solasido

Sharing this info for newbie in sps like me: http://www.cmas-md.org/forums/showthread.php?t=65097 Found this on another Reef Site and thought it would be good to put here for people struggling with their colors on certain corals. This is word for word from another reefer so feel free to add anything or make and statements based on the information below. From 95accord: This guide endeavors to assist you with the ever popular SPS coral. This was written by member Shadowramy @ ReefCentral and it explains specific ideas and strategies in which you can do to affect the color of your corals. This assumes you have a more then basic understanding of water parameters in your tank. In the past I have been asked a lot about coral colorization as well as wanted to satisfy my own curiosity about specific methods to achieving certain colors. Usually I am asked, How do you get good colors?� Which I then ask, what specific color are you looking to enhance?� Over the past several months I have really worked on tweaking colors and what is needed to get certain colors. I have done my own testing as well as seen a lot of others tanks and what they have done to achieve certain colors. I think I finally have a basic map for those who are interested. Please note: I am assuming that you meet the minimum suggested standards to keeping SPS; strong lighting, calcium at the appropriate levels, strong skimming and live rock. Yellows Highly dependent on Nitrate and PO4 levels. Of course all SPS colors are highly dependent on lack of N and P so I wanted to start with probably the easiest color to get, yellow. Yellows are sort of you baseline; yellows will tell you a lot about what is going on in your tank, what is needed and what is overdosed. Nitrate and/or PO4 reduction is most important, either through technical means such as nitrate/phosphate reducers or biologically through DSB, Carbon dosing and/or water changes and fuges. Basically, if you want to do SPS, I would suggest starting with an acropora that is yellow. If you can get it to say yellow for several months, you should be ready for something else. Greens Greens would be the next easiest color to tweak. Most green coloration can be achieved through the addition of an Iron Concentrate (Kents is what I use, however Iron is Iron). You must be very careful with Iron because it is also an Algae accelerator; this is why it is so important for you to get your yellows colors first (your N and P will be lowered). Additionally, I use my yellows as indicators for my greens and blues. You’ll notice a deficiancy if your greens are brown color or they are paling in color. I start off by dosing Iron at about 1 drop per 50 usg twice a week and take note of what happens, color changes, Algae growth, until my yellow acroporas display a green shimmer (it won’t be a solid green but a shimmer of a green/yellow). Please note, a sign of overdosing is a darkening of tissue, when this happens you have added too much iron or too much iron is being added. Another sign of overdosing is Algae growth, stop immediately and possibly do a water change if necessary. Like everything else reef, go slowly. Blues and some purples This is mainly for blues but I have found is can also have an effect on purples. The supplement for this is Potassium Iodide Concentrate or Lugol’s solution, ESV Potassium Iodide Concentrate will also work; don’t just get something that says Potassium because that is a little different. Dosing should be done when blue colors become less intense. Again, using yellow corals as indicators, stop dosing when yellow corals display a green shimmer. Reds/Pinks and some Purples Primarily for coloring reds and pinks in Montiporas, Pocilloporas, Birdsnest, other Stys and Seriatoporas. The supplement is Potassium (not potassium iodide). If you are using a high potassium salt mix such as Oceanic, Tropical Marine Pro and you are doing regular water changes, you are more than likely not going to need to supplement this much. For dosing you can use your monitporas, especially caps as indicators. Supplementing is required when Montiporas display slower growth and appear washed out to grey appearance. Indicators on Stys and Pocs are when they look like they have been exposed to air. Polyps are completely withdrawn and colors are light. Other indicators of potassium deficiency is when the pinks turn into a light brown and when acroporas loose their color and get lighter and pale. A major potassium deficiency is seen when tissue is lost, mostly starting from the base opposed to spotting (patchy look). And overdose can lead to tip burning so don’t mistake tip burn for new growth. Tips burns will be white with no polyps. Purples Probably one of the hardest coloration of all acroporas from my experience since it is a combination of several variables. First and foremost is water clarity, which means Carbon and/or filter socks. I have also had good result from biological filters such as using cryptic zones, which produce seasquirts, sponges and other filter feeding animals. Zeo Sponge Power, which can be used in any system, feeds sponges. Sponges are great because they can filter a mass amount of water for better water clarity. From what I have noted, increased water clarify will first effect SPS tips but not the complete base. I have seen nana and valida with really nice purple tips but brown/tan/white bases. I have seen the same nana and valida in another’s tanks, which met all other parameters with a full purple from base to tip. Second being lighting. From my observations of my own tank and others, purples seem to love 420-440nm range light spectrum, those found in actinics and 20K halides. Some of the best purples I have seen are in tanks that have 440nm blue actinics (ATI Blue+, Giessman Actinic) or 20K Halides (Radium, XM 20K). Third, supplements such as Iodide and Potassium (see blues and Reds/Pinks). Again, make sure your greens are green and yellows are yellow. Your blue should be bright with depth. Iodide will also help if you have tip burn. These are just my observations through testing and I am sure in the future other factors will be seen and added. Please feel free to comment with your own observations, data is very important to moving forward.

