recommend easy-ish SPS

[CrazyEyes]

The other thing is, don't chase numbers because people say it's better to have this amount vs this amount. Stay consistent, within reasoning obviously. Alot of people stress trying to hit a certain number whether it's ALK or CA when infact consistency it's so much more important than a certain number.

Seriously, unless you really understand dosing whether it's alk, ca, kalkwasser etc you can seriously mess something up real quick.

[Tamberav]

Yeah dosing is a bit scary I am not sure if it is possible to have a heavy packed SPS tank without it though. ??? Maybe in small enough tanks where WC's are very effective??? Dropping 1-2 alk a day is not unusual with lots of large colonies. If you check out the SPS tanks in TOTM, I bet most of them dose something.

[Sk8n Reefer]

I was keeping up on things (Alk ,Ca., Mg. ) with water changes 5 gal. a week on my Nuvo 16 which is pretty much all SPS for about the 1st 4 months then added another 2.5gal. water change mid week after about 5 months because Alk and Ca. Was starting to have to big of swings- now at 7months my frags have grown and are demanding dosing (Alk,Mg and Ca.) to keep parameters up. With just a few SPS you should be ok with just keeping up with w/c's . Start to test your parameters and see how much they drop over a few days to a week- that should point you in the right direction. Pick a salt with higher levels of Ca. and a solid Alk . If you do decide to start dosing you really need to test- not so much to chase those "perfect" numbers but to keep things even without large swings.

[Idontknowz]

Thanks Sk8n, great tank of SPS you have. Hope I have as good of luck with them! Just signed on for more problems, more money! Should order some test kits so I can monitor things. What do you guys recommend?

[Sk8n Reefer]

Thanks Sk8n, great tank of SPS you have. Hope I have as good of luck with them! Just signed on for more problems, more money! Should order some test kits so I can monitor things. What do you guys recommend?

Thanks appreciate that- Red Sea and Saliferts have always worked for me- Ca,Mg,KH and phosphates are some of the important ones for SPS. Just take things slow and watch your corals- they'll tell you what's up

[D Z]

Gotcha! that's actually a future question for me as I do have a big overhang that won't get much light underneath dendros were def on my list I was thinking Rics too? beyond that I was wondering

Another good thing you could put in the shaded area would be a cyphastrea. They are beautiful encrusting type corals that do best in shaded areas.

[atrox]

Dont let dosing scare or confuse you. Just keep it simple. Consistent dosing is paramount here. Figure you're preferred method of dosing; ato, dosing pumps, ca reactor etc. test you're water right before water change, middle of time between water change, and post water change. Get a salt that has higher numbers at mix. Adjust dosing amounts slowly and dial it in. Dosing once dialed in will become second nature and just part of a standard routine. Here's my method and it's worked for me for many years and many systems.

 

I use reef crystals

I dose pickling lime via ato

Weekly 10% water changes

Test tri weekly. (Invest in good testing equip)

 

Obviously as corals are added and mature the demand will go up, but if you are consistently testing you will see where additional amounts will be needed.

 

With kalkwasser the Internet standard states 2 teaspoons per gallon. Do not start here as it will be WAY to much. Start with 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons and then test after a week. If you are still low add another teaspoon, and repeat as necessary.

[Idontknowz]

Thanks for the advice I will try it for sure. So, that's all you dose is pickling lime in your ATO?

Dont let dosing scare or confuse you. Just keep it simple. Consistent dosing is paramount here. Figure you're preferred method of dosing; ato, dosing pumps, ca reactor etc. test you're water right before water change, middle of time between water change, and post water change. Get a salt that has higher numbers at mix. Adjust dosing amounts slowly and dial it in. Dosing once dialed in will become second nature and just part of a standard routine. Here's my method and it's worked for me for many years and many systems.

I use reef crystals
I dose pickling lime via ato
Weekly 10% water changes
Test tri weekly. (Invest in good testing equip)

Obviously as corals are added and mature the demand will go up, but if you are consistently testing you will see where additional amounts will be needed.

With kalkwasser the Internet standard states 2 teaspoons per gallon. Do not start here as it will be WAY to much. Start with 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons and then test after a week. If you are still low add another teaspoon, and repeat as necessary.

What is everyone using for test kits?
Are the hanna checkers better than Red Sea and Salifert?
I've been trying to read up on them but opinions vary. Is Hanna the best for phos, I have read it's not so great for Ca?
What are you guys using for what??
looking for most accurate and ease of use

[atrox]

I use salifert for mag and ca

I use hanna digital for alk

 

For everything else trites, trates, ammonia, I use the cheap api tests. Fwiw I haven't checked those in months. Once you're tank stabilizes those readings stay very consistent. however check you're ph religiously when starting to dose.

[Sk8n Reefer]

I use salifert for mag and ca

I use hanna digital for alk

For everything else trites, trates, ammonia, I use the cheap api tests. Fwiw I haven't checked those in months. Once you're tank stabilizes those readings stay very consistent. however check you're ph religiously when starting to dose.

 

Hanna Alk - how is it getting the reagent out if the pkg.- it's a pain with their phosphate checker- but I do like it being digital

[Tamberav]

Hanna Alk - how is it getting the reagent out if the pkg.- it's a pain with their phosphate checker- but I do like it being digital

 

It uses liquid reagent (yay), the downside is the reagent is a bit costly.

 

I find salifert to be easier to read than red sea.

[Idontknowz]

So Hanna checker for phos and alk and salifert for mag and ca?

[Tamberav]

So Hanna checker for phos and alk and salifert for mag and ca?

 

Can use hanna for alk or salifert. Some people like red sea.

 

They are all hobby grade and therefor not super accurate. Different kits give different readings for the same test sample Keeping the reading consistent is key. If you aim for say...430 Ca, it doesn't matter if it is really 410 or 450... as long as whatever # you are getting doesn't change wildly.