I'd set it up at your house, just to make sure it isn't your house itself (as someone else mentioned) isn't causing the problem

I'll see what I can do to test that out. If its a 10g tank I'll still need lighting and a stand, etc. First step will be pricing it out and finding a location to set it up.

Either way if the 180g can't keep SPS, I need it up and running. I have fish that need the space. I doubt the 180g will have the same issue, you know that whole positive thinking stuff and all.

My place is not that big, but do you think just in another room would be sufficient?

If you don't have the material lying around to start up a little frag tank I would only do it as an absolute last resort. With the setting up of your big tank you could use that as your test tank.. If all checks out then you know to avoid moving the contents of the small tank into it. If you fail to keep SPS in the big tank.. well then you didn't loose anything, but your back to square one.

^ Good call.

I wasn't aware that GE puts out a slilcone specifically for aquariums. I've never seen it. I use All-Glass silicone.

I thought I read your entire thread, and I didn't see anything saying that you decided not to move your livestock over. I even went back and looked again. Oh well...not a big deal, at least I don't think so...?

Ya, that's a tough call on the fish, but I think the fish are less likely to transfer "issues" than liverock, sand, clams, and corals. Mainly because fish don't have sand or rock attached to them. Being somewhat paranoid myself though, I would likely move the fish to a quarantine tank just for a few days or a week max to kinda clean themselves off before going into the 180g.

I would say your problems are related to the small size of the tank

And why would say this? I've previously kept a smaller system that was quite successful on its own.

Yeah i'd second that, the size is not an issue. Many, Many incredible sps tanks are smaller.

in skimming over your tank thread, i didnt see if you have a skimmer. do you use one?

also do you not use supplements like trace elements and stront/iodide?

bad things happen quicker in small tanks in my experience. yes there are tons of nice nano tanks but JMO they seem like extra work and headaches.

The tank journal lists the details on the skimmer and my maintenance practices.
- Yes I run a skimmer
- No I don't dose trace elements

Nanos aren't that much of a headache, this one has the same maintenance, if not less then my 300g system I previously kept.