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BASIC SPS 101 CARE:
Of course, there are many ways to achieve SPS successful tanks.......
nutrient reduction can consist of many methods such as a Sulphur Denitrator, bio-pellets, Zeo, etc........
however, this is my method.......for what it's worth, there are many more out there! (and some are better)
This is only for SPS & some LPS.....most softies
1. as long as you feed your fish, so that they are fat and healthy, please don't feed your corals more than once a week...and also use something that your fish will eat..i.e., nutramar ova
If you feed your fish well, your corals will have plenty....
2. Calcium >450 or so Alk at 9 or so and mag >1300
Large (25% to 30%) weekly water changes with water that will be consistent in your tank parem levels.......I use Salinity. IO will work, but you will need to adjust salt parems before adding.
3. It is more important to remove nutrients than to add! (if you have algae, you have a problem)
phates <0.03 & trates less than <0.5
(using a low range test kit like DD Merck, HACH, The Low Range Elos (they have 2).....
large weekly water changes! (25% to 30%)
I change HC GFO weekly along with ROX Carbon (just use a smaller amount)
I Dose 20 ml of 50% each or equal amounts od Vodka/Vinegar daily, and I have also recently set up a reactor with Seachem Matrix
(after 2 weeks Carbon & GFO are rendered useless from bacteria)
Seachem Phosguard is less effective and more expensive.
4. High Light:
2, 400 watt MH Radiums
5. High Random Flow:
2 Vortech 400
I dose 2 part daily from BRS, Calcium & Alk
you must have backup plans:
My RO ATO is only 5 gallons and is gravity fed. Even if float valve fails; nothing will happen
2 battery backups for Vortech 400's
a generator for power outages
misc:
I wetvac out sump (nothing in sump except one large rock, skimmer, return pump) and please change some display sand out occasionally, maintain sand bed by having inverts that stir and use sand, etc...
REMEMBER: REMOVE MORE THAN IS ADDED!
(so many lfs & the like want you to add stuff......wrong!)
also read:
Of course, there are many ways to achieve SPS successful tanks.......
nutrient reduction can consist of many methods such as a Sulphur Denitrator, bio-pellets, Zeo, etc........
however, this is my method.......for what it's worth, there are many more out there! (and some are better)
This is only for SPS & some LPS.....most softies
1. as long as you feed your fish, so that they are fat and healthy, please don't feed your corals more than once a week...and also use something that your fish will eat..i.e., nutramar ova
If you feed your fish well, your corals will have plenty....
2. Calcium >450 or so Alk at 9 or so and mag >1300
Large (25% to 30%) weekly water changes with water that will be consistent in your tank parem levels.......I use Salinity. IO will work, but you will need to adjust salt parems before adding.
3. It is more important to remove nutrients than to add! (if you have algae, you have a problem)
phates <0.03 & trates less than <0.5
(using a low range test kit like DD Merck, HACH, The Low Range Elos (they have 2).....
large weekly water changes! (25% to 30%)
I change HC GFO weekly along with ROX Carbon (just use a smaller amount)
I Dose 20 ml of 50% each or equal amounts od Vodka/Vinegar daily, and I have also recently set up a reactor with Seachem Matrix
(after 2 weeks Carbon & GFO are rendered useless from bacteria)
Seachem Phosguard is less effective and more expensive.
4. High Light:
2, 400 watt MH Radiums
5. High Random Flow:
2 Vortech 400
I dose 2 part daily from BRS, Calcium & Alk
you must have backup plans:
My RO ATO is only 5 gallons and is gravity fed. Even if float valve fails; nothing will happen
2 battery backups for Vortech 400's
a generator for power outages
misc:
I wetvac out sump (nothing in sump except one large rock, skimmer, return pump) and please change some display sand out occasionally, maintain sand bed by having inverts that stir and use sand, etc...
REMEMBER: REMOVE MORE THAN IS ADDED!
(so many lfs & the like want you to add stuff......wrong!)
also read:
