question about sps corals

HolyScoly · 09/01/2006, 02:19 PM

HI EVERYONE I HAVE A QUESTION IM STARTING A 75 GAL BB TANK WITH 2 250 2OK MH 30 GALLON SUMP WITH A EUROREEF CS80
PROTEIN SKIMMER I WANT TO KEEP SOME SPS INCLUDING ACROPORA I DO NOT CURRENTLY OWN A CALCIUM REACTOR AND WAS WONDERING IF I NEED IT FOR THEM TO THRIVE I WILL BE DOING 20% BI-MONTHLY WATER CHANGES AND SUPLEMENTING WITH CALCIUM,ALK,STRONTIUM,IODINE AND MAGNESIUM ANY HELP OR COMMENTS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED
SAM.L

boxfishpooalot · 09/01/2006, 02:24 PM

No you dont need a cr. Although having one apparently makes "dosing" alkalinity and calcium easy.

I like kalkwasser(limewater=calcium hydroxide) Because its balanced. This way calcium and alkalinity are added and removed in equal portions that you dose. Plus the adde benefits of phosphate removal due to high ph of it.

rockindacheeks · 09/01/2006, 02:25 PM

if you havent already gotten the skimmer i would go with something bigger... CS80 on a 105 gallon system wont be a good idea for SPS...

HolyScoly · 09/01/2006, 02:30 PM

IVE NEVER USED KALWASSER SHOULD I AD THE RECOMENDED AMOUNT ALL AT ONCE OR SHOULD I AD IT SLOWLY INTO MY SUMP

HolyScoly · 09/01/2006, 02:35 PM

WELL IVE HEARD THAT THE EUROREEF SKIMMERS ARE UNDERGRADED AND MY FRIEND HAS 1 AND IVE SEEN THIS THING IN ACTION AND IT WORKS GREAT BUT U MIGHT BE RIGHT IT WAS A TOSS UP BEETWEEN THE EUROREEF AND THE ASM G3 WUT DO U THINK.

MCary · 09/01/2006, 02:46 PM

I would ditch the 20k bulbs and get 10k. You'll get better growth. 10k make coral color up better even though 20k make those colors look better. Does that make sense? Here's an Acro I got that was kept under 20K lights,

This one is the same species and was the same color when I got it. This is a picture of it after a month under my 10,000k lights:

The corals need calcium. How they get it is irrelevant. (to a degree) Forget about one part calcium supplements for maintaining levels. Commercial 2-part is expensive, works great. Randy's 2-part that you can get the recipe for in the chemistry forum works but needs regular dosing. Kalkwasser works great but must be mixed and slowly dripped into the tank. Ca Reactors are expensive but give automatic dosing of calcium for months. It just all depends on personal preferences. One is not necessarily better than another.

Don't get all excited about dosing a bunch of stuff. Your water changes should take care of most things except alk and ca (once your SPS load gets larger). Get test kits for iodine, mg and stontium and only dose if lacking.

Mike

HolyScoly · 09/01/2006, 05:37 PM

thanks for all of you opinions all will be taken into concideration

Zoos · 09/02/2006, 09:04 AM

El Chalchicharums!

HolyScoly · 09/02/2006, 06:50 PM

zoos is that chalchicharums a sort of skimmer if so how much is it and for how many gallons i have one for smaller systems and looking to upgrde.

drives300 · 09/02/2006, 08:17 PM

I agree. I had sps using turbo calcium and sodium bicarb for alkalinity. Just make sure your water is perfect before starting. I believe the monti cap is probably one of the easiest sps to start with and one of the fastest growers.
i agree with the lighting reccomendation, Not sure about 20 k but I think if theyre near the top they should do ok. 10-15k may be a better choice.
Kalkwasser is a proven way of adding calcium, as long as you follow directions carefully and its dosed slowly at night

Zoos · 09/04/2006, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Not sure about 20 k but I think if theyre near the top they should do ok. 10-15k may be a better choice.

