SPS Corals

Just started the 10 gallon from scratch. Nothing except a few hermits, a HOB filter, some live rock, and finally some live sand. Maybe I should've edited my first post a bit; I will be getting a 29 gallon cube soon. I'm thinking the biocube HQI since it comes with halides. For the 10 gallon I really just want to keep a few softies, some LPS, and at least 1 SPS, or just keep 1 or 2 SPS and thats it. That'll be in later months. As for the 29 I'm hoping I could use all my LR for the 10 gallon so I could get some base rock from reefcleaners; rock and customer service are really good, or so I've heard. The 10 gallon is going to be stocked lightly: I'm thinking 1 or 2 fish and a shrimp or 2 and thats it. The rest would mainly be coral I guess. Right now all I have are some fluorescents. Is there anything I can do to keep my nitrates 5 and below? Seems like a pretty big challenge. I do water changes weekly, 1 gallon every Friday or Saturday, which usually depends on whether I'm too lazy to do it or not lol. I'm thinking feeding is the main issue; I just love seeing the fish eat, so I feed daily. Not sure for a good feeding schedule on that note. Also, I'm not exactly sure about top offs. I do use ro/di water for WC's, but how do top-offs actually work?

 

Oh, another point of reference:

I just set up a frag tank for SPS. It's a 1.8 gallon Betta tank, fed by a 295GPH MaxiJet lowered to ~160gph. So, ~160gph through a tiny 1.8 gallon tank. Nearly 100x flow.

 

(not trying to jack) i too wanna keep SPS in a nano, just got a question, i have a koralia nano and the typical biocube pump, anyone know what the flow is?

 

WOW! Well, the more the better with SPS coral! haha I would just do water changes to get nitrates down. I have never had a problem with nitrates so i am probably not the person to talk to! haha

 

You get some idea of my flow with this video. Not high tech, or HD. But it gives you an idea if you look surface and the soft corals. You have to click on the image.

 

Yeah, gonna put a Coralife 2x 6w T5 (the new Aqualight Mini) on it for lighting, hopefully to be as close as possible to my DT lighting for ease of moving between the two. SPS only, LPS are going in the refugium on a frag rack.

 

Which Koralia Nano? There's a 250 and a 425. I don't know about the BC pump, though, but TBH, it's probably in the 150-200 range for the 14, 300is for the 29.

 

rough estimate for BC is 100 and nano is 240, so i guess i should get another nano? or upgrade to a stronger one? what if i keep the SPS like 4" away from the nano? (240)

 

Well, the reason I have the 425 pointed straight at the Red Planet is because there's a rock right behind it, and the flow ends up alternating back and forth. Otherwise, I'd need to do it another way, as you don't want the flow to be in only one direction.

 

Seano...your not gonna need GFO with ecoBacks

Better off running carbon instead. Do what you want but you'll see eventually.