Coral/Reef tank advice

jeffbooher · 01/13/2016, 10:07 AM

I have had fish only "reef" tanks in the past and recently just started up a new tank. It's a 50 gallon breeder with 20 gallon sump. Forgive me but I am still probably considered a beginner to this. I have a G2 skimmer in the sump and use live rock/sock filter in the sump as well with a mag 5 drive pump. I'm still in the process of getting the tank ready but I wanted to see what peoples opinions were on dosing the tank and what is needed for soft corals? I have a Current Orbit Marine LED(8,000K/12,000K white along with 445nm/460nm actinic blue) that the reviews have said can grow soft corals and some people have said they use it for their hard corals as well. My question is do you still use calcium reactors and kalkwasser dosing? A LFS told me most using a different dosing method than calcium reactors now(I can't remember what he referred to it as). I'm sorry if this should be in a different area of the forum. I scan through for ideas but only posted one other time.

As a side note, I do plan on having reef safe fish as well.

scooter31707 · 01/13/2016, 10:54 AM

IMO, that light can grow Soft Corals if they are high enough in the water column. Soft corals are more forgiven than SPS corals. For as the dosing method, I have a total of 16 corals in my tank with 10 LPS, 4 SPS, 2 softies and I still don't have to dose yet, as biweekly water changes are keeping my parameters inline. So that will be something you can consider. They have dosing pumps you can get for good prices.

thegrun · 01/13/2016, 11:06 AM

I suspect that since you are focusing on soft corals as long as you keep up on your water changes you will not need to dose anything, but only a regular testing program will confirm this. If you stay primarily with soft corals I suspect the worse case scenario would be that you would need to top off with kalk. The next step up if you do start keeping stony corals would be to dose two part calcium and alkalinity. For a small system like yours I would stay with dosing two part rather than using a calcium reactor.

jeffbooher · 01/13/2016, 11:08 AM

Scooter - thank you for the reply.

Yeah I do not plan on having a lot of corals to start with anyhow. I've read a little on say mushrooms, zooanthids, and green toadstool mushroom corals. I actually was hoping to get the toadstool mushroom if I was able too. I've seen some clowns like to "host" in there. few corals just to add some color and good looking scenery to the tank is what I'd like. I'll add a stronger/better light later on when I get the money together.

The water changes would be a simple solution for the dosing in that case then?

jeffbooher · 01/13/2016, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegrun

I suspect that since you are focusing on soft corals as long as you keep up on your water changes you will not need to dose anything, but only a regular testing program will confirm this. If you stay primarily with soft corals I suspect the worse case scenario would be that you would need to top off with kalk. The next step up if you do start keeping stony corals would be to dose two part calcium and alkalinity. For a small system like yours I would stay with dosing two part rather than using a calcium reactor.

Thank you grun. I'm not really looking to get into the hard corals just yet. I'll see what happens with it once I get it ready to go. See how one coral does for awhile and then go from there. Thank you.

3dees · 01/13/2016, 11:48 AM

I would get better lighting and not worry about dosing. my 120 gal. is full of softies and a few lps' 2 1/2 years and I don't dose anything. regular wc's are enough.

01/13/2016, 10:07 AM	#1
jeffbooher Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Aliquippa Posts: 25	Coral/Reef tank advice I have had fish only "reef" tanks in the past and recently just started up a new tank. It's a 50 gallon breeder with 20 gallon sump. Forgive me but I am still probably considered a beginner to this. I have a G2 skimmer in the sump and use live rock/sock filter in the sump as well with a mag 5 drive pump. I'm still in the process of getting the tank ready but I wanted to see what peoples opinions were on dosing the tank and what is needed for soft corals? I have a Current Orbit Marine LED(8,000K/12,000K white along with 445nm/460nm actinic blue) that the reviews have said can grow soft corals and some people have said they use it for their hard corals as well. My question is do you still use calcium reactors and kalkwasser dosing? A LFS told me most using a different dosing method than calcium reactors now(I can't remember what he referred to it as). I'm sorry if this should be in a different area of the forum. I scan through for ideas but only posted one other time. As a side note, I do plan on having reef safe fish as well. Last edited by jeffbooher; 01/13/2016 at 10:15 AM.

01/13/2016, 10:54 AM	#2
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	IMO, that light can grow Soft Corals if they are high enough in the water column. Soft corals are more forgiven than SPS corals. For as the dosing method, I have a total of 16 corals in my tank with 10 LPS, 4 SPS, 2 softies and I still don't have to dose yet, as biweekly water changes are keeping my parameters inline. So that will be something you can consider. They have dosing pumps you can get for good prices.

01/13/2016, 11:06 AM	#3
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	I suspect that since you are focusing on soft corals as long as you keep up on your water changes you will not need to dose anything, but only a regular testing program will confirm this. If you stay primarily with soft corals I suspect the worse case scenario would be that you would need to top off with kalk. The next step up if you do start keeping stony corals would be to dose two part calcium and alkalinity. For a small system like yours I would stay with dosing two part rather than using a calcium reactor.

01/13/2016, 11:08 AM	#4
jeffbooher Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Aliquippa Posts: 25	Scooter - thank you for the reply. Yeah I do not plan on having a lot of corals to start with anyhow. I've read a little on say mushrooms, zooanthids, and green toadstool mushroom corals. I actually was hoping to get the toadstool mushroom if I was able too. I've seen some clowns like to "host" in there. few corals just to add some color and good looking scenery to the tank is what I'd like. I'll add a stronger/better light later on when I get the money together. The water changes would be a simple solution for the dosing in that case then?

01/13/2016, 11:48 AM	#6
3dees Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chicago burbs Posts: 793	I would get better lighting and not worry about dosing. my 120 gal. is full of softies and a few lps' 2 1/2 years and I don't dose anything. regular wc's are enough.