Questions before I start SPS/LPS

[chrisnif]

Okay I had a 5 gallon with a 20 w 50/50 PC (screw in coralife) and had some softies and star polyps going, now i've upgrade. Current tank is a 56 AGA, 30x18x24. I have a 175W 14K bulb that is between 6 and 8 inches from the water surface (I should measure it more carefully I guess). How high up in the tank should I position SPS and LPS? My mushroom is doing okay a few inches from the sand, zoos are about 6" from the bottom and adjusting to the new light. I'm still a ways away from getting any hard corals, but I was just wondering so that I can aquascape to make sure I have perches high enough for the corals to be happy.
Also, how long after the cycle should I wait for the tank to mature before putting in SPS?
Thanks for the advice guys

 

[mkzimms]

For that size tank 175W isn't very much light. Keep your SPS as high in the tank as possible. LPS shouuld be kept mid-water and your mushrooms/zoas can be placed anywhere.
SPS require a great deal of attention to water quality and composition. You could start off with some montipora which is very hardy and will usually grow under strong T5HO. Don't go out and drop money on an expensive colony until everything water wise is up to spec and stable. I would wait a while until adding anything SPS classified, about 5-8 months at least.

 

[nycbob]

as stated above, 175w mh over a 55 isnt much. place the sps high up after 6 months of setup.

 

[geoj]

Originally Posted by Chrisnif
http:///forum/post/3192659
Okay I had a 5 gallon with a 20 w 50/50 PC (screw in coralife) and had some softies and star polyps going, now i've upgrade. Current tank is a 56 AGA, 30x18x24. I have a 175W 14K bulb that is between 6 and 8 inches from the water surface (I should measure it more carefully I guess). How high up in the tank should I position SPS and LPS? My mushroom is doing okay a few inches from the sand, zoos are about 6" from the bottom and adjusting to the new light. I'm still a ways away from getting any hard corals, but I was just wondering so that I can aquascape to make sure I have perches high enough for the corals to be happy.
Also, how long after the cycle should I wait for the tank to mature before putting in SPS?
Thanks for the advice guys
Height is also dependent on how long you will run the 175W light.

 

[chrisnif]

So, I've got rock built up to about 1/2 the way up to tank. I'd rather adjust the lighting than adjust the rocks, because I like how the tank looks as a whole. So here are some options:
Upgrade to 2x150 HQI
one 250W SE (just have to change out the ballast).
maybe a 400W SE?
Can I add some T5HO to supplement?

 

[fishhunter]

Originally Posted by Chrisnif
http:///forum/post/3192659
Okay I had a 5 gallon with a 20 w 50/50 PC (screw in coralife) and had some softies and star polyps going, now I've upgrade. Current tank is a 56 AGA, 30x18x24. I have a 175W 14K bulb that is between 6 and 8 inches from the water surface (I should measure it more carefully I guess). How high up in the tank should I position SPS and LPS? My mushroom is doing okay a few inches from the sand, zoos are about 6" from the bottom and adjusting to the new light. I'm still a ways away from getting any hard corals, but I was just wondering so that I can aquascape to make sure I have perches high enough for the corals to be happy.
Also, how long after the cycle should I wait for the tank to mature before putting in SPS?
Thanks for the advice guys
You should have some supplemental T5s there as well, I would also add another 175 watt just for full coverage. But, you should be good for some SPS light wise depending on what you get from 10" to surface. People piss and moen about Oh you need so much light for sps bla bla bla. That is out right stupid! If you have the right bulbs, and right stock list you can get by with SPS with just POWER COMPACTS yes I said it! Ok if you go with the extreme SPS you need the high end light but if you go with lower light SPS your fine.

 

[geoj]

Originally Posted by fishhunter
http:///forum/post/3192896
You should have some supplemental T5s there as well, I would also add another 175 watt just for full coverage. But, you should be good for some SPS light wise depending on what you get from 10" to surface. People piss and moen about Oh you need so much light for sps bla bla bla. That is out right stupid! If you have the right bulbs, and right stock list you can get by with SPS with just POWER COMPACTS yes I said it! Ok if you go with the extreme SPS you need the high end light but if you go with lower light SPS your fine.
LOL

I like the 250w and I would run it for 5 hours add optional two t5s so you can see and enjoy when the MH is off...

 

[chrisnif]

How long should I run the 175 MH? I redid the rocks some, so I'm 8 inches from the surface if I needed to get that high. Right now I have the 175W and no supplemental and I'm running a 10-14 hour photo period (don't have a timer so it all depends on the day).
Originally Posted by GeoJ
http:///forum/post/3193213
LOL

I like the 250w and I would run it for 5 hours add optional two t5s so you can see and enjoy when the MH is off...

 

[truperc]

Everyone so far has focused on SPS, but your question mentioned LPS as well.
As far as LPS goes, positioning really depends on the LPS you are considering.
Some will do best in the sand, and some will do best higher up.
As far as SPS goes, it also depends on the coral.
A monti for example, can tolerate less light, while Acro's tend to prefer higher light.
You of course always have to research the specifics for the coral you are adding.
Last, but certainly not least, corals do not care about wattage. Corals care about PAR.
This is not to suggest, there is no relationship between the two, if all other variables are the same.
However, depending on the bulb and fixture, you could have a 175 W MH generating more PAR than a 250 W MH.
The amount of months to have a tank up and running before jumping in to SPS and LPS is also a subject of debate, and depends on the coral.
Hobbyists recognize that as the tank matures it also becomes more stable, which is important for some of the harder to keep corals.
For hard to keep SPS, I have frequently heard a recommendation of 1-2 years.
However, there are always many exceptions in this hobby.
My recommendation would be to start slow, adding LPS and/or hardy SPS first.
Your tank will tell you if it is ready.
Even then, you cannot go by how a single coral does, since there are too many variables that can cause the demise of a single coral.
If you pick up some corals from a fellow reefer, who had them thriving in their tank, you will eliminate some of those variables.