Are corals that hard? FYI
- Thread starter Sk8r
- Start date
Bubble is not necessary a hard to keep, but can extend stingers quite far and will destroy close neighbors. I don't keep them
GSP I grow on the back glass cause it grows like grass and will attempt to cover everything.
Zooanthids on a small separate rock for the same reasons.
Mushrooms for the same, however, I stick with Florida Ricordea as they are the most colorful.
Cloves, never, take over the tank and hard to get them out.
Leathers, yup, I keep them but run carbon 24-7 in case they feel the need to release their turpins. But never had a problem.
You missed Acans (or more recently) called micromussa, great LPS, colorful and reasonable price. You can also think about Gorgonians.
Lighting is absolutely critical for all, more maybe for SPS, but still valid for LPS.
I always recommend getting lights for SPS and turning them down......usually after we do LPS....then we want to try SPS......
Lights do not have to break the bank.
I have just used the 150 dollar Visparspectra for 4 years now and they have grown everything including Acros, Nems and Clams.
GSP I grow on the back glass cause it grows like grass and will attempt to cover everything.
Zooanthids on a small separate rock for the same reasons.
Mushrooms for the same, however, I stick with Florida Ricordea as they are the most colorful.
Cloves, never, take over the tank and hard to get them out.
Leathers, yup, I keep them but run carbon 24-7 in case they feel the need to release their turpins. But never had a problem.
You missed Acans (or more recently) called micromussa, great LPS, colorful and reasonable price. You can also think about Gorgonians.
Lighting is absolutely critical for all, more maybe for SPS, but still valid for LPS.
I always recommend getting lights for SPS and turning them down......usually after we do LPS....then we want to try SPS......
Lights do not have to break the bank.
I have just used the 150 dollar Visparspectra for 4 years now and they have grown everything including Acros, Nems and Clams.
Best rule for bubble is 6" space all around it. Including overhead: somewhere I can't reach I have a pic of bubble extruding one transparent tentacle thinner than angelhair pasta---ruler-straight upward amid a very strong current, bent on reaching the pocillopora just above it. They are about the only stony that wants bottom of the tank lighting, and that will reach out and bother anything it can possibly reach.
Oldreeferman
New member
This(the quote above), is also what ive found to be spot on over 2 yrs down the rd. now on my tank . A mixed reef tank is a handful like having really demanding & undemanding kids...... all in one small room is the best way i can explain it.
Especially if you want softies in also which i really don't recommend unless you have a huge tank on full auto everything, LPS is bad enough, i have mostly SPS with a few LPS and one GSP and its stable ATM but demanding, water params is an understatement, i can actually now see an issue just by looking at the acros then doing a PH test that instantly tells me ALK needs adjusting up again by a higher dosing as everything is growing & now demanding more and more minerals & especially ALK. Ive found dosing NO-POX to be a amazing way to keep nitrates at bay also in a mixed reef tank which has had an amaxing effect on all the SPS. Good luck & enjoy all the diversity of a mixed reff tank.
This(the quote above), is also what ive found to be spot on over 2 yrs down the rd. now on my tank . A mixed reef tank is a handful like having really demanding & undemanding kids...... all in one small room is the best way i can explain it.
Especially if you want softies in also which i really don't recommend unless you have a huge tank on full auto everything, LPS is bad enough, i have mostly SPS with a few LPS and one GSP and its stable ATM but demanding, water params is an understatement, i can actually now see an issue just by looking at the acros then doing a PH test that instantly tells me ALK needs adjusting up again by a higher dosing as everything is growing & now demanding more and more minerals & especially ALK. Ive found dosing NO-POX to be a amazing way to keep nitrates at bay also in a mixed reef tank which has had an amaxing effect on all the SPS. Good luck & enjoy all the diversity of a mixed reff tank.
As a beginner, I am shying away from SPS corals! Gonna do a mixed reef of softies and LPS.
Oldreeferman
New member
Some SPS are very very forgiving so don't fear all of them as one single group to avoid.
