Sps and 150 watt MH

[insane_reef_keeper]

Anyone have any suggestions as to what SPS can or could be kept under a 150watt MH?
I've all ways had nothing but softies, and this will be a real venture for me to step into SPS. I have some LPS under the light and they seem to be doing very well and have increased in size. They're approx 3.5 times bigger than when I got them. I dose everyday with calcium, strontium, and magnesium. The water checks out perfect.
Phosphates 0.5 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
Ammonias 0 ppm
Salinity is right at 1.024

Any advice as to what I should do to keep and maintain SPS will be greatly appreciated.

 

[jeffmuse]

How deep is the tank? You would probably be ok with the 150 MH if the SPS where placed high up on the aquascaping.

It sounds like the parameters are good, just keep in mind that the SPS need a lot of light, good flow, and a steady amount of calcium in order grow. I am just getting into them myself, and it has been a learning experience

 

[snowmansnow]

JeffMuse;619933 wrote: How deep is the tank? You would probably be ok with the 150 MH if the SPS where placed high up on the aquascaping.

It sounds like the parameters are good, just keep in mind that the SPS need a lot of light, good flow, and a steady amount of calcium in order grow. I am just getting into them myself, and it has been a learning experience

+1. If its a frag tank depth.. say.... 10" You'll be fine IMO (then again I keep SPS out the wazoo under T5 ONLY ... but what do I know? )

 

[jumplittlechloe]

I have a Solana with a 150w MH. Most of the acros (red millie, blue acro, red planet, and pearlberry) I keep are upper to mid level directly under the light. I can keep montipora pieces toward the sides of the tank or mid level and they seem to do fine. I have found that sps colonies that are somewhat larger or tightly grown together tend to struggle as the light does not penetrate lower toward the base of the coral. Those pieces that I started with that were smaller tend to adjust better as they grow and adapt to the system you put them in (i.e. somewhat lower light). I think light is important, but you can't discount proper water quality (proper CA and ALK is a must). Try a deepwater sps like Hawkins Echinata or a branching montipora digitata (can handle somewhat lower light) to start off and see how you do.

 

[insane_reef_keeper]

It's a 29 gallon Biocube. Like I said before it's a 150watt sunpod.
I appreciate all of the advice. I just don't want to spend a good bit of money on some nice SPS and turn right around and watch them die.

Edit: I have some SPS in another tank but I've only had them for a couple weeks. They seem to be doing ok but I don't really know much about them as far as their needs and etc. So I needed to get a better idea of what to do before I add them to my main display tank.

Edit: The Sps that I do have were given to me by the way.

 

[sonofdagon]

I,ve had my nanocube for about 3 years now and have had good luck with sps. It's 150 MH. I added two Maxijet 1200s on the wavemaker and bounce the current off the walls.

 

[insane_reef_keeper]

Do you have any softies in there? Thats a lot of water movement for a 24.

 

[sonofdagon]

It's a 28 gal and there is some green star polyp and some xenia I cant eradicate. The return pumps that came with it were inadequate for sps.

 

[insane_reef_keeper]

I understand. I upgraded the return in the Biocube to a Maxijet 1200. It increased the flow dramatically. Plus I have a Korelia Nano power head in there as well.

Edit: Are you wanting to get rid of the xenia and star polyps?

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Edit: here's a pic of the frags that were given to me.

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Edit: And after adding them to my Biocube

 

[sonofdagon]

Nice tank. Heres mine. Make sure you add a good skimmer.
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[insane_reef_keeper]

Wow. Very nice growth!

 

[sonofdagon]

Thanks. A lot of trial and error and rediscovering the virtue of patience. I will always be learning something in this hobby.

 

[insane_reef_keeper]

I can't seem to learn enough. Any and all information I can get about reef keeping, I soak up like a sponge lol