current in mixed reef?

[dieselgrk]

recently added sps to a 75g all lps reef. increased the flow by adding two mj-1200's on a wave maker to accommodate the sps. all sps are doing great but lps are not responding well to the additional current.

i know there are many of you who have mixed reefs. how are you all handling the different current needs of sps and lps in the same aquarium?

[MrMikeB]

Strategic placement. I use the rocks as buffers to some of the stronger flows so that the LPS does not get whipped around so much. Like designing your different lighting reqs (high/med/low), I have low flow and high flow areas built into the layout using the rock work. I would recommend you do the same.

[Justin74]

I do the same :)


-Justin

[dieselgrk]

thanks guys....the mj's are set up one on each side of the tank @ top front so placing a rock in front of them is not an option. i did re do my rock work to include a few caves which screens some of my lps from the strong current and strong light. this seems to be working out well for now.

any recommendations on keeping mixed reef besides using carbon?

[Justin74]

Just allow plenty of room for your lps to sweep out at night. I think the general rule of thumb is 6". While there still debate on how much and when to swap out the old carbon, a safe general rule is 1 tbl sp per gallon of system volume, and swap out every month while running it 24/7. Other than that I usually just try to strive and make my sps happy while the lps are just happy to be along for the ride :) As far as keeping color in your sps I think you would find it easier mixing with just lps than trying to mix leathers. That combo seems to be an uphill struggle untill you just get tired, but theres always exceptions and large volumes of water can make one.

-Justin

[MrMikeB]

All of what Justin said... plus:

1) Understand the lighting requirements of your specimens - not all coral are created equal. I have many SPS on the bottom, while some of my shrooms/LPS I place high. There is no one size fits all and understanding this could save you lots of coral and get better health/growth in the long term

2) Feed that reef! Corals eat - thats what those polyps are for. Although they get energy from photosynthesis with the zooanthelae in their tissues, they will readily eat when happy. Interestingly I find fish poop seems to be delicacy for many SPS - LPS typically will love a more meatier treat. ;)

3) Watch the deltas - in all params (temp, ph, alk, Ca, Mg, etc.) When things get out of balance do not overreact and correct immediately. Keeping them stable is ideal, but inevitably a correction will need to occur - just realize that doing it right away could cause more problems then it solves.

4)Look into mechanical filtration media (filter socks, etc.) and change them often. In my mixed reefs I add a bit of food and you will want the extras out ASAP - those socks work wonders IMO. Regular water changes also work wonderfully in keeping certain params within bounds (esp. Nitrates)

5)When placing corals, realize what gets along with what and try to accommodate. Its inevitable those damn hermits/snails/current/etc. WILL blast a coral into another. Knowing what needs a wide berth vs what 'could' touch for a little while could mean the difference from immediate death vs a small bleached spot that can be recovered from.

Lots more...but I think this is some of the main ideas that come to mind.

[dieselgrk]

thank for the great tips guys.

mike, since im new to sps i was under the simple impression all sps need LOTS of water flow and LOTS of light! :) what references do you use to find out corals exact flow/light needs?

Justin, u mentioned a battle keeping leathers and sps together. i have two really large leathers in my 75g right now! would u recommend i get rid of them? i i have heard people talk about chemical warfare between leathers/lps/sps but i thought that carbon solved that problem?!?!

[MrMikeB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10416709#post10416709 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dieselgrk

mike, since im new to sps i was under the simple impression all sps need LOTS of water flow and LOTS of light! :) what references do you use to find out corals exact flow/light needs?


I think that is typically good advice as a generality, but rarely in practice will you find you something that universal. Most corals come from completely different parts of the world, different parts of the same part of the world, and then you add the variables of home aquariums. The best source of information I think you can get on a particular piece is from others who have had it and raised it successfully. When in Rome, do as the reefers do. ;)

I know there are quite a few SPS experts in the area who have had tons of experience in doing well with SPS. These are the folks you want to make your new friends. :)

[petes97]

Any good websites that give a breakdown of requirements by species? Most of the stuff I've found seems to have very generic advice, which I could generally guess and be as accurate.

[Justin74]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10416709#post10416709 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dieselgrk

Justin, u mentioned a battle keeping leathers and sps together. i have two really large leathers in my 75g right now! would u recommend i get rid of them? i i have heard people talk about chemical warfare between leathers/lps/sps but i thought that carbon solved that problem?!?!

Ya it's called allopathy, or chemical warfare. Carbon helps mitigate any problems but the only way to actually "solve" the problem is by removing one or the other. I found the montipora specie much more forgiving in my 50g although the colors of all my sps improved once I got all my leathers out. And I ran, and still run carbon 24/7.

I dont want to be the one to recommend you get rid of them, but it ultimately would make some sps namely acros alot more easier to keep in terms of color and growth. That's another thing, leathers are major inhibitors of sps growth, another thing that blew up when I removed them. If your not concerned with growth, carbon can help, but again doesnt solve the problem.

Success with any coral will often come when your able to recreate it's natural habitat, or within reason. Leathers and acros predominantly dont grow amongst each other in the wild. Usually in regards to leathers they grow in fields or large colonies by themselves and not mixed up amongst sps. What happens in our tanks happens in the wild too. When you look at fields of leathers, you'll be hard pressed to find a healthy sps sticking out of it all.

-Justin

[MrMikeB]

I want to see a field of leathers! :) (besides Ed's tank).

[dieselgrk]

i think it's time to part with my leathers! they're getting to big anyways....but before i do, ed i know u have a ton of leathers with ur sps,(as mike mentioned above :)) care to chime in?

[kdblove_99]

Here is thread about Ed's tanks and some of the struggles he is having, maybe do to Leathers

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1168081

[bookfish]

I wanted to add that heavy skimming and an enhanced water change schedule will help minimize competition between corals. Also, try to site the softies downstream of the sps so that the flow isn't blowing schmootz from the softies onto the sps. Lastly, consider upping the flow in the tank, corals are very sensitive to their "microclimates" and the quicker you can move an allelopathic compound away from a coral, the happier it will be.

[Justin74]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10425073#post10425073 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bookfish
I wanted to add that heavy skimming and an enhanced water change schedule will help minimize competition between corals. Also, try to site the softies downstream of the sps so that the flow isn't blowing schmootz from the softies onto the sps. Lastly, consider upping the flow in the tank, corals are very sensitive to their "microclimates" and the quicker you can move an allelopathic compound away from a coral, the happier it will be.

Heheh, love it. Great advice too. 'Schmootz'... That's a keeper! ;)


-Justin