As an example all pavona and many Chalaces like a Hollywood actually like some nitrates etc. say at .5 so long as you have NO algae issues in the DT & plenty of growth room. Its the very delicate sticks that demand high water movement, rock stable water parameters & very precise light setups. Researching all the different types of SPS will tell you their individual demands as they do vary, i also highly recommend Passamorcoras, and Leptos too as they are not highly light demanding but.... do require an aged stable tank with again NO GHA in the tank. SPS has a bad rep as its sometimes grouped as the holy grail hard to keep coral but one does have choices that don't require such harsh perfect demands like new saltwater params 100% all the time. As you research all the different SPS you will see what im talking about, just do not make a SPS decision until after you are certain your tank is rock stable and aged with a good bacteria growth no algae growth in tank and with low nutrients, and not over stocked with too many fish another big no-no for an SPS tank. Sorry for long post but just want to be sure i get the message across to members with new tanks be patient, nothing good happens fast ever......................
Just as a note, the difficulty is mostly with Acros specifically.
Birds nest and montis are SPS, and not hard at all.
Im still considering my self a beginner because i cant keep acropora sps alive.
but i have a basketball size 2 montiporas growing, and they all stated from frags, i have 2 bird-nest 10 inch diameter. again started as frags.
i think a happy acro growing in my tank will be my experience measuring stick. maybe then i can call my self advanced. lol
One thing I've learned over the years is that tank setups vary and what WILL grow is a good thing to pursue. They can be limited by light, flow, depth, (yes, also chemistry) and by presence of intimidating corals that don't like what you put in. Best advice is find out what this tank setup (there will be many, in your career in the hobby) will bear healthily, and pursue that to the max. While you are learning, you as well as the tank are making changes, but at a certain point, when you know you've done what you should, let the tank be what it 'wants' to be.
bearpeidog
Member
I find this is the most unforgiving hobby ever. I had a goal to reach a level of good SPS grow out. I obtained it - and then lost it all due to a unknown reason. Parameters were good, just seemed to be something that moved from coral to coral. Looked good, started seeing some white spots and then the entire coral gone in a few days. Then it would hit another...
Point is, it's almost like it's not if your tank will crash, but when (at least it's the way I feel). I know there are some long time reefers here with longevity and very beautiful tanks. I'm jealous but seems like a game of roulette sometimes!
Point is, it's almost like it's not if your tank will crash, but when (at least it's the way I feel). I know there are some long time reefers here with longevity and very beautiful tanks. I'm jealous but seems like a game of roulette sometimes!
Any time you take on SPS you risk a lot. LPS can grow like mad. Shrooms can take a tank. SPS looks great until they don't: a lapse in care, light settings, a pest like redbug, or alleleopathy (spitting and discouraging each other.) I really, really don't advise SPS on your first or even second build, and that with all the tech you can bring to bear keeping it stable.
My first build will be focused on soft corals and simpler LPS corals, my lights won't be good enough to keep SPS (at least most) healthy. My goal will be to add a couple frags at a time with my fish, and once all my fish are in, that's when I'll start focusing more on corals. The first year or so will be more focused on fish.
i wish i can get one of you guys come over and look at my tank and say, hey this is your problem why your corals are not healthy, fix this or that and you good to go!
The problem is I still dont know what im putting in the tank (if its compatibly with neighbor coral or not). I still dont know where is a good spot for this or that coral, like upper section lower section, hi flow low flow... all i know is sps wants good lights good flow, so i got them all on top of the rocks, lps are on nearly floor level.
The problem is I still dont know what im putting in the tank (if its compatibly with neighbor coral or not). I still dont know where is a good spot for this or that coral, like upper section lower section, hi flow low flow... all i know is sps wants good lights good flow, so i got them all on top of the rocks, lps are on nearly floor level.
Look up the scientific name of the coral on the interwebs plus the word 'lighting' --and you can get info on where to place it. Also do only a temporary mount so you can move it if you see it reacting adversely to your lighting or flow. A good rule of thumb is 6" space around each lps coral. That's tentacle reach. And stay away from leathers. They tick everything off.
Yes, I agree, there is ton of information online. But what if you that of a rookie that you have no idea what coral it is tou dealing with, like if you dont even know what's its called!
Oldreeferman
New member
bearpeidog
Member
Similar threads
