How are my Parameters?

[J McCauley]

Tank: 125 with 640 watts of VHO, Pan World 100PX-X pump for return and a Pan World 200PS pump on closed loop, EV 180 skimmer, 40w UV, 100 lbs of LR and 100 lbs base rock, 55 gallon refugium with 40lbs LR and some Sawtooth algae. Tank finished cycle about 6 weeks ago.

I have a small clump of a bluish Ricordia, small clump of pink Pulsing Xenia, Toadstool Leather size of a fist, Green Maze Platgyra Brain, Yellow Tang, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Sally Lightfoot, and various small crabs and snails.

Water parameters are: Nitrate, Nitrite, and Ammonia 0, PH 8.2, Temp 78 to 80, Phosphate 0, Calcium 420, Alk 2.5, Salinity 1.0235.

These water parameters sound ok to you too? Is it ready for any SPS? If so what’s a good choice for starters?

Thanks
Jim Mc

 

[mojoreef]

Hiya Jim parameter wise it all looks pretty good. How old is the tank and how is the corraline growing (what size are the dots?). Other then that is looks good, of coarse try to stay a bit away from the leather and ricordia. For starter corals thier are several types of montipora's like digitata, cap's and so on. For acros maybe microthalma, maybe a hydrophora.


Mike

 

[J McCauley]

The tanks has had water in it only since January. The live rock went in about 8 weeks ago and while I have good Coralline growth and color on the LR only two spots about 1/4" across on the glass showed up in the last days.

Why stay away for the Ricordia and leathers?

Thanks for your input...Always appreciated!!!!

Jim Mc

 

[bradreef]

Add them slow. What are you doing as far as adding Cal/alk? You should be able to add kalk until it is full.

 

[mojoreef]

Jim the reason I said that is that leathers and soft corals use chemicals for offenive and defencive actions against what they percieve as a threat. SPS corals use a different strategy and really get thier butt kicked by the chemical. Some folks have been sucessful in keeping tanks that house both soft and sps corals, but I would make sure they are farther apart from each other so if say the leather slimed it wouldnt envelope the sps and kill it.
Most folks that run a mixed tank also run alot of carbon to help remove the chemicals/toxins. On the maturity of your tank. SPS corals are more susceptable to parameter swings then other corals, so make sure you feel comfortable that your tank doesnt have those types of swings.


hope it helps



Mike

 

[J McCauley]

I have been using a product called "Purple up" to raise calcium