Noob On SPS Tank - Equipments, Water Param, Etc.

[adra110]

Been reading through the forums and found tons of info, discussion and many other things related to SPS. But for me as a noob, who think to move over from LPS to SPS keeping find it quite hard as getting too many info with different point of view.

So, really hoping you guys to enlight me on making a headstart.

Planning to start mix of lps ( 30% )and sps ( 70% ).

FYO, My budget for equipment are just an average level ( means not the super brand that most of you guys used ).

Tank dimension : 4 X 2 X 1 1/4 with 3 X 1 X 1 1/2 sump ( plan to set DSB and shallow water level )

Lighting : 4 tubes of T5 consist of 2 white and 2 actinic

Wave and flow : Please enlight ( i'm planning to scape the LR in the middle area so got front and back area and dunno wether sps need strong or other kind of flow )

Skimmer : Beckett

Chiller : 0.5 hp c0500

CR : Do i need it? Cause before this i only maintain my LPS mix with softies with calcium additives

Denitrator : What media to use? Carbon? Sulphur etc?

FR : rowa media

help me decide as i dont want to be chop by LFS that always ask customer to buy all the stuff in their cabinets.

Will update for further things after deciding the equip needed. :thanks:

[[V]tEc]

Been reading through the forums and found tons of info, discussion and many other things related to SPS. But for me as a noob, who think to move over from LPS to SPS keeping find it quite hard as getting too many info with different point of view.

So, really hoping you guys to enlight me on making a headstart.

Planning to start mix of lps ( 30% )and sps ( 70% ).

FYO, My budget for equipment are just an average level ( means not the super brand that most of you guys used ).

Tank dimension : 4 X 2 X 1 1/4 with 3 X 1 X 1 1/2 sump ( plan to set DSB and shallow water level )

Lighting : 4 tubes of T5 consist of 2 white and 2 actinic

Wave and flow : Please enlight ( i'm planning to scape the LR in the middle area so got front and back area and dunno wether sps need strong or other kind of flow )

Skimmer : Beckett

Chiller : 0.5 hp c0500

CR : Do i need it? Cause before this i only maintain my LPS mix with softies with calcium additives

Denitrator : What media to use? Carbon? Sulphur etc?

FR : rowa media

help me decide as i dont want to be chop by LFS that always ask customer to buy all the stuff in their cabinets.

Will update for further things after deciding the equip needed. :thanks:

1 thing for sure, u need to upgrade ur lightings to at least 6 tubes....8 tubes will be better, n of cos if possible go for 10....

CR is gd to have cos SPS will suck in CA n KH real fast. n also SPS need more stable perimeters. with the CA n KH going up n down daily, not very ideal....

Most SPS will love indirect strong flow....

Denitrator is good to have but if ur fish stocking is low, then no need to get that...

that all i have at the moment. wait for more experts to guide u on

[Vlamingi_cont]

1 thing for sure, u need to upgrade ur lightings to at least 6 tubes....8 tubes will be better, n of cos if possible go for 10....

CR is gd to have cos SPS will suck in CA n KH real fast. n also SPS need more stable perimeters. with the CA n KH going up n down daily, not very ideal....

Most SPS will love indirect strong flow....

Denitrator is good to have but if ur fish stocking is low, then no need to get that...

that all i have at the moment. wait for more experts to guide u on

Not only calc and kh all... Skimmer must be good to skim out all thos slime they produc whn stressed...

Just my 2 cents... Also rock structure try to make is as high as possible so that the sps will be growing towards the surface... My recommendation is to start with frags first... (Monti, Mille etc.)...

Cheers,

V_C

[mousecat11]

you can use CR togther and dipping Kalwasser to maintain and balance the Ca and KH value in your tank..

[[V]tEc]

Not only calc and kh all... Skimmer must be good to skim out all thos slime they produc whn stressed...

Just my 2 cents... Also rock structure try to make is as high as possible so that the sps will be growing towards the surface... My recommendation is to start with frags first... (Monti, Mille etc.)...

Cheers,

V_C

reply to TS n not me.....i m running a oversize skimmer

[gchoo]

Bro,

If u want to be able to maintain SPS with it's vibrant colours then you need to do the following:

a) have a stable water parameter like almost 0 nitrate and phosphate, high MG and Ca as well as a stable KH.

indirect flow as previously advised

c) strong intense light

So in order to achieve that you definately need some relatively good equipment to do like the bros above have advised... unless you want to be very hardworking and do the necessary like very frequent water changes; always measuring your water parameters and topping the necessary up etc

For starters if u are game, then try monti frags..digi...bird....If they thrive then you know you're ready for greater things...

[adra110]

Thanks to you guys..

So, today list on equipment update :

Tank dimension : 4 X 2 X 1 1/4 with 3 X 1 X 1 1/2 sump ( plan to set DSB and shallow water level )

Lighting : 2 units of 150w MH + 2 t5 actinic

Wave and flow : 2 units of k3 - strong and indirect flow ( how to do this ? )

Skimmer : Oversize skimmer ( 8'beckett with rio32 )

Chiller : 0.5 hp c0500

CR : What brand and additional stuff needed. ( will try to get used one if the price tag is over my budget ) ---never use this before

FR : rowa media

Is there any suggestion on additional additives needed on the setup? Been reading through stuff like vodka dosing, vitc, zeolith and stuff. What brand and type that you guys normally use?