the heat exchanger where water flows is normally from titanium. It will not become rusty. I think, we should be more concern on the controller (should keep it in drier room).

Yes, from my experience since I do biweekly water changes and prepared pre-mixed saltwater container for a week; percipitation occur always occur on my saltwater container. The container wall contains calcium carbonates now (smell like cement). Now I start mixing before water change. If percipication occur, the Kh and Ca will drop and it defeats the purpose of using coral pro version.

upz for you, bro. the ones last time got from you keep growing

tank wise if you are looking for a standard one, try Clementi blk 328, 2ft glass tank $25 only. Thatz aquarium at Yishun ring rd near Khatib mrt also has cheap standard tank. But no sump, hor.

Did more reading on the net, the conclusion is that they need feeding on top strong lighting and good water parameters. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Hi bros, For an SPS only tank, will the SPS live well without any feeding? Anyone can share the experience? Thanks a lot.

To add on, those elements that we dose are major elements, but there are many trace elements that are not easy to detect/measure that will be refilled by water changes.

I wan to apply for membership so can visit weekly

This one "Blue Planet: Seas of Life" every Wednesday 9pm? I just visited animal planet website to check the schedule. Looks interesting.

if you freshwater is tab water, the bacteria have definitely gone. the critters in live rock (pods, worms) would have died and this will cause ammonia spike especially if the bacteria is gone. the best is add saltwater and do cycling again or add bacteria and monitor ammonia and no2; do not add live stock yet.

If ur Mg is low, raise Mg first slowly. Most Mg supplement is in the form of magnesium sulfate crystal; to prevent too high sulfate go into your water, dont dose more than what is advised in the supplement label.

make sure ur Mg level is at least 1300, then slowly dose 1dkh a day till it reaches ur target. Without sufficient Mg, ur effort to raise will be futile especially if ur Ca is high.

Ah Beng got some. I bought a little cutie yellow box yesterday (still being quarantined)

Shd get Mg too. It is better to get separate dkh, Ca and Mg supplement so that you can independently control the parameters. Mg is consumed by some corals and coralines, so the level can be depleted too (ie need dosing too if the depletion is high before the next water change)

First check your Mg; it has to be >1300ppm after that add carbonate as suggested by John to increase dkh Without good level of Mg, carbonate ion will quickly bind with calcium ion and the ion will quickly disappear from your aquarium water (the resulting calcium carbonate may accumulate in your pump) and again your is going down (with your Ca going down too). After that monitor daily to see how much the dkh, Ca, and Mg decrease; setup dosing regime to maintain them at desired level. When increasing dkh, try to inc max 1dkh per day. When doing water change, match the dkh and ca of the new mixed saltwater before changing the water. When matching dkh and Ca, make sure that Mg is at least 1300ppm. Other trace elements that are hard to trace, do regular water changes to refurnish the elements.

Hi bro, from what i see, think the main point is not about the amount of life rock,, skimmer, etc, but how much bio load that you are planning for your tank. Bonsai type with aesthetics and less crowded tank will not need as powerful skimmer, dosing, etc as fully loaded tank.

Cheaper than vodka, you can dose using sugar. Sugar is also a source of carbon (the molecules are C based). Just google it.

10 kg mounting on tank, the tank can hold it meh?

Oh, any bro here used GreenChapter before? The portfolio seems to be more for corporate than individual.

Heard that CR has 10 years warranty.

Oh, a pity, lemon law only kicks in this Saturday, 1-Sep. It also includes Pets. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1188720/1/.html

The shop name is visible from 2nd floor hawker center (one of my fav hawker center) The name is Wong Loy Kee

ah, overflow in the middle is nice..

hi bros, sisters, any of you have 4 sided view reef tank (non-nano tank)? can share the pics? I am finding different tank setup but found that 4 sided view will be interesting and if I can learn from your setup. thanks a lot.