Nicholasbithell
New member
I have a tank that is going to be for the most part LPS but I would like to add some SPS to the tank as well is this going to be a issue, Or is that just with soft corals?
LPS and SPS??
- Thread starter Nicholasbithell
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caribbeanguy
Member
A lot of tanks on here have a mixture of LPS and SPS. Dont think it will be an issue like with SPS and "some" soft corals. I say some because I have seen some tanks on here that have softies and SPS, sorry no links right now but I am sure if you do a search on here you will find them.
luv4qt1004
New member
the only problem i have w/ sps and lps is the flow. lps dont like too much flow but sps do.
Rodrigo_BG
New member
sfexplicit
New member
Yep. I keep my acans along the edges of tank because of the lighting and try not to blast them with too much flow. Otherwise they don't look too happy and don't open up all the way.
shandy_say
New member
I have a mixed reef with SPS, LPS, and some softies. Its just a matter of placement in your tank. Try to keep a reasonable amount of space between them and you should be fine.
klepto
New member
Flow and lighting can be difficult to balance for SPS and LPS. Some SPS will require very intense lighting and that may not align with how your have your LPS placed and how your tank is lit. Leaving room on the higher areas of your tank for SPS may be a wise idea.
My LPS do great when placed low-mid (usually on the sandbed). With the exception of a few corals (like my bubble-Plerogyra sinuosa). Placing them in this manner allows me to maintain good flow on the higher sections of my tank for SPS without blasting the tissue on LPS.
Another area that deserves mention: nutrients. Most Acropora and SPS require excellent water quality and low nutrients to thrive.
LPS prefer higher nutrients for the most part...could we get more contrary? :rolleye1: I feed my LPS periodically to compensate for nutrients that they are missing out on (because I am running hydrocarbon, overskimming, doing regular water changes and dosing organic carbon..) Feeding is a large part of success with LPS in a mixed reef (if you go the lower nutrient route)
One option is to stock species of SPS that are known to tolerate higher nutrient levels (aquacultured stuff is of course a good starting place). That way water quality won't be as crucial and LPS can dominate. Concerns about losing some sensitive SPS colony when want to feed the LPS heavy will also be lessened.
How large is your tank? The larger the tank the easier this mix can be. I have a mix of SPS's which are growing at an amazing rate and looking great as well as a collection of LPS's which are thriving. My torch is happy on the sand bed, my acan's are scattered along the lower rocks, the zoa's are scattered around depending on their preference and the softies are the same.
What worked for me was to move each coral around till I found where it was happy. Some of my SPS's are thriving way up high and some are almost as low as the acan's, every coral will have it's own sweet spot and the larger your tank the more sweet spots you will have. I can put anything in my 220 but my 10 gallon nano is a different story and I'm more limited in there.
What worked for me was to move each coral around till I found where it was happy. Some of my SPS's are thriving way up high and some are almost as low as the acan's, every coral will have it's own sweet spot and the larger your tank the more sweet spots you will have. I can put anything in my 220 but my 10 gallon nano is a different story and I'm more limited in there.
Rodrigo_BG
New member
I agree with klepto, we try to keep species that have different needs. What I have observed in some mixed tanks is that when lps looks good sps looks brown pastel or if there is some color, is a little bit darkened. It's a different color from tanks where sps corals bright and shine in color, like zeovit tanks. What I'm trying to say is that if you want to keep nice lps corals it will be more dificult to have sps shining colors.
Have a yellow porites and use it as a reference guide. If it's bright yellow, like a egg yolk, so you have a ulns. If it's dark yellow coming to brown/yellow, than you have a good water for lps.
Have a yellow porites and use it as a reference guide. If it's bright yellow, like a egg yolk, so you have a ulns. If it's dark yellow coming to brown/yellow, than you have a good water for lps.
I have no problems with LPS, its simply a matter of placement. I have a few moderate flow areas and thats where the LPS and clam go. all but two of my LPS are on the glass bottom. zooanthid arent bothered by high flow. I have over 60x flow and they can go anywere. I only use 150w halides so over lighting is not a concern.
