SPS tank conditions Help please

[t5Nitro]

Hello, I am going to start putting in SPS coral. Ok, I have a seio 620 and a 185 GPH return on my filter. Is it best to go with 2 more seio 620s or just get a seio 820? Takes up less room and with the 820 its 35x the flow. Should be fine right? So one more question, why, say liveaquaria.com they list SPS as difficult to keep on some and others moderate. Is it just water quality purposes? If I match the, "look through tank and paper is still white" and if thats a yes, lighting is able to withstand it = yes, and water quality is good = yes can I keep sps corals ok? Getting that extra powerhead will make flow = yes for right amount too. So if it matches all those would it be safe putting a lot of SPS in the tank? I have 1 monticap in there right now, a little frag. Just let me know if it would be ok to put more SPS in the tank, I don't want to waste a lot of money on corals and have them go because I can't afford to refill it. Thanks for any information.

[BLKTANG]

If your talking about just frags then IMO i say yes to adding multiple sps "FRAGS" @ 1 time.I have added 4 frags b-4.

But remember to b paitent.

also i would preplan the spot where to put them.So far as care for each one.Flow,Light ect.

[t5Nitro]

Ya, so with that powerhead go for it? Yes, they would all be frags. Can you even buy big corals? All I have found is small things, if not small then the corals are like mushrooms with many polyps on a rock or something. So 4 SPS at a time should be ok? Anywhere in the tank should be fine then, just not right infront of the powerhead correct? Putting in that extra powerhead will make it turbulent throughout the area I think anyway. I am picking up this powerhead the same time as the frags, should I go with 2 seio 620s to make 3 in my tank and the return pump or the 820 and my current 620 seio and the return pump? Having 3 seios and the return pump just takes up a lot of room and thats 44x the flow. If I did the 820 seio that would bring the flow to 35x the flow. Is the 820 fine to get?

[Norwood IND]

What type of lighting are you using?
Second, what are your parameters? Calcium, alkalinity, nitrates, phospate, pH???

WHile flow and lighting are critical so are the parameters above. Stability is the key to keeping a very healthy and thriving SPS tank.

If you are just starting off, best to start with easier SPS like montipora caps, digitatas and birdsnest. These are some of the easier sps that will still do relatively well with so-so parameters. This is probably what you saw on the liveaquaria website in pertaining to level of difficulty. It has to do with the type of sps.

Just some info for you if you did not know already.

Good luck :)

[BLKTANG]

have u decided on the 2 620's or the 820?Well some sps like it high in the tank,& some like it on the bottom,some like alot of flow,others not so much.So when u say "anywhere in the tank then should be fine then" I would say anywhere the coral is happiest.In time u will know.


If your goin with the 820 in a 46,go BB to avoid the sandstorm.

[t5Nitro]

Actually have someone in the area that told me go with another 820, so I would have the 620/820/820/185. Thats 53x the flow. You can avoid a sand storm though can't you? Just point the 820s in different angles at a peice of glass to diffuse out a bit and push at different angles when it hits glass?

[BLKTANG]

I think that with 2 820's u would have a heat issue,& then need a chiller.

[t5Nitro]

What would you recommend then?

[BLKTANG]

Its hard for me because i never had a bow before,& i would imagine flow patterns are alot different.

[t5Nitro]

Yep, flow does this. Well mine anyway because they point at the glass. Hits the glass and shoots diagonal downward I think. Just rounds out with the glass. Thats what I think it does anyway.

[BLKTANG]

i drip calk right at the ph's in my reef to c which way the flo is directed,

[t5Nitro]

I guess I am going to go with 1 more seio 620 for flow.