SPS needs

So I am planning on upgrading to t5s for my 90 soon to grow SPS. However, I have a couple questions regarding their needs. 1) I don't use RO/DI. I have very good tap water quality and I am successfully growing zoas, mushrooms, leathers, and LPS like trachyphylia and euphylia, and bubble coral. Do I need to get RO/DI? I am not sure as my other corals are thriving, but then again SPS are more sensitive. 2) I am aware that leathers commit "chemical warfare". I know that my trachy wouldn't even open up for a couple weeks and I realized that it was right next to a KT frag. I moved the KT a few inches and it opened up and has grown and is doing fantastically. However, SPS being more sensitive, would I need to keep them on opposite sides of the tank or get rid of the leathers all together? 3) I am planning on doing acros, montiporas, etc. Any other advice to give me?

 

Anyone?

 

I wish I could help ya.. I'm getting the SPS bug now myself. Especially after seeing matts tank thread.

 

1) ro/di is a must, hands down.
2) doesnt matter where in the tank they are, the chemicals are in the water column, its best to keep like species with each other
3) start off with moderate acros, have constant water conditions, fluctuation is bad.

 

1. if you don't use RO/DI I wouldn't bother, they need unbelievably pristine water.

2. If you really want SPS's to thrive, you will wan't a ton of flow, not sure if the leather's will tolerate that.

3. flow, flow, and more flow. I have 2 Koralia 1's and 2 Koralia nano's aimed right at mine and they love it, what type of T5's and how many watts/what bulb's? do you know/test your water params regularly? sps corals don't like fluctuations, in fact if my water is off just a tad my monti's are the first to let me know. I would try some type of birdsnest or monti cap to see how they do for a couple months, do not get any acros first as they are harder to keep.

Hope this helps some.

 

you are also going to want to keep your cal, mag, alk in check (constant) and have your ph stable before trying sps. when my alk go's down I can usually tell because my galaxy coral and torch won't extend their polyps as much.

 

My water levels are in check already. So a mixed reef is a bad idea? I may not go into this at all because I can't afford the light and RO/DI.

 

I would invest in an RO/DI unit now and continue to keep the corals you are keeping. With the RO/DI you will notice an improvement even in your current corals

Then save your pennies and upgrade your lighting. I personally don't think T5 are the greatest for SPS but we have all seen them work. You can't got cheep with SPS

J

 

just to sort of dissent from the popular opinion, i have been successful in keeping sps and i do not have an rodi unit, all i do is use a water purifier additive, dechlorinates and removes ammonia, it is made by prime, i have heard of people succesfully keeping sps with t5s but i would really go mh if you can afford, i have several leathers in my sps tank but i am thinking about moving all of them to my softies tank. just for the record though i have not noticed any negative sideaffects of having a mixed tank

 

There are a LARGE number of mixed reefs out there so I wouldn't worry about that personally. A lot of people suggest running carbon however especially with softies like leathers if you're going to try SPS. There is always something of a risk though I think.

Also, I wouldn't have even tried softies/LPS without RODI personally so that's pretty much my opinion.
Too much risk of something unwanted getting into the tank for me.

Seconding the "try something hardy to begin with" sentiment after you get the lights, like a montipora capricornis or digitata or something like that, you can usually get a small frag for pretty cheap.

Also if you can't afford RODI and the lights right now why not get the RODI right now and then get the new lights in the future? That would be the order I would do them in personally.