LPS basics for a newb?

[Wrench]

Hello all. I'm a reef newbie looking for some help. I've been told based on my equipment that I will be able to keep LPS corals in my tank once it's established. Does anyone have a link to some good articles on the basics of keeping these critters? Things like feeding/dosing, current, water parameters and placement are all areas of question for me. Here's my tank specs, any help is appreciated. I've just added my live rock so I've got plenty of time

45g AGA, 10g sump, 60lbs live rock, 20lbs live sand, 40lbs aragonite substrate, 3 MJ 900 powerheads, Coralife skimmer and 200w PC lighting.

 

[Illuminati]

Check out www.liveaquaria.com
You can check out their coral section and they have an LPS coral section, pretty good basic info on that site.

 

[Sk8r]

First, you need 2 tests you don't usually have for fish, and your readings s/b as follows: ammonia/nitrite/nitrate all 0; calcium 400-450; alkalinity 8.3-10; salinity 1.025; phosphate low as you can get it [run phosban]; ph 8.2-8.3; temp 80.

There are pests: you'll want to do a dip for safety. I have found liveaquaria to be clean, but don't bet the tank on it.

For first corals, dodge anything hyped as exotic or rare: there's a reason it's rare. Montipora, though an sps, grows wildly fast; pocillopora is a good grower. They all like to be at the edge of a 'cliff' with flow coming up or down. They're not real fussy about light, and most sps are quite fussy. The lps will mix with them: bubble is low light and can sit on the bottom of such a tank, but has very long sweeper tentacles that come out at night---give them plenty of room. Euphyllias [hammer and frogspawn] can actually touch without harm, like higher light, and do not have long sweepers, per se. Candy cane is easy, grows fast, tolerant of most light levels, has very short feeder tentacles. The brains also have long feeders, and will be happy on the sand. Steer clear of plate corals and scolymias at first. For a very first, I'd say candy cane and frogspawn or hammer. Add the others as your tank become stable.

 

[Wrench]

Thanks for that info, it's just what I was looking for. All of my water parameters are in line with what you posted so I'm on the right track there. What is the normal feeding regimen for a mixed reef tank with such corals and how long should the tank be running before it's safe to add these guys?

 

[AndyB4784]

i like to spot feed all of my LPS also (I use a tank only turkey baster, others use a feeding hat also) . i use mysis and cyclopeez mixed with some roto feast and garlic. ever sence i started feeding them i get much better growth.

ps a feeding hat is a 2 litre bottle that has been cut in half that is placed over the coral being fed to prevent flow from pushing the food out of the coral's mouth (or critters from stealing the food).