Newbie at SPS need the SPS guys to pipe in

big

Active Member
Although I have been doing well with most every thing for a good long while now. I find myself eliminating the Leathers (down to 3) and moving more towards the SPS stuff. I have had some orange Montis long enough to have them become too big, but I realize they are the easiest one to keep.
My Flow would be one of my two the questions at this time. I am currently right around 40 to 1 turnover as close as I can figure ... Should I add another one or two K- 3 across the surface for the SPS's all in the upper levels of the tank? I am thinking the answer here is a yes......
Secondly my shimmer is a old D&D Marine Typhoon...
I did do a water test today of everything for the first time in a good while, instead of just the basic ones...... I was surprised to find everything was right on the mark, except for Magnesium a tiny bit low which I dosed for.
I was thinking maybe a new skimmer would be called for in trying to care for more SPS corals .But if I can't find anything out of whack, do you all think a new skimmer will be needed?
OHhhhh the tank is a 72 bow with a 50 gallon basement sump -fuge containing a ball of Cheato about the size of a 5 gallon bucket and around an additional 40 to 50 pounds of live rock and a Oyster shell bed. Trates and Phosphates are no problem at this time, and never have been since building my Fuge.. I am planning on adding one of those Algae scrubber things in the basement too, when I get done some summer outdoor projects too. Just want to build one and watch how it works.
So the issues are, ONE, should I add flow, which again, I think is a yes answer. TWO, should I fork out the bucks for a new Skimmer, when I see no issues at this current time????
Thanks experts........... Warren
 

aquaguy24

Active Member
I'm no expert but if ur skimmer is performing well. I don't see any reason for replacing it. So u have a 40x turnover rate? If so that is enough. I just have 2-#4's and a 580gph return pump in a 90g and all sps are happy. Try some monti digitata or some birdnest and see how that goes. Nothin hard about sps just as long as u have enough lighting and stable water parameters. The key is stability.
 

spanko

Active Member
I think you are looking good here big. You may want to harvest some of the basket ball out of the fuge as that is how the nutrients are exported out of the system. Plus it helps to get water flow and light to the center of the ball for continued growth. Your system sounds great and I agree with aquaguy on the birdsnest and or digitata as your next experimental pcs.
Good luck with this and of course we need pictures!!!!
 

big

Active Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3092649
I think you are looking good here big. You may want to harvest some of the basket ball out of the fuge as that is how the nutrients are exported out of the system. Plus it helps to get water flow and light to the center of the ball for continued growth. Your system sounds great and I agree with aquaguy on the birdsnest and or digitata as your next experimental pcs.
Good luck with this and of course we need pictures!!!!
Thanks guys, and yes the Cheato ball gets harvested and cut back to a few hand fulls every month or two.. The local shops love seeing me show up with bags full of it for them.
 

big

Active Member
Here is a shot of why I think my Cheato production is so prolific and I can allow the mast to become so large. There is around 1000 GPH falling from a waterfall on the back side into it and about that much more blasting down into the end of the ball, so as to help keep it rotating some..I slowed the tube flow some so as to see something other than splashing in the shot.......... It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to build the Cheato contraption, but it came out well.
And here is a shot of my first branching SPS. Excuse the unhappy GSP's they did not like me putting him there. Not yet sure if that is where he is going to stay........

 
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