[Solo77]

zeovit is another system. You need a reactor if you going into zeovit system.

For CR, you will still need CO2 cylingder, solenoid valve and regulator. You can either use timer or pH controller to set up your CR. Price range can be above 100 to 1000....depending on the brand and urge of seller selling "jump down" price....lol. My advice to you is to buy reputable CR as less jamming will occur.

For volka dosing, etc, there are for denitrater purpose......

Thanks to you guys..

So, today list on equipment update :

Tank dimension : 4 X 2 X 1 1/4 with 3 X 1 X 1 1/2 sump ( plan to set DSB and shallow water level )

Lighting : 2 units of 150w MH + 2 t5 actinic

Wave and flow : 2 units of k3 - strong and indirect flow ( how to do this ? )

Skimmer : Oversize skimmer ( 8'beckett with rio32 )

Chiller : 0.5 hp c0500

CR : What brand and additional stuff needed. ( will try to get used one if the price tag is over my budget ) ---never use this before

FR : rowa media

Is there any suggestion on additional additives needed on the setup? Been reading through stuff like vodka dosing, vitc, zeolith and stuff. What brand and type that you guys normally use?

[CrabShot]

Wave and flow : 2 units of k3 - strong and indirect flow ( how to do this ? )

random flow would be better for sps, try tunze or vortech

[Vlamingi_cont]

random flow would be better for sps, try tunze or vortech

If not really on budget... The new series of Koralia too... the magnum... its controllable...

[adra110]

If not really on budget... The new series of Koralia too... the magnum... its controllable...

ah, thanks again.

so maybe will need the best parameter for the tank.

Salinity - is it 1.025? some say should be a bit lower.

Calcium - maybe 420?

Mag - 1380?

kH - 9 - 10? or higher?

ph - 8.2?

no2 - i assume should be 0

no3 - max limits?

po4 - max limits? i mean the highest that acceptable

maybe any of you guys been using the grotech product ( i think ) that contains and coded by the A,B,C etc . what is that stuff? BTW , where could i get the latest koralia and the price?

[Vlamingi_cont]

ah, thanks again.

so maybe will need the best parameter for the tank.

Salinity - is it 1.025? some say should be a bit lower.

Calcium - maybe 420?

Mag - 1380?

kH - 9 - 10? or higher?

ph - 8.2?

no2 - i assume should be 0

no3 - max limits?

po4 - max limits? i mean the highest that acceptable

maybe any of you guys been using the grotech product ( i think ) that contains and coded by the A,B,C etc . what is that stuff? BTW , where could i get the latest koralia and the price?

Check it out here U also need the controller... Which might be quite pricey... Anyway...

IMO these water parameters are the best...

Specific gravity: 1.023 ~ 1.024 (some says that skimmer work better in salinity about 1.025 to 1.026) As long as not fluctuating much and within this range..

Temperature : as long as not warmer than 27.5'C will do...

pH : 8.1 ~ 8.3

Alk/ Carbonate Hardness: 10~12 dKH

Calcium : 450 ~480ppm (some keepers at GARF kept her tank at 500ppm Calcium)

Magnesium : 1300ppm

Iodine : .06ppm

Nitrate : A low as possible not exceeding 10 ppm

Phosphate : as long as below 0.001ppm (if i'm not wrong) To achieve this a sensibly sized FR will do the job with the help of SORB4 or other brands depending on your preference...

And regarding the grotech ABC thing is reef supplements which includes trace elements such as calcium, strontium, potassium etc.

Good luck...

[gchoo]

Check it out here U also need the controller... Which might be quite pricey... Anyway...

IMO these water parameters are the best...

Specific gravity: 1.023 ~ 1.024 (some says that skimmer work better in salinity about 1.025 to 1.026) As long as not fluctuating much and within this range..

Temperature : as long as not warmer than 27.5'C will do...

pH : 8.1 ~ 8.3

Alk/ Carbonate Hardness: 10~12 dKH

Calcium : 450 ~480ppm (some keepers at GARF kept her tank at 500ppm Calcium)

Magnesium : 1300ppm

Iodine : .06ppm

Nitrate : A low as possible not exceeding 10 ppm

Phosphate : as long as below 0.001ppm (if i'm not wrong) To achieve this a sensibly sized FR will do the job with the help of SORB4 or other brands depending on your preference...

And regarding the grotech ABC thing is reef supplements which includes trace elements such as calcium, strontium, potassium etc.

Good luck...

Bro, I think your Mg needs to be in the range of 14XXppm in order to maintain the Ca:Mg balance...

[Vlamingi_cont]

Bro, I think your Mg needs to be in the range of 14XXppm in order to maintain the Ca:Mg balance...

Not too sure too... "kapok" some of the parameters from the wayne shang book...