whats most vital for sps?

ryanpal · 11/12/2008, 05:18 PM

i put in a frag of hydnopora a few weeks ago. the one tip seems to have lost some of its bright color. it also doesn't seem to be starting its growing phase.

my lps and zoos of my tank look great.

i'm wondering what are some important / vital aspects of sps. perhaps i can modify the environment to ensure its health

ihavtats29 · 11/12/2008, 05:39 PM

high light conditions, lots of flow, clean water, alk and cal levels correct?/ good water parims 0 ammonia / 0 nitrate / 0 nirtite. color loss can be from a few diferant things if it starts bleaching out move it down lower in the tank and bring it back up slowly

FOSELONE · 11/12/2008, 08:32 PM

lots of calcium...strong light...good water quality

Gary Majchrzak · 11/12/2008, 08:38 PM

read this:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

vivioo7 · 11/12/2008, 08:48 PM

most vital for sps is not trying to cut corners or trying to get away with not doing everything

LobsterOfJustice · 11/12/2008, 08:52 PM

Alk

tmz · 11/12/2008, 10:29 PM

Hydnopora have relatively large polyps. They require high light low flow and excellent water quality.

_E_ · 11/12/2008, 10:53 PM

In general sps like consistent parameters, high lighting and strong to moderate, indirect flow.

Hydnophora, is somewhat of an easier coral to keep when compared to most true sps. In reality, many sources have trouble categorizing hydnophora because of its attributes:
Many hydnophoras appear "sps like" but have uncharacteristic medium-sized polps. Most aggressively send out sweeper tenticles like a lps and their attack will kill most any other coral quickly.

ryanpal · 11/13/2008, 02:39 PM

thanks for the replies guys. looks like my calcium and alk were both low.

is there any natural products i can use to boost calcium? i think you can use baking soda to boost alk if i recall correctly.

it's time for a water change but it won't be enough to boost it to the proper levels.

anyone have recommendations on how slow i should raise the calcicum per day?

tmz · 11/13/2008, 07:05 PM

Dosing limewater (kalk ) is a very ggod way to meet your needs for calcium and akalinity.

ihavtats29 · 11/13/2008, 08:37 PM

just make sure the kalk is completely disolved if any that is not disolved lands on any corals it will burn them. most use a kalk reactor to dose kalk. a simple part a and part b solution will do fine along with dosing magnesium . www.bulkreefsupply.com
has the best deals i can find

lecher · 11/13/2008, 09:00 PM

In order of importance, imo.

1- stability of good water conditions
2- Alk
3- lots of flow
4- Ca
5- good lighting
6- nutrition

Toddrtrex · 11/13/2008, 10:47 PM

IMO, all 3 ( lights, Cal/Alk/Mag, and flow ) are equally important. If one is off you are going to have issues.

tmz · 11/14/2008, 12:07 AM

One additional key in my opinion is managing phosphate(PO4) to low levels. Phosphate is very low on the reef ( around .02 or .03 ppm). High phosphate can inhibit calicfication and cause algae growth . Managing nitrates is also imprortant but unless excessively high( over 25ppm or so) it would be of secondary importance to phosphate control.

ryanpal · 11/14/2008, 12:48 AM

thanks guys.

i do have kalk but not too much left of it, hence why i thought maybe there was some household stuff to use instead.

one thing i do not have is a mag test nor anything to raise mag (in case it's low as well)

ihavtats29 · 11/15/2008, 12:26 AM

if you cannot get your cal level above 360 to 380 you will need to dose mag to around 1350 ppm to get your cal to the desired level around 450 ppm

11/12/2008, 05:18 PM	#1
ryanpal Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 756	whats most vital for sps? i put in a frag of hydnopora a few weeks ago. the one tip seems to have lost some of its bright color. it also doesn't seem to be starting its growing phase. my lps and zoos of my tank look great. i'm wondering what are some important / vital aspects of sps. perhaps i can modify the environment to ensure its health

