Keeping LPS Corals: Secrets Revealed (Full Rundown)
- May 04, 2024
- Anshika Mishra
- 137 0 0
This article teaches the simple secrets to success with the LPS coral tank. Let's start with:
Lighting
Reef Dork's leading light is Kessle A360x, flanked by two 12-inch AI blades. On the surface, this seems like a lot of light for a small tank that measures 24X24X16 inches. But the lights are set for coverage rather than power.
The PAR output is between 80 and 150 across the tank, which is perfect for LPS tanks. The blades are not powerful lights to start with, and they are set to a peak of just 60%, with the Kessle set to a peak of just 25%.
The lights are also placed about 12 inches off the water surface, which smooths out the spread and makes access to the tank and top-down viewing much more accessible.
Play around with the Kessler slider for the spectrum until it gives you the most pleasing look. The same is true for the blades; ramp up to maximum on the royal blue channel in the evening.
Flow
The tank has four powerheads, which means there is too much flow. But all of them are dialed way down and are set to a maximum intensity of just 20%.
With these many powerheads, the corals' movement will be much faster, even now that you have four powerheads. The downside is the powerheads in the front of the tank will get in the way of the view. But that's a trade-off you can prepare to make, given how vital flow is for coral growth.
Filtration
The system here is essential. It has a filter roller to clear the water and remove uneaten food before it breaks down. A refugium takes up the rest of the sump.
The refugium will be highly effective in keeping nitrate low to the point where you have to dose liquid nitrate occasionally to avoid the levels bottoming out.
But it doesn't control phosphate, and until recently, the phosphates ran at just 0.4 parts per million. So you can start adding lithium chloride in the form of phosphate RX—only 1-2 drops per week—to your filer roller.
You can use Kalkwassa for calcium and alkalinity. The only other element dosed in the tank is Manganese.
Water Parameters
While the tank's phosphate level is 0.2, it should be 0.1. For nitrate, keep it between 5 and 10 ppm.
However, the main concern with nitrate and phosphate is keeping them above zero because they'll only cause problems when one or both drop to zero, at which point there is an outbreak of cyanobacteria.
So, aim for slightly elevated levels of nutrients. Keep the salinity around 34 to 35 parts per thousand for water chemistry.
Since LPS corals live in cooler water in the wild, run the LPS tank cooler than the SPS tank. A temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. For alkalinity, aim between 7 and 9.
Secrets to Success
It's a bit of everything told up to this point. However, two key areas have given the tank the most success: salinity and magnesium.
Coral sulking is usually caused by either high salinity or low magnesium levels. The main reason is that all the water parameters are tested more frequently.
A good reef keeper will always tell you that stability is essential, but testing frequently will allow you to achieve that stability. Doing this would mean that you identify problems quickly and take action to rectify those problems.
With more testing, you'll be much more in tune with what your corals need to stay happy and, more importantly, what to do when they look sad. Following the basics has been the way people in the hobby have achieved success for decades.
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