Giving up on SPS!

[daniella3d]

10 is too high if your level of nutrient is low. That will cause all sort of problem like RTN, STN etc..

Sweet spot is natural sea water, 7.5 to 8 is ideal.

Low nutrient is good for SPS but they do need food then. Especially if you have a weak light, no wonder they are dying in your tank.

with low nutrien you need a good light, good food on regular basis and around 8 kh, no higher.

People think that SPS only live from light alone but in nature there is tons of zooplankton. This is also why SPS grow much better and faster in a mature tank of at least a year old, because by that time zooplankton and all sort of larveas have started to colonize the aquarium.

I feed my SPS every other day with zooplankton food like Fauna marin, reefroid, coral frenzy and I feed Zeovit amino acid and coral vitalizer each day. This makes all the difference in growth and color.

Originally Posted by mrhasan

Isin't 9-10 dkH like sweet spot? None of the params fluctuate other than dKh falling from 10 to 9 in 2 weeks. Not sure about other traces like iodide and stuffs.

And I thought low nutrient is preferred by SPS :|

Its so confusing!!!!

[mrhasan]

I read from a reliable source that on avg, dkH in NSW remains around 3.5meg/L (aprox. 10dKh)

Alongside, I do feed coral snow about twice a week.

Maybe the light and the nutrient is the issue. Whatever that is, SPS are just not worth it to me

Originally Posted by daniella3d

10 is too high if your level of nutrient is low. That will cause all sort of problem like RTN, STN etc..

Sweet spot is natural sea water, 7.5 to 8 is ideal.

Low nutrient is good for SPS but they do need food then. Especially if you have a weak light, no wonder they are dying in your tank.

with low nutrien you need a good light, good food on regular basis and around 8 kh, no higher.

People think that SPS only live from light alone but in nature there is tons of zooplankton. This is also why SPS grow much better and faster in a mature tank of at least a year old, because by that time zooplankton and all sort of larveas have started to colonize the aquarium.

I feed my SPS every other day with zooplankton food like Fauna marin, reefroid, coral frenzy and I feed Zeovit amino acid and coral vitalizer each day. This makes all the difference in growth and color.

[Zoaelite]

Originally Posted by mrhasan

I am stuck with 20gallon for two particular reasons:
1. Living in a rented room (dorm-like)
2. Maintaining a big tank would be too much upkeep till I graduate and get a job :P

And I didn't really buy any of the acros, they were all free. I just bought the the milli and the montis which are actually doing great :P

I can see that you already know how impatient I am

So I guess I am not doing it wrong, they are just too finicky

Cant even bump that up to like a 40g with sump eh . I would argue maintaining a larger tank is easier than a nano because of small water volume fluctuations. Again the mixed reef is really your biggest contender here, in such a small water volume alopathy is happening out of the ying yang and the softies will win practically 100% of the time.

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by Zoaelite

Cant even bump that up to like a 40g with sump eh . I would argue maintaining a larger tank is easier than a nano because of small water volume fluctuations. Again the mixed reef is really your biggest contender here, in such a small water volume alopathy is happening out of the ying yang and the softies will win practically 100% of the time.

Yap I do 100% agree that larger tanks are easier to maintain but likewise, space should permit too :P

The first month when I set up this tank, my landlord was asking me how much water do I use for the tank since the bill was high (luckily it was not my fault since they found out an old washing machine was the criminal). Plus I really don't have space in the room other than my reading table which I am using as the stand and left all the books and notes in university :P And to make things more spicy, the table doesn't have space for a sump underneath and I can't modify it since its landlord's table :P Sweet charm of rented dorm-like place

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by mrhasan

I can see that you already know how impatient I am

This alone will kill you before you even get started!

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

This alone will kill you before you even get started!

Damn you caught me

[Tristan]

I disagree to the sps/zoa combo in tanks. Its just a fine balance is all.

I think your best bet is to just put more digitata and millepora in the tank.

[Proteus]

You could house zoas. But if you house to many softies then you need to run a reactor with "good" carbon. To absorb the chemicals that the softies put out. Even some lps like chalices can play chemical warfare.

I alway put it like this softies kill all. Lol and yes as Levi said nana means none

Find another table something you can put a small sump under. Get a return pump. Drill your tank. ( which u can do with all inhabitants still in tank)
Consider carbon dosing of some kind. Prodibio will cost you $100 bucks a year in your small tank. If you don't already.

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by Titus99

You could house zoas. But if you house to many softies then you need to run a reactor with "good" carbon. To absorb the chemicals that the softies put out. Even some lps like chalices can play chemical warfare.

I alway put it like this softies kill all. Lol and yes as Levi said nana means none

Find another table something you can put a small sump under. Get a return pump. Drill your tank. ( which u can do with all inhabitants still in tank)
Consider carbon dosing of some kind. Prodibio will cost you $100 bucks a year in your small tank. If you don't already.

I have about 6" clearance down the table and that's it. No other table is there

I do run carbon and chemi pure in, (ahmm) HOB filter. It kinda works well since the water looses its odor within an hour or something after the tank gets disturbed in maintenance or WC.

Can you really drill tank without completely emptying it? :| Never knew that!

[ashr]

How old/type are your lights? Sorry if this has all ready been answered.