding bacteria, sponges, etc etc and getting corals to thrive. I would STRONGLY caution people against setting up a new tank with 100% dead rock. The difference in my tank from 3 months ago is astonishing and undeniable - corralling algae exploded, corals look perfect, and there's way more life to look at in the tank via featherdusters, small crabs, sponges, shrimp, etc. I am no pro at this, and am not in the marine field at all, but for my experience, all signs point to live rock being the key.
-A (finally) happy reefer
I am retired now, but do some system builds for my LFS's higher end customers. They give me discretion, and I ALWAYS go with full live rock builds. You still get some "uglies" for a few months, and yeah the occasional hitchhiker, but they are infinitely more stable in the short and medium term.
Creggers
Active Member
So I read through a good amount of this thread - I'm going to be setting up a rather large build here in the next couple weeks / months with the intent of growing SPS successfully. I do not want to go 100% live rock between the cost, the impact to the reefs and the hitchhikers.
My LFS has 'live rock' that I set up my Pico with, but I think it's just carribsea dry rock that they throw in tubs.
What do you think the appropriate dry : live rock ratio is... 1:1?
My LFS has 'live rock' that I set up my Pico with, but I think it's just carribsea dry rock that they throw in tubs.
What do you think the appropriate dry : live rock ratio is... 1:1?
The rock in Florida is cultured man made rock so it doesn’t impact the reefs. Probably the opposite.
Yes. 1:1 is common.
Take note of how the live versus dead rock does during the first 12 months of uglies. I find huge differences.
Creggers
Active Member
I'll be updating my build thread for at least the first year that I put this tank together so I will 100% be including a discussion around that. I intend to be ready for Rocks by the end of this month so the order will most likely be going in then. For the dead side of things I'll probably pick them up locally to save some scratch
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OP
ycnibrc
SOCAL REEF TOTM 11/2019 GHL TOTM 02/2020
I'm glad to see the result for your tank. It's feel goodHey folks - MAJOR update here. You can read about my tank woes in the attached thread. Short story is that I started my tank in November 2018 with all dead rock and let my tank run for about 15 months; I couldn't keep SPS corals to save my life, despite every parameter being perfect. Fast forward to March 2020 where I pulled out about 80% of my dead rock and replaceed it with 40lbs of live rock from Tampa Bay Saltwater and 100lbs of live frock from KP Aquatics (for those of you keeping score, I like KP Aquatics rock a LOT better). Now, faster forward to today, where I have 8 SPS frags that are all either growing or encrusting very nicely and have been for about 1 month. Colors are amazing, great polyp extension, etc.
After my experience, I am a 100% believer in the idea that live rock is the key to adding bacteria, sponges, etc etc and getting corals to thrive. I would STRONGLY caution people against setting up a new tank with 100% dead rock. The difference in my tank from 3 months ago is astonishing and undeniable - corralling algae exploded, corals look perfect, and there's way more life to look at in the tank via featherdusters, small crabs, sponges, shrimp, etc. I am no pro at this, and am not in the marine field at all, but for my experience, all signs point to live rock being the key.
-A (finally) happy reefer
Personally I'd steer clear of the fake live rock (mined rock that a LFS puts in water). I'd get a small amount of real live rock. If your budget doesnt allow that, I'd get as much real dry rock as you can (dead coral skeletons -- NOT the mined limestone that is as non porous as a brick), and add some live mud or sand.
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OP
ycnibrc
SOCAL REEF TOTM 11/2019 GHL TOTM 02/2020
Well BRS just release a video which emphasis on the important of bacteria on live rock and the corallation success of the tank using it. They also go back to zeovit for the bacteria supplement method to maintain the tank and lighting method which is best to use still the plug and play T5.
sgrosenb
Active Member
Mostly the life on it, but also the size of rocks. TBS had a great reputation but it was unquestionable that KP, in my one experience, had wayyyyy more life and better rock sizes. I was actually pretty disappointed in TBS. just a bunch of really big rocks that had minimal life. KP had tons of sponges, fearherdusters, etc etc. and their rocks were all different sizes which was great for my aquascape. I know others have had better experiences with TBS so maybe mine was just unique.
Gregg @ ADP
Valuable Member
Ratio doesn’t matter. You can do 1:10 live:dry...given a little time, all the rock will be ‘live’. Personally I would try to do at least 25% live, more if possible, but at the end of the day, it’s not going to matter a whole lot.
It’s the tanks that start with 100% dry that seem to take forever and have the least stability and most roller-coastery first 2 years.
JCOLE
Grower of the Small Polyps
I hope I am just the exception. Started with all dry mined rock from Amazon a year ago. I have a full Acro dominate tank and everything started from frags and is doing well currently. I did add a bunch of bacteria over the last year though.
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You’re not the exception. There are many ppl that keep sps just fine with dry rock and many ppl that struggle with sps with live rock. Dry rock needs more time is all.I hope I am just the exception. Started with all dry mined rock from Amazon a year ago. I have a full Acro dominate tank and everything started from frags and is doing well currently. I did add a bunch of bacteria over the last year though.
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