What SPS is Appropriate for This Tank?

[Oscar]

Originally Posted by Ryan

I agree with JDigital you should be fine with a 150W. I have a 250W HQI on my tank and its ALOT of light for those corals. I keep SPS right on the sand bed (24") and am still seeing good colour and growth.

Excellent, that will give me lots of flexibility in placing corals. I do not think my current light fixture will handle 250W anyway.

[lorenz0]

why don't you start off with some birdsnest and digitata to test things out. If you have troubles with those consider holding off and making sure your system is stable

[Zoaelite]

Originally Posted by lorenz0

why don't you start off with some birdsnest and digitata to test things out. If you have troubles with those consider holding off and making sure your system is stable

+1, go slow with SPS to start try your luck with digi's, birds nest, monti caps and then when your happy with the quality switch to acros and millis. If you want a great starter pack go to Coral Master (Greg) in Calgary.
Levi

[Oscar]

Originally Posted by zoaElite

If you want a great starter pack go to Coral Master (Greg) in Calgary.
Levi

Precisely what I had in mind.

[viperfish]

With 150 Watt keep in mind that the higher the colour temperature, the lower the par will be which means less beneficial light. 10Kwith actinic supplement will probably give you the most bang for the buck.

[Myka]

Before you go and install both of those Fiji Purple bulbs you may want to switch one of those for a blue or actinic (I would go with blue in your case so you can get some "extra" PAR out of it). I find the FP to be very pink, and I wouldn't want to supplement my halides with just the FPs...it would be too pink looking imo. Just a thought...

I don't think you will have troubles keeping SPS in your tank at all (just based on your lighting lol). In your upper 1/3 I'm sure you could keep Acros, stylos, etc. Mid 1/3 some lower light Acros, Milles, birds, Montis, etc. Lower 1/3 keep your favourite LPS and some deepwater Acros. Of course all the SPS in the lower sections could also go up higher. Just be careful with any deepwater Acros that you don't overlight them without slow acclimation to the higher position.

For starter SPS I would suggest Milles, Montis, Snappy's rainbow stylo (his is super hardy fast grower). I find Milles are generally quite hardy, but they do take a bit of attention to have nice coloring so they are good for "testing the water". I don't suggest birdnests as starter SPS as many can be finicky. They seem to be the first ones to go with RTN or a tank crash, and seem more susceptible to being overtaken by filamentous algae. They seem to be more sensitive to low alkalinity too.

Be careful making all these new changes to your tank too. My tank had one foot in the crash zone for several weeks after I made too many changes too quickly. Be very careful when you add Zeolites for the first time (if you decide to go the route of Zeovit). I would use 1/4 to 1/2 of the recommended amount at first. The LPS may suffer if you don't.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Out of curiosity, what are you planning for a zeo reactor?

One thing about zeo that I found, is that you really need to get the flow rate right through the stones.

I was considering zeo again for my solana but without a reactor, the flow rate through the back compartments (so running the stones "passively") was much too high and would probably starve the tank killing coral.

Just curious if you have a DIY idea or found a small HOB reactor or something? I was also thinking about using a phosban reactor but then the only real way I could think of to do this is to shake the whole reactor each day...not gonna happen lol.

[Oscar]

Originally Posted by Myka

I find the FP to be very pink, and I wouldn't want to supplement my halides with just the FPs...it would be too pink looking imo. Just a thought...

Be very careful when you add Zeolites for the first time (if you decide to go the route of Zeovit). I would use 1/4 to 1/2 of the recommended amount at first. The LPS may suffer if you don't.

Thanks Myka. Yes the purple IS purple. It is very noticible when the hallide is off but not at all when the hallide is on.

Yes it sounds like going slowly with the zeolites is the advisable.