Help me out here please. Sps question

jem454 · 04/02/2015, 10:09 PM

Hey all new guy here.
Been running a biocube 29 with a lone clown fish for the last year while deciding what exactly I want to do.
Well the wife, daughter and I decided we wanted a larger setup.
In January I set up a standard 125 with a 40b sump using a herbie overflow. Sump has a fuge growing chaeto, and running a vertex omega 150 skimmer.
2 jebao wp25 on else mode, reefbreeders photon 60, about 100lbs live rock.
Running a spectrapure uplc ato, setting up a stenner auto water change system at 1.5 gallons per day.

Livestock so far.
2 perc clowns
yellow tang
Foxface
4 blue green reef chromis
Torch coral
Hammer coral

Now please don't beat me up too hard here lol.
I'm trying to take things slow here, buying what I need little at a time.
I still need test kits, refractometer and such. I plan on getting an apex over the summer.
Point is I will be doing lps sps dominant down the road

Everything has been going very well so far.
My dilemma is there is a big frag swap coming this month.
I planned on buying mainly montipora from the lfs when I'm ready, but they are kind of pricey.

Will I be OK for now buying a handful of frags from the swap even though I am not completely set up? It could save me some substantial money
I plan on dosing kalk in ato, but again I'm not that far along yet.

I really hate to miss out on this opportunity if I don't have to.

CStrickland · 04/02/2015, 10:39 PM

Hi Jem
I'd get the test kits first just to know whether you're in the range of what the frags will tolerate. It's a really good sign that your lps are doing good, but the new ones might be a little more picky. Plus you'll want to know the salinity and ph when you get them so that you can make the change gradually for your new purchases. Deff be able to test before you start any dosing.
I think you'll save $ in the long run if you get the tests now. Plus if the new frags don't make it you won't be kicking yourself thinking it was something easy to fix like salinity.

jem454 · 04/02/2015, 10:43 PM

Yeah I'm definitely trying to avoid mistakes and certainly am not ready for dosing yet.
Just thought with being frags I will have some time to finish up my system.

oseymour · 04/02/2015, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jem454

Yeah I'm definitely trying to avoid mistakes and certainly am not ready for dosing yet.
Just thought with being frags I will have some time to finish up my system.

Are you in NYC? I'm in Brooklyn. I can probably get you some APi test kits I have around. It's not the best but it's better than nothing. At least you'll have an idea roughly where your params are.

PM me if your interested.

AZBigJohn · 04/02/2015, 11:00 PM

One thing you can do is they have frag racks that can suction cup or magnetic clip onto the inside wall of your tank so you can grow them out a little before you decide where you want them.

As long as you are keeping your parameters in a decent range, even this early you should be able to keep them going.

jem454 · 04/02/2015, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oseymour

Are you in NYC? I'm in Brooklyn. I can probably get you some APi test kits I have around. It's not the best but it's better than nothing. At least you'll have an idea roughly where your params are.

PM me if your interested.

Thanks for the offer.
No I'm near Buffalo. I have no problem getting kits, it's just like I said doing a bit at a time.
Didn't realize how caught up I would get in this hobby.

The money is going fast lol.

jem454 · 04/02/2015, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZBigJohn

One thing you can do is they have frag racks that can suction cup or magnetic clip onto the inside wall of your tank so you can grow them out a little before you decide where you want them.

As long as you are keeping your parameters in a decent range, even this early you should be able to keep them going.

That's what I was hoping to hear. Like I said I don't want to rush, but don't want toppass up on good deals either.

I'm still new to this and learning, but my parameters should be OK with water changes alone till I get some growth right?

CStrickland · 04/02/2015, 11:31 PM

I think for less than $50 you could put together a bare bones kit
idk what you will set your apex up with, if you're sure that you are going to have a salinity probe in a few months maybe just a $10 plastic swing arm would do. same deal with $10 ph drops test. API sells a kit for like $30 that has Calcium, Alk, Nitrates, and Phosphates.

none of those are very reliable, and everybody says you need the better ones. but then you hear about old timers that do fine with the cheap stuff. since your tank doesnt have any issues now... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

how are you doing water changes if you can't test the salinity?

itzonlithai · 04/03/2015, 12:01 AM

Swaps come and go. Get your alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, and salinity in order first.

jem454 · 04/03/2015, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CStrickland

I think for less than $50 you could put together a bare bones kit
idk what you will set your apex up with, if you're sure that you are going to have a salinity probe in a few months maybe just a $10 plastic swing arm would do. same deal with $10 ph drops test. API sells a kit for like $30 that has Calcium, Alk, Nitrates, and Phosphates.

none of those are very reliable, and everybody says you need the better ones. but then you hear about old timers that do fine with the cheap stuff. since your tank doesnt have any issues now... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

how are you doing water changes if you can't test the salinity?

