could i keep lps corals in my tank?

[mastershake93]

i want some hammer and frog spawn sooo bad. they are probly some of my favorite corals. my tank is a standard 55 gal tank. i have a power compact strip light that puts out about 245 watts. thats about 4.5 watts a gallon. my ph is 8.2
alkalinity is 240ppm
nitrites are unreadable
nitrates are 20 ppm but i am doing weekly water changes to lower them

i have slightly less then moderate water flow but i am placing an order on drf&s.com and i am getting a hydor karolla evolution 1050 to add to my tank.


please help me out because i am not sure if i can keep them, if any lps corals. i have aome soft corals like two toadstools, somr zoos, some mushrooms. idk if it matters but as for fish, i have a blue tang, a pair of clowns, 3 damsels, 2 blue green chromis.

if i can keep them yet, can you give me advice on what i can do to eventualy keep it?
thanks for any help you can offer

[neoalchemist74]

For all stonie corals you should be running tests for phoshphate, calcium, and magnesium in addition to the tests you are running. I think you might have just enough light if you place any lps mid to high level in your aquarium.
What alk test are you using? Alk is usually mesured in meq/l or dKH.
That is: 7-9 dKh or 2.5 to 3.2 meq/l.
proper water chemistry will prove more important than more lighting.

[mastershake93]

they are just dip strip, type of test kits. and i will order some test kits for pho., calcium, and mag. i had already planned on putting them on top of two peaks in my tank[IMG][/IMG]

[mastershake93]

also, is there anything i could put in the bottom area?

[neoalchemist74]

Plan on getting a new alk test soon. those dip strips are like using a dowsing rod to find water. you might as well taste your water and use that to decide what your levels are. I recomend salifert test kits if you want to suceed in this reef thing. until you get some good tests make sure you do at least 20% per week water changes since I get the impression this tank is new and therfore not fully cycled or at least not very well established. in any case maybe a ricordia rock or some blue mushrooms in that spot. you should try to think of lighting in terms of intensity at distance instaed of watts per gallon.
Also for certian species color temp is very important once you get past certain intensity, for instance; chalice corals will do well in lower lighting as long as you have an established system (6mo) at least and a bluer hueghed light 14k to 20k.

[Inklinkerman]

^ I agree. Wattage isn't everything. If it was I'd just hand a few 100w standard light bulbs above the tank. I think you could go for euphylia in a few months but for now stick to mushrooms etc. I've never had PCs so i'm not sure exactly how powerful your lighting is but you could always supplement them with some LEDs or something if needed.

[neoalchemist74]

you may do well with a trach brain in that spot as long as it gets an occasional feeding.

[mastershake93]

the tank has been up for almost a year now actualy. and ok

[Inklinkerman]

Try a torch or hammer. Favia could work also.

[Sheol]

Lightwise your good for several LPS corals, also softies. But get those test kits!

Matthew

[footballdude2k3]

for sure get new test kits, no drip strips, no idea on how powerful pc's are i would try a hammer and some candy canes, but i would keep them towards the top of the tank. if they do well you can try moving them down the tank to see how they do, once they start to shrivel up a little bit you move them back to the spot that they did well and you should find the lighting floor.

[mastershake93]

ok, when i can i will get those test kits, thanks for the help, after i get the test kits and see how my water really is then i will look into a frag of hammer.