Need help starting sps tank - All advice needed

[clown]

[I am going to set up a tank for a SPS tank with a 24"X18"X15" 30g. I have a 12,000K 250watt MH. Now some questions. Is that size tank going to be dangerously too small to start with sps's? Anyone heard of the bullet proof tank at garf.org?How far should the metal halide be off the water surface? I would like to here your methods and results, not just what these books tell me. I want to know what works for you, and if you think your sps tank is showroom quality or other in other words a nice looking sps tank include a picture of your tank if you could please. What kelvins are the bulbs your using, and should I be using supplemental actinic light? how much? Is the berlin the most effective way? should I use a pleneum? Will my cpr2 bak pak skimmer be efficient? Maybe throw in a refugium to replace wet/dry, or any other filtration like mechcanical? I've heard the tank has to mature before you add sps, how long should it be established before I add the corals or critters like crabs, fish(s)? I want to totally know the things you might have to do that you could neglect in a tank with just soft hardy corals. Any Active carbon use? How deep a sand bed 2-4, 6 inches(no sand, crushed coral? ? Mangroves? Any advice would be absolutly appreciated. Thanks Adley :: :laugh:]

 

[nvillacci]

[Ok, first off, your tank size is fine.

Never heard of bulletproof tank from Garf, then again im not a huge fan of them.

You can place the metal Halide as close to the tank as you want, BUT you need to be able to keep the tank temperature stable and not boil the tank alive. Invest in fans, or get a pendant.

For ease of use(not my preference) Go with a 10K bulb. that way no need for supplemental actinics.

Berlin all the way, DSB and skimmer rocks, dont forget the sump/refugium.

Deeper the sand bed the better, also rememebr deep sandbeds raise your rock higher in the tank closer to the light.

Calcium is very much needed with SPS tanks. Best thing you could do is find a way to drip freshwater/pikling lime mix into the tank. This will maintain the Calcium level and Alkalinity.

At 3 months you can start with some beginner SPS, montipora and such.

What I would do is all the above, a undertank sump/refugium. No mechanical filtration(sides the skimmer). Mangroves would be cool if you can get them enough light under your tank in the sump.

Hope that helps

Nick]

 

[ReefGeekers]

[???
Might think of getting a piece of OutDoor deck cover Screen at H-Depot and placing it under the light and slowly raising the corals to see if you are bleeching the coral.
I takes a few days or week/two to notice that your coral is changing color becasue of bleeching and I think they all yet much whiter, instead of the normal color, and or the brighter intense colors that they might change to, if given the best lighting possible.
Always start the frag or colony low in the tank and or even off to the side, for an indirect light. Then see if the polyps extend in the first 1-2-3 weeks. Then slowly move the coral to a higher 2-3 inch at a time, vertical placement. I would sugest to check for polyp extenshion, in the night as well, sometimes at 2-3-4 am in the morning, some coral love to extend at that time, I guess it is a luner/moonlight/tidal/pulse type thing with some of the coral colonies.
Never move the coral up and down,(the vertical collum) very fast. Waight for periods of 2-4 weeks at a time, the coral needs time to adjust to the new water flow or the lights.
I/We believe the 03 actinics to be used in 2-3 watts of the 10 watts per gallon. We see much growth in the many corals we own, even with a watt or two less than the normal ammount used.
The coral does respond very well, just by raising and lowering its placement in the tank. I think many of the people selling coral colony and frags, are providing veryh good specs and pars in regard to the growth and acclamation process. Finial placement is to each and everybodys own desired look and health of the animal.
Good luck on the SPS growing and happy fraging when you get things growing well. It is a good feeling to have such a responcibility, so ask all the questions you can and do not sweat the small stuff, OOOOO that's right, it's all small stuff.

Note to myself:
Gotta keep reminding myself of that. ]