need help please

firsttimereefer · 07/22/2011, 11:26 PM

I have been successfully keeping a tank with soft corals and fish for some time now with the usual ups and Downs that I think everyone faces but I am wanting to expand my collection with some sps corals and have a few questions
first question is will my 8 bulb tek fixture be sufficient for this
Second is can I just add kalk to my top off water to maintain Ali and CA or will this raise my Ph employees at the lfs seems to think it will spike my Ph
third question is what are some good sps to start with and if you have some pics that represent them that would be nice I am looking for some red and blue colors
Thanks in advance to anyone who replies it make life easier when I get advice from those with the experience I don't have

bertoni · 07/23/2011, 12:47 AM

Moved to New to the Hobby for more views.

Limewater often is fine for topoff. It is bested dosed as a stream of drops, often fairly slowly. An ATO setup with a peristalitic pump worked well for me. You could try it to see what happens. If the circulation is good and the drip is done at a reasonable rate, the tank likely will be fine. The tank might need another calcium and alkalinity supplement as well, though, because limewater is very dilute. A two-part like B-Ionic is an easy way to start.

I don't know enough about that light fixture to help. I never much tryed to raise SPS, so I can't help there, either.

ErinCahir · 07/23/2011, 01:05 AM

Can we have more info on your tank? How big is it?
Also... you shouldn't really dose for anything you don't test for.

Plating montis are good starting SPS... and they come in red!

papagimp · 07/23/2011, 01:43 AM

Agree with what's been said so far.

I've topped off with Kalk as well, theirs pro's and con's to it, most the con's I faced was simple matters of keeping top off pumps cleaned often as kalk can get kinda 'cloggy'

as for the light fixture, depends on the tank height and coral placement but overall an 8 bulb tek T5 fixture is alot of light. (assuming it's T5, I don't know if tek makes other types, I own a 4 bulb and 6 bulb and over a 55g and 75g respectively, it was plenty) Limited sps though, but had anemone's and clams without light issues with em. I kept mostly LPS and those were delegated to the lower portions of the tank.

my suggestion for a good sps to start, maybe a birdnest or montipora. I can't really think of any sps i'd call "easy first timer" corals though. Alot will just depend on the over all system and equipment your utilizing.

as for your LFS employees saying it'll spike your Ph, their probably assuming you dont' know what your doing and going to mess it up. You could buy their expensive alk and ca supplements and still screw the tank up. Just research using kalk and dose it appropriately and you'd be fine. I mean I know those guys are professional and all, and all have nice little college degrees and make oodles of money doing their job... oh wait... do they? Mine are all high schoolers making minimum wage and many couldn't tell you weather a fish was saltwater or fresh most the time. :P Trust your own research first, never hurts to get their opinion but dont' listen to them exclusively without confirming the information given. Luckily I do have multiple options for LFS here and I know which ones to listen to and which not to but I still do my own research and base my decision on that.

firsttimereefer · 07/23/2011, 07:23 AM

Thanks for the help so far guys sorry for the lack of tank specs in the original post but here they are
Tank is ninety gallons
sump twenty gallon long divided three ways Skimmer/refugium/return
Also have a reactor with Bio pellets in the first section of the sump
refugium is rubble rock and dsb
And carbon and return pump in the last section
For internal water circulation I have four big korilias on a wave maker
Light is a tek with 8 bulbs
As far as supplements I use an alk and ca product from sechem
And I do test forgot to mention that but what I'm trying to do with the kalk is maintain levels more easily but am afraid to spike Ph. I can achieve the levels that I want but for some reason they quickly fall.
If anyone sees anything I could change please let me know
I take very well to constructive criticism

papagimp · 07/23/2011, 07:28 AM

do you test for magnesium? I know theirs a correlation between your alk, Calcium and Magnesium.

as for lighting, I think you'll be more than good.

as for constructive criticism... where my pictures!!!

MrHarvard · 07/23/2011, 08:06 AM

Your missing one the the majors for raising sps. What kind of flow do you have (power heads. Your gonna need some for most sps. It gonna take more attention as well to make them thrive. You need solid stability for them to live. I think your light will be fine just make sure you have enough flow and you can keep your parameters stable. Good Luck!

firsttimereefer · 07/23/2011, 08:11 AM

I'm not sure how to post pictures but I will work on it
and as for magnesium I have not tested but I see your point and will pick up a test in a couple days
Is it hard to dose mag

firsttimereefer · 07/23/2011, 08:28 AM

For flow I have four korilias on a wavemaker
If this is not enough I will gladly get more I love shopping at the lfs

bertoni · 07/23/2011, 05:02 PM

Adding magnesium is easy, although many tanks don't require it.

The total flow from the Korallias should be something like 3,000 gph for stony corals like Acropora. Some people go higher.

firsttimereefer · 07/23/2011, 05:55 PM

Thanks for the help guys I'm gonna test mag in a couple days I will keep you all informed thank you so much for the help
another question is if I want to increase the flow in my tank
Other than adding more korilias or spending a crap load of money on vortechs what are my options

bertoni · 07/23/2011, 06:25 PM

Korallias are fine. You can get some of the larger-flow models, if you don't want to have a bunch of pumps in the tank.

papagimp · 07/23/2011, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firsttimereefer

... I love shopping at the lfs

try shopping for fish stuff online lol, I love the LFS too but the selection on this internet thingie is kinda spiffalicous

