Lets talk SPS

[FocusReefing]

7 years?! Thats so depressing... I have to wait 7 years?!!!

 

[kres1024]

7 years?! Thats so depressing... I have to wait 7 years?!!!

Lol

 

[duke62]

No you dont have to wait 7 years. If your tank is stable and you have good par readings from your lights and you stay diligent on water changes and conditions in your tank you will have colonies in a year

 

[FocusReefing]

No you dont have to wait 7 years. If your tank is stable and you have good par readings from your lights and you stay diligent on water changes and conditions in your tank you will have colonies in a year

Thanks for the pat on the back :wink1: I have that warm fuzzy feeling again.

 

[2ChainzTru]

Advice..

Stability... And that generally comes from experience.

I'm certainly no sps expert but im on my 6th year reefing.

Knowing what your tank can handle is important and normally takes close to a year to figure out (just my opinion) With nanos, everything becomes more complicated. A lot of trial and error... Low nutrient levels and good husbandry is a must for long term positive results and for most people that's hard enough.

Most tanks will run the following.

Carbon reactor

GFO reactor

Skimmer or large fuge or both.(I use a very large fuge with no Skinmer - but I only have 2 fish)

Good water - distilled or rodi - keeping up with filter replacement.

Good flow and good rock work to prevent dead spots.

Controller - for heaters to prevent malfunctions and to keep temp stable.

QTing/Dipping coral to prevent outbreaks.

Regular water changes - matching water temp & salinity Is a must, all it takes Is one temp or salinity spike to possibly completely wipe a frag/colony. Most think this is such an easy task but I disagree.

You need to aim at keeping your phosphates an nitrates low for growth and colors..

As far as dosing, you need to keep up with trace elements one of two ways

Water changes or some sort of dosing method.

All tanks consume different amounts of trace elements. Good test kits are important, test over a period of 2-3 weeks to see your consumption.

Understanding the relationship between

Cal alk and magnesium.

thanks for the good info

 

[duke62]

So does anyone else acros get all white strings coming off during feeding?

 

[kres1024]

Some of mine do also after feedings

 

[MikeC]

So does anyone else acros get all white strings coming off during feeding?

Is that a agitation response or a feeding response?
I notice mine sometimes do that if I skip a weekly water change and thought it was a agitation response due to the water parameter change ?

 

[prattreef]

It is an agitation response caused by some kind of chemical cue. It is curious that feeding would illicit such a response. I'm not sure what feeds people are using ( I generally don't use any) but more than likely none of them are made up of solely intact natural sources and I wonder if some additives used to make the feeds "attractive" also cause some irritation. Just speculating out loud.....

 

[FocusReefing]

It is an agitation response caused by some kind of chemical cue. It is curious that feeding would illicit such a response. I'm not sure what feeds people are using ( I generally don't use any) but more than likely none of them are made up of solely intact natural sources and I wonder if some additives used to make the feeds "attractive" also cause some irritation. Just speculating out loud.....

So would I be correct in assumming that ur reefs main diet consist of fish poop and light? Do you find that your growth is comparable to reefs that are target fed? I have no experience with sps but im planning to take the leap soon, thats why im asking.

 

[duke62]

Im using the san fran bay brands frozen food mysis and brine

 

[prattreef]

So would I be correct in assuming that ur reefs main diet consist of fish poop and light? Do you find that your growth is comparable to reefs that are target fed? I have no experience with sps but im planning to take the leap soon, thats why im asking.

I can't really compare to other reefs, but my corals grow at what I consider a reasonable rate. I have a pretty heavy fish population and I feed them well so there is certainly food and poop aplenty. Light obviously plays a big role as does bacteria. There is no denying that corals are physiologically designed to eat, but a lot of us have been growing coral long before these coral foods were available and I don't consider them necessary for success. Some are fine products to be sure, but I think there is a fine line between being beneficial and adding excess waste. I'd recommend SPS beginners to steer clear of direct feeding.

 

[prattreef]

Im using the san fran bay brands frozen food mysis and brine

To feed Acros? Particle size seems a bit large no?

 

[duke62]

Not to feed acros Thats what i feed my fish. My acros eat fish poop. They make that string white slime when i feed the fish

 

[FocusReefing]

I can't really compare to other reefs, but my corals grow at what I consider a reasonable rate. I have a pretty heavy fish population and I feed them well so there is certainly food and poop aplenty. Light obviously plays a big role as does bacteria. There is no denying that corals are physiologically designed to eat, but a lot of us have been growing coral long before these coral foods were available and I don't consider them necessary for success. Some are fine products to be sure, but I think there is a fine line between being beneficial and adding excess waste. I'd recommend SPS beginners to steer clear of direct feeding.

Good to know. I definitely prefer to keep things as simple as possible.

 

[prattreef]

Not to feed acros Thats what i feed my fish. My acros eat fish poop. They make that string white slime when i feed the fish

When you feed the fish? This I have not seen.

 

[kres1024]

I get the same when I feed my fish rods food or mysis ,some acros get the white stringy stuff,and it don't matter when I feed day or night still happens

 

[duke62]

Ill takes pics tonight when i feed.

 

[SteveZ15]

From what I understand the white slime is a way for the corals to clean themseves,It happens when I use oyster roe or stir up the tank.I think they do that to get excess detritus and other particals off their tissue.

 

[Dimitrios91]

Does anyone know what causes blister like bubbles on Birdsnest. I have two of them and both are doing it. They are growing fine, white tips everywhere, just have these blister things ? And they have never actually turned a pink in color. My Halides are 7" off the water surface, coral is around 6" below the surface.