SPS care - Martyn

[Martyn]

Hi Dan
Thank you constructive criticism is just what I wanted I am working on changing many things to this article and with your feed back I can do even more I think I should explain to you about some of my views.
I will first take some time and read your reply agian and try and give you my views.
and I am so pleased that I have found someone to discuss all about this subject and at the end of the day I will be much the wiser.
Many Regards
Martyn

[Minotaur15]

Martyn,

I read through your article and found for the most part that you have pretty sound advice. The biggest thing I think you should work on is eliminating so many absolutes.

For example, saying "mixing stony and soft coral is not the way to go" has been proven many times over to be false. What I think you had in mind tho were extreme circumstances (like having many many soft corals). While having a high density of softs could inhibit stony coral growth (or what have you), saying it absolutely cant be done is incorrect. It would be better for you to say, 'I think its best to limit the population of soft corals when your focus is on SPS'. Cool?

There are a few other things you mention that I have never heard of:

Bubbles amongst the branches of acros raise pH and cause them to lose natural immunities? What source did you derive that from?

"Also 10% and 25% water changes are very harmful to your corals and so are monthly 25% etc the smaller changes and more often you change the water the better." Why do you say this?

Those are just a few things I picked out. To sum up, I'd say most of your advice is pretty sound, but some things almost seem to have evolved from the old days (need of a chiller, UV)and IMO, arent needed in 99% of cases.

Take care,


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Dan - minotaur15@hotmail.com
http://www.einsweb.com/minotaur15/

[Martyn]

Hi Dan
I agree with you about absolutes.
I am working on these, this is the first article that I have ever done and its not easy for me to get things down on paper.(dyslexic and bad with English etc)
I have put into the article too much about my own tank and conditions and my thoughts and possibles with out researching them.
There should be a general view that can apply to different set ups and conditions etc.
And not discussing them with others who have many more years' experience in the field of SPS corals than I have this is a mistake.
I am trying to rectify this as I only have my tank for the knowledge and practical experience on the subject.
I have read many books on the subject and tried to apply these to my tank if possible.
Help and advice too point out the areas of my article is very important to be able to try and get it right as I can not always work where things need to be adjusted.
I have been in correspondence with Eric Borneman and he is advising me when he can spare his time. And it is hoped that he will be coming to England this year to do some lectures etc and he has said he will visit me for dinner and view my SPS coral small reef farm that is in the process of being set up at this moment.
So far this is how far I have got on the set up All the racking in place with 6 72"x12"x30" tanks and 3 72"x18"x30" tanks and
2 48"x12"x30" tanks 1 48"x18"x30" tank and 2 36"x12"x30" tanks and
1 36"x18"x30" tank.
and 150w metal halide lighting consists of 3 36" doubles and 3 48" doubles and 9 72" triples and the all wiring sorted for the halides.
And to discuss many subjects on what we are doing.
The more people who can help and advice me the better.
As to UV I have removed and it will be changed in the article.
The chillier needs more explanation my metal halides are inside a hood 7" from the water surface there is over a 3 degree centigrade increase for the metal halide lighting period.
It depends I would have thought on the distance the light is positioned with an open top.
Particularly if you are keeping you water temperature near 84 degrees f as Ron shimeiks
Papers and articles suggest.
This does need a lot of adjustments in my article.
I was guessing about the bubbles raising the PH of the mucus and as you rightly point out it should not be in the article the references I got about the PH of the mucus was from these. http://www.aquarium.net/0498/0498_1.shtml http://www.aquarium.net/0498/0498_2.shtml
Again water changes not proved just a view I have with no research to back it up need adjustments.
I just feel that small and frequent water changes do not change the environments of the water to quickly.
And that larger ones change the environments to quickly I should adjust this view and do more research.
I have many Questions I would like to ask you about SPS corals and general things but I will read your reply to the above first.
Many Regards
Martyn
PS spell checker are a great help for me.

[Martyn]

I am getting the article back to say it is now under construction
Martyn

[Martyn]

I was wondering how you acropora's changed the colours.
Did they do it over a day or two or over a few weeks or so.
when they started changing did the polyps stay expanded or did they not expand as well or just not come out.
what part of them started changing colour first the tips or the branches or the base.
one of mine started with whiteish tip that slowly changed to pink the the branches changed slowly to brown and then the centre of the base slowly changed to brown and then the edge of the base changed last to brown.
first question
Martyn

[Martyn]

Dan
never herd the phase WC'S before.
one of the adjustments in the show tank will be a a sump with a plenum?
also the coral farm tanks will be using a plenum system.
plenum vs deep sand beds tricky one as Eric favours deep sand beds and Bob goemans who I correspond with also is in favour of the plenum.
what is your view.
Martyn

[billsreef]

Just on observation of plenum vs deep sand bed.
My 55 gallon display tank was set up with a plenum almost 2 years ago, mostly softies and rhodactis. My 40 gallon propagation tank was set up 4 months later using a deep sand bed, simular to what Ron Shimek and Rob Toonen recomend. The Nitrate readings are 5ppm for the 55 and undetectable on the 40, using a LaMotte test kit.
While the difference is slight, the 55 also has a higher fish load, I am finding myself more inclined towards the deep sand bed. I feel it is slightly better in performance and certainly easier to set up, the last is reason enough for me to be going with the deep sand beds on the propagation tanks that I am currently setting up.

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Bill

If damsels grew as big as sharks, the sharks would run in fear!
My dive photos (http://hometown.aol.com/billsreef/)
ICQ 56222784

[Minotaur15]

Hey Martyn,

Wow, lots to respond to. :) Been a tad bit busy with work and school, so please excuse the time between my posts.

ok, first. Sounds like you'll have a pretty nice little farm there. One thing I would change tho is this: More light. At least 250's. If you dont do it now, you will in the future, better that you save the $$ now. I have recently done alot of research into all the major mail order vendors and their SPS/clam systems. For all that I was able to obtain information from, I dont think there was a one in the bunch that werent using 400w halides. If I was gonna do the same thing as you, there's no doubt I'd be using a higher wattage halide.

Next, wc = water change. ;-)

I prefer deep sand beds over plenums. First, they are easier to setup. Second, they can provide more than just denitrification if done deep enough. It also seems that if a plenum isnt done just right, it wont work properly.

My acros changed color in a week or three, depending on the case. The two acros I mentioned in the SPS coloration topic dont have a major expansion of polyps in the first place, but no changes were noted anyway. In one case, the color change generally started with the tip and worked down (when the higher wattage light was introduced). The other occured in the tips only.

Hope that about covered it ;-)

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Dan - minotaur15@hotmail.com http://www.einsweb.com/minotaur15/

[This message has been edited by Minotaur15 (edited 04-05-2000).]