11/12/2008, 05:39 PM	#2
ihavtats29 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: cordova , TN Posts: 2,882	high light conditions, lots of flow, clean water, alk and cal levels correct?/ good water parims 0 ammonia / 0 nitrate / 0 nirtite. color loss can be from a few diferant things if it starts bleaching out move it down lower in the tank and bring it back up slowly __________________ got reef? Current Tank Info: 29 biocube HQI

11/12/2008, 08:38 PM	#4
Gary Majchrzak Team RC Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 41,560	Re: whats most vital for sps? read this: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php __________________ over 24 years experience with multiple types of marine aquarium systems see Upstate Reef Society Forum on RC and FB GOOGLE JUNIOR'S REEF Current Tank Info: 84x24x30 265g reef past TOTM honors

11/12/2008, 08:52 PM	#6
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	Alk __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

11/12/2008, 10:29 PM	#7
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	Hydnopora have relatively large polyps. They require high light low flow and excellent water quality. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

11/12/2008, 08:32 PM	#3
FOSELONE THINK BLUE Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: LOS ANGELES CA Posts: 4,865	lots of calcium...strong light...good water quality

11/12/2008, 08:48 PM	#5
vivioo7 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 104	most vital for sps is not trying to cut corners or trying to get away with not doing everything

11/12/2008, 10:53 PM	#8
_E_ Professional Lurker Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Du Quoin, Illinois Posts: 1,169	In general sps like consistent parameters, high lighting and strong to moderate, indirect flow. Hydnophora, is somewhat of an easier coral to keep when compared to most true sps. In reality, many sources have trouble categorizing hydnophora because of its attributes: Many hydnophoras appear "sps like" but have uncharacteristic medium-sized polps. Most aggressively send out sweeper tenticles like a lps and their attack will kill most any other coral quickly. __________________ Eric "If you think things can't get worse it's probably only because you lack sufficient imagination." Current Tank Info: 140 DSA with basement sump room

11/13/2008, 02:39 PM	#9
ryanpal Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 756	thanks for the replies guys. looks like my calcium and alk were both low. is there any natural products i can use to boost calcium? i think you can use baking soda to boost alk if i recall correctly. it's time for a water change but it won't be enough to boost it to the proper levels. anyone have recommendations on how slow i should raise the calcicum per day?

11/13/2008, 07:05 PM	#10
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	Dosing limewater (kalk ) is a very ggod way to meet your needs for calcium and akalinity. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

11/13/2008, 08:37 PM	#11
ihavtats29 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: cordova , TN Posts: 2,882	just make sure the kalk is completely disolved if any that is not disolved lands on any corals it will burn them. most use a kalk reactor to dose kalk. a simple part a and part b solution will do fine along with dosing magnesium . www.bulkreefsupply.com has the best deals i can find __________________ got reef? Current Tank Info: 29 biocube HQI

11/13/2008, 09:00 PM	#12
lecher Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: SC Posts: 676	In order of importance, imo. 1- stability of good water conditions 2- Alk 3- lots of flow 4- Ca 5- good lighting 6- nutrition

11/13/2008, 10:47 PM	#13
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	IMO, all 3 ( lights, Cal/Alk/Mag, and flow ) are equally important. If one is off you are going to have issues. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

11/14/2008, 12:07 AM	#14
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	One additional key in my opinion is managing phosphate(PO4) to low levels. Phosphate is very low on the reef ( around .02 or .03 ppm). High phosphate can inhibit calicfication and cause algae growth . Managing nitrates is also imprortant but unless excessively high( over 25ppm or so) it would be of secondary importance to phosphate control. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

11/14/2008, 12:48 AM	#15
ryanpal Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 756	thanks guys. i do have kalk but not too much left of it, hence why i thought maybe there was some household stuff to use instead. one thing i do not have is a mag test nor anything to raise mag (in case it's low as well)

11/15/2008, 12:26 AM	#16
ihavtats29 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: cordova , TN Posts: 2,882	if you cannot get your cal level above 360 to 380 you will need to dose mag to around 1350 ppm to get your cal to the desired level around 450 ppm __________________ got reef? Current Tank Info: 29 biocube HQI