PDA

View Full Version : About to dive into sps got a couple questions!


Giga
10/20/2007, 07:17 PM
I am finally getting my tank built and it is 24"x18"x25" and have a couple questions!

How far down can I put the sps corals with the lights 1/2"-1" off the water. It will be the aquatics(sp) 5 bulb t5 light system.

Is 80$ a good price for a bonsai frag that is 1/2"?

hobogato
10/20/2007, 07:22 PM
not sure on the placement question, as i have only experience with halides, but i would say to wait at least 6 months after setting up a tank to add sps, and maybe even longer than that. dont start with a bonsai either. start with some easy to keep sps like caps and digitata, maybe even a slimer, milli, or tenuis. after success with those, then move on to the harder to keep (and more expensive) ones.

Giga
10/20/2007, 07:29 PM
oh yeah sorry forgot to mentions the tank will be running for a long time before I add sps. I just am getting to ichy to get some lol. I will start with birds one thin branched pink birds nest, becuase my LFS has 1" frags for 15$

Paulairduck
10/20/2007, 07:46 PM
I would not even start with a birdsnest, they are not the easiest corals to keep either. I also would not even think of a 80 dollar frag in a tank that is so new, it will make your start into sps a rough one. When 80 dollar frags die, it's not GOOD!!!:confused:

aquarius77
10/20/2007, 09:08 PM
My birds are near bullet proof... My whole tank can look like dung and the birds still look good.

Giga
10/21/2007, 08:06 PM
THe other question that I have is, the water LR and LS is all from a friend that runs a great LFS that has been running on like a 1000G system. So should I still need to wait like 6 months to put in sps?

slojmn
10/22/2007, 07:54 AM
I like your set up, the one in your avatar, nice look. Any full tank shots for us. I would definately wait even thogh you picked it all up from an existing tank, let things get stabilized. I took rock from a friends tank and used some of my own water from my sps tank and set up a new tank in early July. No cycle to speak of and corals went in pretty quickly. I noticed things did great for a month or so, since then I have had some issues which I know are directly related to a "new system" despite getting everything from existing systems. It is no biggie as I expected it. Waiting 6 months is really in your best interest. Maybe try a really hardy slimer or milli at the 4 month mark and see how it does fro 4-8 weeks before adding anymore. I would get something from someone elses tank...not a wild piece.

Serioussnaps
10/22/2007, 08:19 AM
If it were me...I would put the sandbed and rock in with the skimmer and pumps running with the lights off for about 3 months. I would feed the tank lightly about 3 times per week and do WC's on it every week or 2 of about 10-20%. I would start the photoperiod at 3 months and let it ride out for another 3. Then introduce a very hardy montipora cap or digi frag and see how it does for a few weeks. I certainly wouldn't buy an 80$ 3/4" frag until about the 1 year mark. I didn't until about the 7 month mark, however, the rock and water at the 7 month mark came from my old tank and it was established for about 3 years and even then my tank was not quite where it needed to be so it takes time.



ps. $80 is the market price for a 1-1.5" GARF PB frag if it is indeed the real deal....i wouldn't pay more than $50 for it though

Giga
10/22/2007, 08:32 AM
by no means am i'm getting a bonsai frag, I was just wondering if that was an ok price. I will start with the one tougher sps after about 4 months then take it from there. I just am happy becuase this guy sells every coral you can think of and he has 1-2" frags for 15-30$!

this is a 2.5 gallon tank that I made all from the ground up. It a mantis tank.

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/4513/dscf1385tq5.jpg