Keeping SPS with leathers and GSP

[Jimbo662]

I've not had any luck keeping SPS. I was just reading an old thread on another site and several people said it's not good to keep leathers and GSP in the same tank because they put off a chemical called terpenes. Has anyone ever heard of this and has anyone else had issues keeping them together?

James

[victoly]

No issues here. Running quality carbon carbon (and changing regularly) should alleviate most of the allelopathy.

[Jimbo662]

I've been using the dual BRS (carbon/gfo) reactor for several months which is about when the last sps bit the dust. Maybe I'll try another one to see how it goes.

[Sascha D.]

I run PurePhos. I haven't had any problems with mixing coral types.

[Jimbo662]

what are you using it in?

[victoly]

What kind of SPS were you trying to keep previously?

[Jimbo662]

oh jeeze...I've never been good with all the names...only name i can remember is yellow birdsnest

[dshel1217]

oh jeeze...I've never been good with all the names...only name i can remember is yellow birdsnest

I have had multiple sps in my tank and I have NEVER been able to keep a birdsnest alive. I would try a different sps first. Shoot me a pm I can give you a few to have.

[victoly]

Give some of that red monti cap a try

[Jimbo662]

I actually had great luck with a red cap but think a bout of high phosphates killed it off hence the reason for the BRS dual reactor. I'd taken a marinland HOB filter and filled it with carbon and left out the sponge filter material thinking there'd be nothing for phosphates to grow in...I was wrong.

[+SChrisEV]

I think, for the most part I have "easy" SPS, but I've had good luck with SPS and GSP. I have the BRS Dual Reactor and run their higher end GFO and Cardon. I don't have any leathers, and over the last few months my GSP is growing a lot slower then it was the first 4 months, but that is OK with me.

[Jimbo662]

I just bought some of the high end GFO to start running on the next change out. and my gsp growth has slowed too thankfully!

[Bpb]

Just make sure the sps are in no danger at all of even coming close to touching the leathers. Not even close. I keep 6-7 different species of acropora, as well as about the same number of montipora and some birds nests in my 55 gallon, along with a handful of GSP, a 6" diameter toadstool leather, and a finger leather the size of a softball. No problems and everyone is happy. Only corals I've ever had problems with are zoas. I also replace my rox 0.8 carbon every two weeks on the dot. 5 tablespoons, in a reactor.

[Juiceman]

+1

Don't let then touch and run carbon. No issues here as long as these are met

[Jimbo662]

Only 5 tablespoons of carbon in the reactor?

[Sascha D.]

what are you using it in?

PhosBan 150 reactors are on sale and I bought one from Drs. Foster and Smith. I connected it to my return manifold and tumble it at around 200gph.

[Bpb]

Only 5 tablespoons of carbon in the reactor?

In MY reactor, yes. My tank is only 55 gallons ish total water volume. Naturally for a bigger tank you'd use more carbon. Plus I use rox 0.8 carbon and you only need about half of that, that you would use of other types of carbon. Tiny grain size, wide variety of pore sizes in it, almost zero dust and no leeching of phosphates.

[Jimbo662]

I'm using the same carbon and I guess I'm putting between 10-15 tablespoons in the canister for a 175g tank.

[Robb in Austin]

Solve the problem, or at least part of it; ditch the GSP before it takes over.

I had some that was taking out my purple monti cap and birdsnest. Never had trouble until they touched though.

[Bpb]

Eh I don't mind GSP so much now that mine looks good. I got my carbon number by using the bulkreefsupply calculator. I think they recommend one tablespoon per 10 gallons or something to that effect.