is a mixed reef really possible?

[supertech99]

Andy/mvlk/sandals-any chance we could get a mp40 for the swap raffle? I seem to be lucky with those and would probally be the only way I could get one. Plus I am sure it would sell a TON of tickets!
Graveyardworm-I don't want to lower the flow but i struggled with placement of the powerheads for a long time and i don't think i can really move the big rock that one of the colonies is growing on. plus 44xturn over rate seems a bit much for some of the corals i keep (zoas, palys, xenia, kenya tree, rics) i noticed this morning that I had been blasting the heads off my xenia that was the closest to the mj mod. funny thing in that they seemed to really like the massive flow. I think these came from Andys tank and they were right in front of one of your mp40s.

 

[andywe]

Andy/mvlk/sandals-any chance we could get a mp40 for the swap raffle? I seem to be lucky with those and would probally be the only way I could get one. Plus I am sure it would sell a TON of tickets!
Graveyardworm-I don't want to lower the flow but i struggled with placement of the powerheads for a long time and i don't think i can really move the big rock that one of the colonies is growing on. plus 44xturn over rate seems a bit much for some of the corals i keep (zoas, palys, xenia, kenya tree, rics) i noticed this morning that I had been blasting the heads off my xenia that was the closest to the mj mod. funny thing in that they seemed to really like the massive flow. I think these came from Andys tank and they were right in front of one of your mp40s.

Great Idea Sean!! I am on hold to try and talk to Tim at Ecotech right now and ask him

 

[undertcontrolj]

I think I agree with everyone about not reducing you flow. Maybe just redirect it some. I have a 65 gallon with a k4, k3 and 2 k1's and a reurn pump doing about 800gph it has taken some time in figuring out how to arrange them but my corals like it

 

[NicoleC]

I dont think this statement is entirely true. I have kept a mixed tank for many years. yes, while one coral may wage war and take out another, every specimen in my tank seems healthy and is exhibiting growth. From the gold Palys to the GSP, to the frogspawn to the stylapora which has grown almost 2" in the last 6 months. Heck, I even have a BTA that has split 4 times since I got it 2 years ago. Some exhibit more growth than others, and some you can see grow in cycles (slow growth followed by rapid growth)

This is good discussion and there will be many opinions. In my own experience a mixed tank is entirely possible.

I agree it's possible -- but it's not optimal. The important part here is that you are happy with the growth YOU are experiencing and are willing to take losses from time to time. But corals taking each other out is definitely not optimal.

Besides, I don't think you CAN kill star polyps.

As a side note: How hardy are star polyps? In my cross-country trek when I got caught in a snowstorm, the live rock in the back of the truck, in 5g buckets of salt water, froze. Two months later, some star polyps started growing out of the rock from a colony-- that had "died off" 6 years before! Hardy little suckers, and nasty aggressive, too.

 

[mixer911]

I agree it's possible -- but it's not optimal. The important part here is that you are happy with the growth YOU are experiencing and are willing to take losses from time to time. But corals taking each other out is definitely not optimal.

Besides, I don't think you CAN kill star polyps.

As a side note: How hardy are star polyps? In my cross-country trek when I got caught in a snowstorm, the live rock in the back of the truck, in 5g buckets of salt water, froze. Two months later, some star polyps started growing out of the rock from a colony-- that had "died off" 6 years before! Hardy little suckers, and nasty aggressive, too.

+1 on this.

LPS with their night sweeper tenticles will do a number on SPS in close proximity. And even their daytime moving parts will quickly kill some SPS. Softies are not as bad to the SPS, but can over take a tank in no time. Not saying that its not possible to have both as I did for years, but it is a little trickier sometimes. Lets just say I will keep my sps tank free of all softies. I do have a few LPS that I keep an eye on.



Here is a good example of what zenia can do. This is my old 29gal from 2001

and after the zenia took over

and a few months later the tank was pretty much completely covered in zenia

Forget about having zenia or star polyps. These are good noob corals, but once you get into the sps part, just have a seperate tank for them.

 

[Pickupman66]

"Forget about having zenia or star polyps. These are good noob corals, but once you get into the sps part, just have a seperate tank for them." A very true statement. I have both. it has taken me 3 years to corral the xenia in to two places so that it stays put. on my sump return and a different strain in the front corner. both growing so there is no where else to attach to. throw it away in globs. I have a paste that I can put on the GSP that will kill them. use it regularly to keep it at bay.

 

[mixer911]

Pickupman - I feel your pain . You are correct and you have to keep that stuff corralled. I got lazy after doing it almost on a daily basis. I swear the zenia was growing faster than any algae i have seen.

 

[Pickupman66]

yea, cool coral. looks neat as it dances in the current, but yea, if you dont have a special spot for it, it can go wild. I remember when I got mine. it didnt doo anything for the longest time. then took off and was even detaching itself and floating around. it was everywhere! it grew up my back wall which was cool to me, and eventually landed on my sump return. it has stayed there and every few months, I weed it out and throw it in the yard. the other strain I have (pom pom) seems to be slower in growth and seems to have found its place and stays put in the lower right corner. it cant tough anything and if it does get up, the frogspawn puts it in check.

now, what I have learned about a mixed tank is this. frogspawn will kill almost anything. it took out parts of a Hydnopora! that said, it seems to not throw any long sweepers at all and just seems to expand. what started as 8 huge heads in now over 40 (even after a massive accident breaking off some 20 heads). it is at least 10" across and 8" tall. nothing in my tank is prettier than the mix of the frogspawn and hte hammer. see pic below. I have a pavona that has encrusted several places and it is pretty stingy, but so far, it has its place and stays there. my Paste mix will kill it, but for the most part, it is ok for now. strange part is every few months, it turns snow white. the goes back to green. strangest thing.

the pic is outdated, the two are almost one now they are so huge. sorry for the huge pic, but it didnt get shrunk before photobucket. you can see them blended in the bottom left.