Are there any "Easy to keep" SPS?

[Cahooligan]

are there any easy to keep SPS out there? if so what species? i know montipora sp. are easiER to keep, but are there any others besides them? assuming light and flow requirements are met, are there any SPS that will do fine WITHOUT rock solid parameters. my params arent perfect(theyre good, and really dont fluctuate, just not as rock solid as i would assume SPS require) in my current reef, but it really isnt an issue seeing as its all LPS and softies(easy). im just curious if there are any SPS corals that would be easy to keep alive? sorry that this is a very generic question, and sorry if it seems like i havent researched etc...im just doing what i can to learn more thank you.

 

[ReefJunkieOK]

IMO, Montipora Digitata is the easiest to keep SPS.

 

[hyphen]

a lot of people have recommended birdsnests as easier to keep as well, but i've heard mixed opinions of that. i'm going to test out that theory.

 

[preef]

Monti caps IMO are the easiest. I have mixed results with birdsnests. Pink grows great. I've had green, green tip and Bird of paradise STN on me. Not sure why.

 

[lilopop11]

Vote for Monti family...Digitata is my favorite !!

 

[somethingphishy]

pocillopora damicornis...many people say it grows like a weed..mine is doing very well

 

[Cahooligan]

Okay thank you. I knew montipora, but I've heard mixed opinions on seriatopora and pocillopora. Some say its easy, yet others say it isn't.

 

[mallorieGgator]

What are your parameters? What parameters are unstable?

 

[acrohead500ppm]

1. pollicopora damicornis
2.montipora digitata
3.pavona decussata
4. sertiopora hystrix (NOT caliendrum)
5.tubinaria peltata
6.montipora spongodes

 

[djkms]

Easy to keep? Montipora.

If you want to try out other sps you will have much much better luck with aquacultured over wild/maricultured.

 

[Ostentum]

SPS are much easier for me to keep than softies. Zoas just melt away in my tank. As long as you keep your parameters stable and in the proper range, I think they are all easy to keep. Just have to know which species do better where in your tank.

 

[Frick]

I am going with green psammacora or green cyphastrea. Anacropora is hard to kill, but very brittle.

 

[Cahooligan]

What are your parameters? What parameters are unstable?

well first off, my lights are only t5s so i know thats not enough, but params are:

-ph:7.8(i tried raising it once, and saw a huge decline in everything, so maybe its the test kit, but it hasnt ever been off 7.8)
-Mag: fluctuates between 1250-1350(depending on how often i dose and test)
-Cal: usually around 420
-Alk: 8dkh

even if i updated the lights, the issues would be here with SPS i assume:
nitrates: 2-10
phosphates: .01 i believe...maybe higher
TDS: ...high to the point the tester cant read it in the tank... but its coming out of the RO/DI at over 100....

 

[Cahooligan]

thank you everyone for the replies.

 

[RRaider]

Wait a minute, the water coming out of your RO/DI reads over 100??? Either you have to change those filters NOW or you have it hooked up wrong.

There is no reason to check TDS in the tank, after you add your salt mix it's to high to read and it really wouldn't tell you anything even if your meter could go that high.

T5's with individual reflectors are enough to keep pretty much any sps.

Get your nitrates down to <5

 

[gweston]

I have a pink birdnest. It grows like wild and has been very easy to keep. Just keep parameters in check, and ca/alk/mg/ph in line, and you are good to go. I'd say mine gets moderate flow. Could certainly be better than it is... but it doesn't seem to mind. Polyp extension all the time. I don't even direct feed consistently. 175w halide lighting, and very occasional planktonic food.

They are quite fragile though so make sure it is secured well. If it tips over or is handled, the ends will break very easily. This will cause it to branch at that spot.. which may or may not be desirable.

 

[smichaels68]

+1 for monti digis and monti caps. They're both very hardy, and should do well in a well-maintained, stable environment (stable being the key).

 

[Cahooligan]

Its a 4bulb t5 over a 75 if that's enough, and yes ill change the filters. Everyone of them. Haha its hooked up right, but ill change it. My lfs said it was fine, but I didn't think so...thank you. Ill definitely change it. My water supply is a well, and from what I've been told, our water has more nutrients than tap water(we had someone come in and test it)...

 

[thebanker]

+1, montipora, just be careful for what you wish for, they can really take over. Also, pocillopora is historically a good aquarium coral. One went sexual in my tank, now I have baby corals everywhere.

 

[ati70cutlass]

and for my system,, monti digi has been the hardest to keep. i can tell when nitrates get high they will bleach out on me. my acros, other montis, and sps dont flinch yet this little guy will turn white when they get about 5