Softy to SPS Tank

[ScruffyRubicon]

I'm contemplating changing my Softy (mixed tank) to a mostly SPS tank. What are some things I need to consider for this change?

I do plan on keeping some mushrooms, ricordia and zoos still.

Currently the tank has some very large leathers, monitpora, acros, mushrooms, rics, zoos and a LTA.

Sandbed is only a year old but is 3 to 4 " deep.

I don't have a Ca reactor as of yet.

[ckusnierek]

Lighting? Flow? the 1st two off to top of my head.

[ScruffyRubicon]

3 - 250W MH
4 - 96W Actinic
Tunze 6060 at one end
Korlia(sp)4 at the other end
Mag 12 (return pump) diverted with 4 nozzles on the return

[luvmylo]

what kinda skimmer you runnin scruffy??? IMO that return pump is prolly a little much

[JY13131]

Tagging along

[ScruffyRubicon]

Originally Posted by luvmylo

what kinda skimmer you runnin scruffy??? IMO that return pump is prolly a little much

Right now I am running a CSS 125. I am getting a PM Bullet 1 Skimmer soon

[ScruffyRubicon]

Originally Posted by JY13131

Tagging along

No problem!

[Fly Guy]

If you really want to emphasize on stony corals, i would highly recommend making sure you get rid of your leathers, and all mushrooms except for the rics.

This has nothing to do with a sps tank......but I cant imagine you are getting much flow out of four return ports on a mag 12. I would cut that back to one...maybe two ports so at least it actually moves a little bit of water.

How big of tank, and how much flow do your powerheads put out?? Just curious.... 'What kind of skimmer?

Other than that...just keep up on your calcium, alk and mag level either with the two part system or with a reactor along with your regular water changes and it sounds like you are set up fine.

[Wiskey]

Here is what I would do.

First,.. better skimmer,.. Also try and set your skimmer up so it doesn't re-skim water,.. meaning have it pull from the first compartment and dump into the second,.. some water will have to bypass but this will help with skimmer efficancy.

Lighting sounds more than fine.

Flow,.. What are you doing for that? (you said,.. but I don't know how much a Koralla 4 puts out ) How much LR do you have (you'll need more flow with more rock of course).

If you want to keep the leathers and go with mostally SPS from here on out, then a huge UV will help with alopathic warfare. If not then you can sell the leathers. (It's better to sell the leaters, or setup a softie tank for them)

I would reccomend coming up with some sort of automated supplementation scheam,.. that means either CA reactor (my personal fav at this point) or a good dosing pump for dosing 2 part. There are some reasons I don't like CA reactors, but of all the things I've tried it's the most hastle free, partly because the dosing pump I bought turned out to be junk, but still.

HTH,
Whiskey

[ScruffyRubicon]

Originally Posted by Fly Guy

If you really want to emphasize on stony corals, i would highly recommend making sure you get rid of your leathers, and all mushrooms except for the rics.

This has nothing to do with a sps tank......but I cant imagine you are getting much flow out of four return ports on a mag 12. I would cut that back to one...maybe two ports so at least it actually moves a little bit of water.

How big of tank, and how much flow do your powerheads put out?? Just curious.... 'What kind of skimmer?

Other than that...just keep up on your calcium, alk and mag level either with the two part system or with a reactor along with your regular water changes and it sounds like you are set up fine.

Leathers leaving is th plan. I don't mind getting rid of the mushrooms. They are just everywhere and hard to remove.

The tank is a 125 RR with 2 overflows and two returns (one at each overflow) Those 2 returns are split making 4 nozzles. I could cut the splitter out easy enough.

Each of the powerheads put out 1200gph.

Skimmer info is just above. I'm changing it soon as stated.

[Fly Guy]

The whole return port thing i mentioned really isnt all that important. I just always figure if im goint to have any ports going into the tank.......might as well have them actually give me a new direction of water flow

[ScruffyRubicon]

There is actually enough coming out of them to make some movement. Not like the Tunze though.

[leveldrummer]

sounds like your on a good track eric, keeping your alk, cal, and mag, in order will be the hardest thing for you, but other than that, i think your system would be just fine, how are the other sps doing so far?

and getting rid of the mushrooms is going to be tough, im in the same boat, just switched over to sps a few months ago, trying to eradicate mushrooms has proven to be very very difficult, no matter what i do, i cant kill them, so let me know if you find a way.

[ScruffyRubicon]

Originally Posted by leveldrummer

sounds like your on a good track eric, keeping your alk, cal, and mag, in order will be the hardest thing for you, but other than that, i think your system would be just fine, how are the other sps doing so far?

and getting rid of the mushrooms is going to be tough, im in the same boat, just switched over to sps a few months ago, trying to eradicate mushrooms has proven to be very very difficult, no matter what i do, i cant kill them, so let me know if you find a way.

I'm thinking some new rock to replace the ones they are attached to.

[Sndwave80]

Don't forget your calcium intake will increase too.