07/22/2011, 11:26 PM	#1
firsttimereefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 122	need help please I have been successfully keeping a tank with soft corals and fish for some time now with the usual ups and Downs that I think everyone faces but I am wanting to expand my collection with some sps corals and have a few questions first question is will my 8 bulb tek fixture be sufficient for this Second is can I just add kalk to my top off water to maintain Ali and CA or will this raise my Ph employees at the lfs seems to think it will spike my Ph third question is what are some good sps to start with and if you have some pics that represent them that would be nice I am looking for some red and blue colors Thanks in advance to anyone who replies it make life easier when I get advice from those with the experience I don't have

07/23/2011, 12:47 AM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Moved to New to the Hobby for more views. Limewater often is fine for topoff. It is bested dosed as a stream of drops, often fairly slowly. An ATO setup with a peristalitic pump worked well for me. You could try it to see what happens. If the circulation is good and the drip is done at a reasonable rate, the tank likely will be fine. The tank might need another calcium and alkalinity supplement as well, though, because limewater is very dilute. A two-part like B-Ionic is an easy way to start. I don't know enough about that light fixture to help. I never much tryed to raise SPS, so I can't help there, either. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/23/2011, 01:43 AM	#4
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	Agree with what's been said so far. I've topped off with Kalk as well, theirs pro's and con's to it, most the con's I faced was simple matters of keeping top off pumps cleaned often as kalk can get kinda 'cloggy' as for the light fixture, depends on the tank height and coral placement but overall an 8 bulb tek T5 fixture is alot of light. (assuming it's T5, I don't know if tek makes other types, I own a 4 bulb and 6 bulb and over a 55g and 75g respectively, it was plenty) Limited sps though, but had anemone's and clams without light issues with em. I kept mostly LPS and those were delegated to the lower portions of the tank. my suggestion for a good sps to start, maybe a birdnest or montipora. I can't really think of any sps i'd call "easy first timer" corals though. Alot will just depend on the over all system and equipment your utilizing. as for your LFS employees saying it'll spike your Ph, their probably assuming you dont' know what your doing and going to mess it up. You could buy their expensive alk and ca supplements and still screw the tank up. Just research using kalk and dose it appropriately and you'd be fine. I mean I know those guys are professional and all, and all have nice little college degrees and make oodles of money doing their job... oh wait... do they? Mine are all high schoolers making minimum wage and many couldn't tell you weather a fish was saltwater or fresh most the time. :P Trust your own research first, never hurts to get their opinion but dont' listen to them exclusively without confirming the information given. Luckily I do have multiple options for LFS here and I know which ones to listen to and which not to but I still do my own research and base my decision on that. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011 Last edited by papagimp; 07/23/2011 at 01:48 AM.

07/23/2011, 07:28 AM	#6
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	do you test for magnesium? I know theirs a correlation between your alk, Calcium and Magnesium. as for lighting, I think you'll be more than good. as for constructive criticism... where my pictures!!! __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

07/23/2011, 08:06 AM	#7
MrHarvard "ship it" Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Tampa/Westchase Posts: 2,951	Your missing one the the majors for raising sps. What kind of flow do you have (power heads. Your gonna need some for most sps. It gonna take more attention as well to make them thrive. You need solid stability for them to live. I think your light will be fine just make sure you have enough flow and you can keep your parameters stable. Good Luck! __________________ "You gon learn today!" Current Tank Info: SPS Dominant 29g BB Rimless Bio Cube lit by 2x AI Primes, IM desktop Reactor, Tunze ATO, Tunze. 9001 skimmer ........ 40g Breeder with 20g long sump/refugium. ATI 4 bulb T5s....Mixed reef stock heavy on SPS.

07/23/2011, 01:05 AM	#3
ErinCahir Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 63	Can we have more info on your tank? How big is it? Also... you shouldn't really dose for anything you don't test for. Plating montis are good starting SPS... and they come in red!

07/23/2011, 07:23 AM	#5
firsttimereefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 122	Thanks for the help so far guys sorry for the lack of tank specs in the original post but here they are Tank is ninety gallons sump twenty gallon long divided three ways Skimmer/refugium/return Also have a reactor with Bio pellets in the first section of the sump refugium is rubble rock and dsb And carbon and return pump in the last section For internal water circulation I have four big korilias on a wave maker Light is a tek with 8 bulbs As far as supplements I use an alk and ca product from sechem And I do test forgot to mention that but what I'm trying to do with the kalk is maintain levels more easily but am afraid to spike Ph. I can achieve the levels that I want but for some reason they quickly fall. If anyone sees anything I could change please let me know I take very well to constructive criticism

07/23/2011, 08:11 AM	#8
firsttimereefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 122	I'm not sure how to post pictures but I will work on it and as for magnesium I have not tested but I see your point and will pick up a test in a couple days Is it hard to dose mag

07/23/2011, 08:28 AM	#9
firsttimereefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 122	For flow I have four korilias on a wavemaker If this is not enough I will gladly get more I love shopping at the lfs

07/23/2011, 05:02 PM	#10
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Adding magnesium is easy, although many tanks don't require it. The total flow from the Korallias should be something like 3,000 gph for stony corals like Acropora. Some people go higher. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/23/2011, 05:55 PM	#11
firsttimereefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 122	Thanks for the help guys I'm gonna test mag in a couple days I will keep you all informed thank you so much for the help another question is if I want to increase the flow in my tank Other than adding more korilias or spending a crap load of money on vortechs what are my options

07/23/2011, 06:25 PM	#12
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Korallias are fine. You can get some of the larger-flow models, if you don't want to have a bunch of pumps in the tank. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni