I Suck at SPS. Help please. :(

[Aquattro]

Shelley, I'm right in the middle of setting up a 50g custom breeder tank for frags. It's probably very close to your tank. I'm going to have 400w radium(s) over it, but if I were going to use the Sols, I would set them at 100% all three colors at 12 inches off water line. Too white for my liking on the 180, which is why i only have it at 90 there. Not sure what else you have in the tank, but SPS can take pretty much whatever you throw at them. I have 2 large euphyllia in my tank and they also love the light and are thriving. No direct feeding on them either.

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Not sure what else you have in the tank, but SPS can take pretty much whatever you throw at them.

This tank is mostly softies and LPS. It has been incredibly challenging to balance the needs of all of the coral in the tank. Softies and LPS do very well, SPS were doing alright. I really can't do both in this system with my minimal-ish scape, as there just aren't enough places to hide more sensitive corals from the light or the flow.

My NC24 (which is now officially cycling) has crazy flow and light, but I was able to work some shaded and lower flow spots into the scape. I'm hoping to start moving my SPS to that system in a month. I think it will work well aesthetically, but also provide very good conditions for them. I just really don't want anything to die before then.

[Aquattro]

Or you could sell the pesky soft stuff and buy more SPS. Ok, I'm biased

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Or you could sell the pesky soft stuff and buy more SPS. Ok, I'm biased

No way! I love my soft stuff. And, my little guy loves to watch them eat. They really captivate him and stimulate his interest in aquatics. The plate I purchased a while back is finally eating and he's told everyone at daycare about it. The NC24 will have some soft stuff, but only what will thrive under optimal conditions for the SPS.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Enigma

No way! I love my soft stuff. And, my little guy loves to watch them eat.

fine, I guess that's a good reason -lol

[camaro7019]

enigma, put your ai sols at 50/50/50 accross the board, 30 is still to low, your sps and even lps will hurt from it being so low start at 50% then slowly ramp 5-10% weekly, i skipped the weekly part and went from 50 - 80 in a week then to 100 2 days later im impatient haha! nothing died nothing bleached or was hurt they all flourish!! trust me 50/50/50 or even 60//60/50white up to you but your lights are still to low

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by camaro7019

enigma, put your ai sols at 50/50/50 accross the board, 30 is still to low, your sps and even lps will hurt from it being so low start at 50% then slowly ramp 5-10% weekly, i skipped the weekly part and went from 50 - 80 in a week then to 100 2 days later im impatient haha! nothing died nothing bleached or was hurt they all flourish!! trust me 50/50/50 or even 60//60/50white up to you but your lights are still to low

I did 35/35/30 (white) for most of the day today. Nothing but my plate looks worse. Hammer coral looks the same. Other lps and softies may look a touch better (but they looked good to begin with). No change in SPS.

I think I can do 40/40/35 tomorrow without having a complete psychological melt down. If nothing implodes/explodes/melts/whatnot then I'll bump it up again by 5% the following day. I'm typically very cautious with this system, so I just don't think I can double the light in a day.