I think that is a matter of opinion, most people know that you will get a higher par with a 10k than with a 20k resulting n better growth, but this is something that needs to be researched and not just said so lightly, for example telling someone to get a 15k over a 20k to get better growth is not such a good idea, just look at the par from the XM 15k and the par from the XM 20k, you will notice that the 15k is lower. just my .02

09/01/2006, 02:19 PM	#1
HolyScoly Moved On Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: miami Posts: 155	question about sps corals HI EVERYONE I HAVE A QUESTION IM STARTING A 75 GAL BB TANK WITH 2 250 2OK MH 30 GALLON SUMP WITH A EUROREEF CS80 PROTEIN SKIMMER I WANT TO KEEP SOME SPS INCLUDING ACROPORA I DO NOT CURRENTLY OWN A CALCIUM REACTOR AND WAS WONDERING IF I NEED IT FOR THEM TO THRIVE I WILL BE DOING 20% BI-MONTHLY WATER CHANGES AND SUPLEMENTING WITH CALCIUM,ALK,STRONTIUM,IODINE AND MAGNESIUM ANY HELP OR COMMENTS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED SAM.L

09/01/2006, 02:24 PM	#2
boxfishpooalot Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: canada, Grande Praire, Ab Posts: 5,824	No you dont need a cr. Although having one apparently makes "dosing" alkalinity and calcium easy. I like kalkwasser(limewater=calcium hydroxide) Because its balanced. This way calcium and alkalinity are added and removed in equal portions that you dose. Plus the adde benefits of phosphate removal due to high ph of it. __________________ Its a good idea to have a refrence sample for alk test kits. 1.1350 grams of baking soda in 1gallon of distilled water=10dkh. Check your alkalinity test kit! Algae is Mother Natures phosphate remover Current Tank Info: 220 galon mixed reef.

09/01/2006, 02:25 PM	#3
rockindacheeks Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Corona, California Posts: 2,072	if you havent already gotten the skimmer i would go with something bigger... CS80 on a 105 gallon system wont be a good idea for SPS... __________________ My name is Dan, and I'm a closet reefer... Current Tank Info: 28g nanocube

09/02/2006, 09:04 AM	#8
Zoos Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 1,334	El Chalchicharums! __________________ "The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education." Current Tank Info: None.

09/02/2006, 08:17 PM	#10
drives300 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bradenton, FL Posts: 961	I agree. I had sps using turbo calcium and sodium bicarb for alkalinity. Just make sure your water is perfect before starting. I believe the monti cap is probably one of the easiest sps to start with and one of the fastest growers. i agree with the lighting reccomendation, Not sure about 20 k but I think if theyre near the top they should do ok. 10-15k may be a better choice. Kalkwasser is a proven way of adding calcium, as long as you follow directions carefully and its dosed slowly at night __________________ Water Param 79 degrees nit 0 amm 0 phos 0 salifers Calcium 450 salifer alk 11 dkh Ph 8-8.1 Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon,reef octopus nw150, 2 oceanflow mods, 2x 250w 10k mh, phos reactor

09/01/2006, 02:30 PM	#4
HolyScoly Moved On Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: miami Posts: 155	IVE NEVER USED KALWASSER SHOULD I AD THE RECOMENDED AMOUNT ALL AT ONCE OR SHOULD I AD IT SLOWLY INTO MY SUMP

09/01/2006, 02:35 PM	#5
HolyScoly Moved On Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: miami Posts: 155	WELL IVE HEARD THAT THE EUROREEF SKIMMERS ARE UNDERGRADED AND MY FRIEND HAS 1 AND IVE SEEN THIS THING IN ACTION AND IT WORKS GREAT BUT U MIGHT BE RIGHT IT WAS A TOSS UP BEETWEEN THE EUROREEF AND THE ASM G3 WUT DO U THINK.

09/01/2006, 02:46 PM	#6
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	I would ditch the 20k bulbs and get 10k. You'll get better growth. 10k make coral color up better even though 20k make those colors look better. Does that make sense? Here's an Acro I got that was kept under 20K lights, This one is the same species and was the same color when I got it. This is a picture of it after a month under my 10,000k lights: The corals need calcium. How they get it is irrelevant. (to a degree) Forget about one part calcium supplements for maintaining levels. Commercial 2-part is expensive, works great. Randy's 2-part that you can get the recipe for in the chemistry forum works but needs regular dosing. Kalkwasser works great but must be mixed and slowly dripped into the tank. Ca Reactors are expensive but give automatic dosing of calcium for months. It just all depends on personal preferences. One is not necessarily better than another. Don't get all excited about dosing a bunch of stuff. Your water changes should take care of most things except alk and ca (once your SPS load gets larger). Get test kits for iodine, mg and stontium and only dose if lacking. Mike

09/01/2006, 05:37 PM	#7
HolyScoly Moved On Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: miami Posts: 155	thanks for all of you opinions all will be taken into concideration

09/02/2006, 06:50 PM	#9
HolyScoly Moved On Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: miami Posts: 155	zoos is that chalchicharums a sort of skimmer if so how much is it and for how many gallons i have one for smaller systems and looking to upgrde.