Is this ok for new SPS?

[old95er]

Alright! I am finally at the point where I have added my first SPS. . .I thing everything is right, but I would like some confirmation, please!

The new Blue tipped acropora has been in for a few days. . .two new frags coming today from frag farmer. The current blue tip is 13 to 15 inches from the lights.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/58288first_acro_1-med.jpg

It is still blue tipped, main body medium brown, starting to lighten. looks similar to the condition at LFS, well maintained and fed system.

I have been dosing Kent Marine Micro-Vert for the life of the tank. Which I know is not really for SPS. . .

Yesterday I started feeding at the recommended dose(skimmer off):

DT's Phyto
DT's Oyster Eggs
Liquid Life Coaralplankton, which contains rotifers

Each morning I also feed various frozen cubes of mysis, brine, clams, algae, etc. . .(tang/wrasse/trigger foods)

I have the Korallin 1502 running with an effluent of approximately 50 d KH.

This morning a few minutes after lights on, Tank at:
Temp: 78
PH 8.0
d Kh: 12.2
Calcium: 430
nitrates/nitrites/ammonia: undetectable

TLF reactor with phoslok running for two weeks.

Ozone, off while skimmer is off. ORP around 280 without ozone.

Lights: 10 hour photoperiod, 250 watt 10k in luminarc stealth x 2, moonlights at night

D Kh for the tank has been between 10-12 and calc of 420 for months prior to adding the Korallin. . I had been using two part every day.


Is this the right path? Anything I am missing?

[old95er]

Oh, and

Magnesium is at 1600
Top off is straight RODI

[old95er]

bump

any comments?

Thanks!

[Kolognekoral]

I thought you would get a few replies, but apparently not. Essentially, you are heading in the right direction. Aquariums are rather personal affairs and there are quite a few roads that lead to success. I'll give you my 2 cents worth.

Alk is a bit too high in my book. I keep it as 7-8 dKH. Higher does not help calcification. NSW is around 7 dKH.

Magnesium is a bit high, but i have never noted any deliterious effects from high Mg. I aim for 1300 max, but occaisionally have had up to 1600 without problems. Kalk algaes use it up eventually.

I am a fan from 12-14 hour foto periods. This is more than nature in the tropics, which are 12 hours, but I want to enjoy my aquarium and endulge myself. As I've been doing this for some 30 years without problems, I see no reason to stop. Algae has not been an issue I have not been able to deal with.

I don't use ozone, but i do have a UV unit I run on occaision, such as when I add new fish. I've never been a fan of ozone. I don't think it helps in most cases.

As to the small foods you have started adding, my question would be why? You have but one coral. I would wait until you had more takers before adding more to the bio-load via food that may well just rot. Less is more at this point. Remember, stone corals are mainly carnivores, while soft corals tend to be phytovores. Both may contain symbiotic algae, but asymbiotic forms exist in both groups.

I use the zeovit method (with zeolith) and only add enough food to feed what is in the tank (which is a lot at this point). Supplements I keep to a minimum. Water changes of 5% per week. Monitor PO4, which is the biggest problem in reef tanks. It should be at around 0.02-0.04 for the best looking corals. NO3 is rarely a problem in a tank with a functioning biosystem.

Aquariums require patience and a non-panic approach. It is all to easy to just reach for another remedy, without actually understanding the problem or even if it is a problem. There is a lot of gut feeling to an aquarium. Certainly tests allow us to monitor parameters, but it is our observations that allow us to 'sense' when something is not quite right. Fortunately, reefs are such fascinating eco-systems that we spend inordinate amounts of time observing.

[mouscacha]

"Fortunately, reefs are such fascinating eco-systems that we spend inordinate amounts of time observing."

I like that sentence. That's exactly what I was doing at 3:00AM this morning when I couldn't sleep. I was actually staring into my sump and looking at my cheato ball. Talk about watching the grass... er algae grow.

[twon8]

some good advice above; i run my lights for 14-16 hours; imo the phyto and oyster eggs, etc. should be saved for when there are more mouths.

you don't mention flow? i see your sig and an dart om 4way, but that alone isn't enough

i would not run a mag 18 as a return, way too much pump imo and without it you could probably take that chiller off

[old95er]

thanks for the thoughts. Today I added two more 3"x4" frags from **********. One is a "deep water" carolinia which looks alot like porites, and the other is a blue polyp acropora.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/58288carolinia_1-med.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/58288blue_polyp_acro_1-med.jpg

I guess as far as feeding is concerned, there was nothing in the system except for the kent product. I was afraid that without rotifers and somethign else, the corals would starve.

Interesting comment about the DART. I had been thinking of upgrading to a barracuda, as my current flow is around 2800 GPH, although the water movement seems good around the SPS at the middle to top of the tank.

The mag 18 barely provide flow from the sump, and to the chiller. around 600 GPH total return.

Magnesium has been elevated on purpose to deal with hair algae,now that battle is over, I have stopped dosing magnesium, and will likely add the zeovit magnesium to my reactor.