Newbie here with SPS some guidance please?

[Sharkfin724]

So, I'm new on keeping SPS healthy and growing. I know there will be many routes to take, and I am eager to hear some tips on how to care for them. I currently have a 180 RR tank. It's been going for 3 months now. I have nothing but LR and a 2 inch sand bed.

I have a custom made sump built for a 250g tank. A portion of it will be used to house mangrove and LR as well as some cheet. Please advise on levels with Calcium, etc. any and all guidance would be much appreciated.

 

[viplok]

balance and stability is key.

avoid dead spots. vacuum substrate. avoid debris build up.

use powerhead to blow live rocks few hours b4 water change.

get the biggest+best skimmer your can afford.

google google and google

 

[Sharkfin724]

Thank you for this. nice and simple. Can you or anyone share what optimum levels should read please ? I will probably have a few softies as well.

 

[offdahooklikeoj]

Everyones definition of optimum levels will vary based on equipment. To me an optimum level is a level that you can keep stable day in and out. For me thats 78-79 degrees F, 425cal, 8.0alk, 1380 mag, 1.025 salinity, and 8.2ph.

 

[Sharkfin724]

Awesome. That's what I was looking for. Yes. I understand everyone will have a varying degree of what "optimum" is. You provided me with specifics. That's what I was looking for. Thanks!

 

[BioMan]

Also Lighting is a big part too,, LED, T5, MH Combo of them etc,, either way you need to acclimate your pieces to lights, meaning keep newly acquired corals whether they small or large at the bottom then bring up slowly.

 

[jpellica]

a 3 month old tank is not mature or stable enough to keep any real sps so take your time and not rush you will loose a lot of sps and money, practice on keeping your parameters down and save your money for a lot of flow in the meantime and be very careful what lights you buy\use not all leds are capable of keeping sps. Have you ever kept any type of LPS alive for any extended period of time? not talking kenya, shrooms, GSP, Xenia I'm talking real LPS

And that's the Real

 

[BAD FISH]

Some really good advice here also buy frags and see what happens some are alot harder to keep than others.welcome to the hobby!

 

[SantaMonica]

Yes 3 months is not enough time for the periphyton to develop on the rocks. Until it does (takes about a year), the system will be unstable and you will need to pay more attention. Once the periphyton is developed (all rocks will be covered), it will be more naturally filtered and thus tolerant of changes and inputs.

 

[salpet]

start with birdnests and capricornis and millipora those are the easiest to keep alive once they start to show signs of growing you can try some of the harder ones always try to stay away from maricultured ones. frags from a person who has grown it in captivity always do better they are more resistant to slight swings. good luck

 

[salpet]

ps dont bother with mangroves you would need about a few hundred of them to do anything in a 250 tank