Mixing Corals?

[jjz_13]

Hey - was wondering if some of you would chime in with opinions on mixing soft corals with LPS/SPS.

I just started placing soft corals in my 150. Currently I have a medium sized leather, small mixed colony of zoos, and a colony of green star polyps. I have heard from some that mixing hard corals with softies isn't a great idea - but I've heard from others that it's okay as long as you leave a little bit of space between them.

I'll soon be working on a closed loop to increase my flow, but right now I have 2 SEIO 1100's + a Little Giant return pump to the two built-in overflows. My lighting is 192 watts actinic + 3 250 watt 10K metal halides. The halides cycle throughout the day, so most of the day only 2 are on at a time. I'm thinking that's enough light for a lot of different species, but I don't want to start stocking with something that is going to set me up for failure. The tank has only been up about 5-6 mos.

Other livestock include:
Various snails (nassarius, trochus, cerith, nerite)
3 green chromis (started out with 7)
2 False Perc Clowns
1 six-line wrasse
1 Foxface Rabbitfish

Any thoughts on if I should just stick w/ soft corals or not? If not, any recommendations on particular SPS/LPS?

Thanks!

 

[shibumi]

I have the same question my Toadstool is getting bigger and almost touching my zoos and my red mushrooms... are they ok?

And i have my xenia next to my frogspawn.

Any idea if they are ok?

 

[alizarin]

Correct me if I'm wrong anybody but I believe SPS are shallow water coral - they expect high lighting and high current. Soft corals and LPS are deeper water corals and expect less-high light and current but most will tolerate SPS conditions and even thrive in them. It's very common to keep LPS and softies together. It's pretty common to keep SPS, LPS and softies together. But if you are really into SPS you might not like the hassle of keeping the LPS from blowing into your other corals or your mushrooms from getting too much light. But I've never tried SPS myself. It sounds like you've got what it takes to keep whatever you want. I'd try a little of everything and see what you find most interesting then trade what you don't like with us for something you do. The only other thing to keep in mind is that some corals will sting each other, especially LPS with 6" sweeper tentacles. But give a little space and you'll be fine.

If you want to try an LPS the Euphillyas (frogspawn, hammer, torch) are easy to get, easy to keep, and pretty. Especially pink and green frogspawn under actinics!

 

[alizarin]

Shibumi - toadstools, zoanthids, and mushrooms are non-aggressive so they'll likely not sting eachother. Frogspawn is aggressive and likely will sting anything. I've lost a stalk or two of xenia to a frogspawn, but this week I noticed it rubbing against some zoanthids with no problem. Best to give it some room.

 

[shibumi]

Nice to know ... Good information

thanks

 

[triggerfish1976]

I have a mixed reef with LPS, SPS, softies and polyp corals and I have to be very careful on where I place everything so one coral will not eventually take over another. You not only have to take into consideration the potency of a coral but also the resistance a coral has to being stung. I have found Birdsnest corals to be pretty delicate to pretty much any coral's attacks. As a rule of them I try not to allow corals of different types to touch each other so my Zoa's are always in one are, mushrooms in another and so on.

It is widely published that some soft corals like leathers release chemicals into the water that can stunt the growth in certain hard corals like SPS. I personally have not seen this in my tank but it is worth mentioning none the less.

 

[jjz_13]

Thanks for the info. So it sounds like I will be okay as long as I don't let things touch each other. That shouldn't be a problem for awhile.

Also - it sounds like maybe LPS is a better fit with softies than SPS.

 

[ChinaKat67]

All corals (especially soft corals) can and most likely will release defensive chemicals into the system especially when they sense other corals are nearby which is always the case in an aquarium. I use activated carbon religiously and change it approximately every 2 weeks to eliminate this problem. Your chances will improve if you use activated carbon in your system.