Fish less SPS?

You're right that more fish will add more waste, and I've seen nice SPS tanks with only a couple of fish in them, big tanks too. But a tank without fish is boring IMO. I did it for a while as I was purging phosphate from my rock after going BB.

It was ok for a while, but it got really boring. I thought I'd be ok with just my corals, but that was the first time EVER that my wife told me to go get a fish.

To the original question, although SPS are capable of getting there nutritional needs solely from photosynthesis (studies have proven this), they benefit from feedings. Having a fish imports nutrients, and a low load is easily cleaned up after. Especially when BB.

 

I feel like you really need the nutrients from the fish waste for SPS coral to do well. Otherwise the colors tend to dull out and fade.

 

If you do go fishless or very few fish your gonna have to do supplemental feedings and or dose amino acids or your colors will pale out. I have done it with very few fish and my tank wasn't as colorful as I would like.

 

IMO, SPS actually does better when the water is not super clean. The most important thing for SPS is balanced calcium/alkalinity and good magnesium levels.

 

You gonna dose manually or get some dosers?

 

I did the same but its hard to keep up when everything starts growing pretty good. I finally broke down and got the 2 part and dosers from bulk reef supply.

 

Sps+fishpoo=groth