I've been reef keeping since March when I setup a BC29. Since then I've been upgrading things here and there and slowly upgrading the tank(3 x panorama pros, media basket w/floss, purigen, chemipure elite, tunze 9002, chiller, apex, ato, 2 x MP10s, etc.) to a point where I think I could support SPS and some of the more difficult corals. I've been keeping zoas and mushrooms since day one, duncans since about a month or two in, an alveopora and some anthelia since month 3-4. Everything but the Anthelia have really taken off and seem to be thriving. I've struggled a bit with some hair algae, but nothing too serious. Nitrates and Phosphates are undetectable and the tank seems to be doing really well so I've decided that I might be ready to move up to the big leagues and try my hand at some SPS. I was wondering if there was a specific type of SPS that might be a little bit hardier? or if just anything that's been aquacultured(ie ORA) might be a better bet for my first SPS.
Is there such a thing as a starter SPS?
- Thread starter MTWiley
- Start date
fishcraze_1
Member
Bali green slimer
bmiller1234
Member
I would recommend all the ones listed also. Along those lines whatever you can find small and cheap and give it a shot. If you have a friend that will make you a few small frags or a lfs with a five dollar frag tank pick a few up and try them out. Don't rush to buy the 100 dollar colony with killer color. Start small and play around moving it to different spots in tank if needed and see where it flourishes.
chrishayes
New member
I dont know about orange digi, I swear ive had mine for 3 years and it hasnt grown upwards a half inch...but it lays base like no other. Green digi on the other hand is an extremely fast grower for me. I say try a piece of orange or red monti cap and if you can kill it, youre not ready. Just keep it low or it will overwelm your small tank in a hurry if it finds it to be a good place to live! Also, make sure you are getting aquacultured frags and not just any old frag from the pet store. There is a huge difference in the two. Theres no telling where the pet store ones come from but its a good bet its from the ocean either right from the reef or from mariculture facilities. Either of which will test even the most seasoned reefer and imo are better left in the ocean.
Try to get with a local sps reefer and im sure theyd be more than willing to give you your firt hit free! Be warned, the second one is FAR from free!
Try to get with a local sps reefer and im sure theyd be more than willing to give you your firt hit free! Be warned, the second one is FAR from free!
Birdsnests are abundantly available and therefore cheap, but definitely not a beginner SPS.
When I started with SPS and bought a Seriatopora hystrix it struggled for survival the first 6 months while the monti's (purple digitata, red capricornis) I had bought at the same time just kept growing (like weeds) and even several Acropora's were doing much better after were introduced to the aquarium.
For me the beginner SPS are Pavona and Montipora.
When I started with SPS and bought a Seriatopora hystrix it struggled for survival the first 6 months while the monti's (purple digitata, red capricornis) I had bought at the same time just kept growing (like weeds) and even several Acropora's were doing much better after were introduced to the aquarium.
For me the beginner SPS are Pavona and Montipora.
ChicagoReefOne
New member
watch out for pavona ultimately it can encrust too much I have a problem patch, poci can also broadcast spawn so just keep that in mind may be good or bad depending on your view. Both are easy to keep.
dixiedog
New member
Yeah I've tried birdsnest twice and it's died both times. Ain't gonna try it again (besides I'm totally out of room for any new SPS now). But everybody always mentions birdsnest in these 'beginner SPS' threads.
IMO the best beginner SPS is whatever you can get your hands on for free or very cheap. Find some local reefers and start angling for their "oops" frags.
returnofsid
New member
Acropora yongei
Acropora valida
Montipora digitata
Montipora capricornis
Seriatapora hystrix
Seriatapora guttata
Pocillopora damicornis (though it's known to perform polyp bailout, sometimes for no apparent reason)
All of the above are fairly "easy" SPS, much less demanding than a lot of other SPS corals.
Acropora valida
Montipora digitata
Montipora capricornis
Seriatapora hystrix
Seriatapora guttata
Pocillopora damicornis (though it's known to perform polyp bailout, sometimes for no apparent reason)
All of the above are fairly "easy" SPS, much less demanding than a lot of other SPS corals.