I have a cheap hydrometer for now.
Ato is set and working, auto waterchange will be done in a couple weeks.

I'm definitely getting salinity and ph modules for apex so I get an alert if things get out of balance.

Pife · 04/03/2015, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itzonlithai

Swaps come and go. Get your alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, and salinity in order first.

This

outssider · 04/03/2015, 05:14 PM

trying to keep sps with no test kits is like trying to drive a car blindfolded. calcium, magnesium and especially alkalinity will drop even in a new tank (magnesium to a much lesser degree). If you got lights on, your coralline algae will start to grow, that alone takes a lot of alkalinity out of the water.

most established tanks use 2-3 dkh a day, that means one day of no dosing and you're already in deep doo doo.....

jem454 · 04/03/2015, 06:11 PM

Well thanks for the answers. I thought a few frags would be OK for a month.
Apparently not a good idea. I'll wait.

04/02/2015, 10:09 PM	#1
jem454 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: ny Posts: 86	Help me out here please. Sps question Hey all new guy here. Been running a biocube 29 with a lone clown fish for the last year while deciding what exactly I want to do. Well the wife, daughter and I decided we wanted a larger setup. In January I set up a standard 125 with a 40b sump using a herbie overflow. Sump has a fuge growing chaeto, and running a vertex omega 150 skimmer. 2 jebao wp25 on else mode, reefbreeders photon 60, about 100lbs live rock. Running a spectrapure uplc ato, setting up a stenner auto water change system at 1.5 gallons per day. Livestock so far. 2 perc clowns yellow tang Foxface 4 blue green reef chromis Torch coral Hammer coral Now please don't beat me up too hard here lol. I'm trying to take things slow here, buying what I need little at a time. I still need test kits, refractometer and such. I plan on getting an apex over the summer. Point is I will be doing lps sps dominant down the road Everything has been going very well so far. My dilemma is there is a big frag swap coming this month. I planned on buying mainly montipora from the lfs when I'm ready, but they are kind of pricey. Will I be OK for now buying a handful of frags from the swap even though I am not completely set up? It could save me some substantial money I plan on dosing kalk in ato, but again I'm not that far along yet. I really hate to miss out on this opportunity if I don't have to.

04/02/2015, 11:00 PM	#5
AZBigJohn Usually confused... Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,091	One thing you can do is they have frag racks that can suction cup or magnetic clip onto the inside wall of your tank so you can grow them out a little before you decide where you want them. As long as you are keeping your parameters in a decent range, even this early you should be able to keep them going. __________________ John Current Tank Info: Currently a 29 gallon all-in-one frag tank and a 210 gallon tank slowly becoming my dream system!

04/02/2015, 10:39 PM	#2
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	Hi Jem I'd get the test kits first just to know whether you're in the range of what the frags will tolerate. It's a really good sign that your lps are doing good, but the new ones might be a little more picky. Plus you'll want to know the salinity and ph when you get them so that you can make the change gradually for your new purchases. Deff be able to test before you start any dosing. I think you'll save $ in the long run if you get the tests now. Plus if the new frags don't make it you won't be kicking yourself thinking it was something easy to fix like salinity.

04/02/2015, 10:43 PM	#3
jem454 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: ny Posts: 86	Yeah I'm definitely trying to avoid mistakes and certainly am not ready for dosing yet. Just thought with being frags I will have some time to finish up my system.

04/02/2015, 11:31 PM	#8
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	I think for less than $50 you could put together a bare bones kit idk what you will set your apex up with, if you're sure that you are going to have a salinity probe in a few months maybe just a $10 plastic swing arm would do. same deal with $10 ph drops test. API sells a kit for like $30 that has Calcium, Alk, Nitrates, and Phosphates. none of those are very reliable, and everybody says you need the better ones. but then you hear about old timers that do fine with the cheap stuff. since your tank doesnt have any issues now... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ how are you doing water changes if you can't test the salinity?

04/03/2015, 12:01 AM	#9
itzonlithai Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 198	Swaps come and go. Get your alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, and salinity in order first.

04/03/2015, 05:14 PM	#12
outssider Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reseda, Ca. Posts: 1,717	trying to keep sps with no test kits is like trying to drive a car blindfolded. calcium, magnesium and especially alkalinity will drop even in a new tank (magnesium to a much lesser degree). If you got lights on, your coralline algae will start to grow, that alone takes a lot of alkalinity out of the water. most established tanks use 2-3 dkh a day, that means one day of no dosing and you're already in deep doo doo.....

04/03/2015, 06:11 PM	#13
jem454 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: ny Posts: 86	Well thanks for the answers. I thought a few frags would be OK for a month. Apparently not a good idea. I'll wait.