For all the new reef junkies. The survival rate chances of SPS corals increase dramatically when you buy corals that have sustained living in waters that are not ideal. Like a fish tank.
I have bought corals straight out of the ocean and they sometimes took over 6 months to grow(but most died). When I buy from others now, I like to see that the coral actually grows in captivity.
Although we try to replicate the ocean, its not 100% possible. We will always have parameter swings and periods of higher and lower nutrients. Trust me, my tank is NOT perfect.