Need advice on Montipora Capricornus.

NanoCube-boy

NanoCube-boy

New member
I bought some Mean Green Zoanthids recently on the Classified area and there person gave me a small peace of Orange Montipora Capricornus which I don't really know how to raise it. Well I did some research about this SPS and I found some basic information. My knowledge about this SPS is that It required medium to high lighting, medium to strong water flow, and they are filter feeders that feeds only planktons.

Is my research right? Is there any other tip for I, to raise this wonderful livestock?

My Nanocube 12gallon tank is running on 48watts, with strong Maxijet 1200. The pumps runs itself with out tubing aty the rate of 295GPH... The tubing usually slow down the water pumps about 150 to 200.
 
Yep, the research is more or less correct. SPS are some of the most demanding of your water quality, so that will be equally important. They can die in conditions LPS and soft corals may thrive in.
Keep your organics low, and your calcium and alkalinity high, keep the coral near the top of the tank, close to the lights, and under a good amount of flow (but don't just blast it w/ the PH).

- Mac
 
I've done very well with capricornis, and pretty good with other sps. The caps have been the easiest ones for me to care for. Unfortunately, the only problem with them is they can and do grow in a way to collect detritus in their "bowl", which requires you to blow them off every day. I don't keep a pristine tank. The caps grow like crazy. Nuff said.
 
nihonjin_anemone, My tank is running on a nanocustom 2.24 retro kit. 48watts with duel 2 of 60mm fans. With Pony Ballast.

ReeferMac, What do you mean by "They can die in conditions LPS and soft corals may thrive in."?

Ludwigia73, That is a hassel to blow everyday right. Why can you mount a hydrodeflector for it. The hydro does have a rythim of flows so it even out the currents.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6552874#post6552874 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NanoCube-boy
ReeferMac, What do you mean by "They can die in conditions LPS and soft corals may thrive in."?
Click to expand...

I mean that keeping LPS or soft corals successfully, is no indicator of suitability for SPS. Just because one has had a frogspawn in their tank for 6 months, is not an indicator that the tank is suitable for SPS.
SPS are much more sensitive to organic nutrients and metals, whereas other types of corals are not only more tolerant, they may actually thrive in 'thicker' water.

- Mac
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6554424#post6554424 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReeferMac
I mean that keeping LPS or soft corals successfully, is no indicator of suitability for SPS. Just because one has had a frogspawn in their tank for 6 months, is not an indicator that the tank is suitable for SPS.
SPS are much more sensitive to organic nutrients and metals, whereas other types of corals are not only more tolerant, they may actually thrive in 'thicker' water.

- Mac
Click to expand...

What are you talking about?:mad2: I only said that it came with the Zoanthids. It was a free frag of SPS. I didn't mention nothing about my tank be successful or anything. I'm just asking how to care and IS ITmy tank suitable? I didn't say anything about my tank is perfect for SPS. :mad2:

FYI, the caps seem to do fine so far, I see the small tiny polyps open on the caps.
 
NanoCube-boy, I don't think he was insulting or mocking you. Its just that saying SPS are completely different than softies/LPS and have a different set of requirements.

It should do well, just keep it higher up in the tank and make sure you stay on your water changes.
 
IME, medium light and fairly strong currents, or crap will settle on/in them. I don't think they would eat phyto, since they are not filter feeders, they have tiny polyps to catch food. I feed mine DTS oyster eggs.
 
Nano...I would keep them at the very top of your tank in an area of moderate flow. See how it goes. It's a free piece...worse case scenario..it dies. Keep your alkalinity up above 8 and it should do fine. If you do not have enough lighting...they will usually lighten up but probably won't die if your reef is in good shape. I've seen several people keep them successfully in nano tanks with softies.
 
I agree. Nanocube tank lighting cannot support SPS do to very weak lighting including current. Though, if I was to have a 24dx then that I can upgrade over 150watts of lighting. Well I guess I can't support in my 12gallon OG. Let's just see how it does near the top part of the tank.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6554533#post6554533 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NanoCube-boy
I didn't say anything about my tank is perfect for SPS.
Click to expand...

And I'm not suggesting it isn't. I didn't mean to suggest anything, so please don't take my comments as an insult. I'm just trying to explain, without writing an entire book, that the requirements are very different for SPS. I didn't intend anything derogatory by my comments, I'm sorry if you took it that way.

- Mac
 
Just for reference, I have a 10 gallon nano with 72 watts of pc lighting and I cannot keep any sps from my 180 alive in it. I believe the spectrum of pc lighting is not correct for sps. Several people over the years have used watts per gallon as a reference. My 180 has 5.8 watts per gallon of metal halide only lighting and my 10 has 7.2 pg of pc lights. check my gallery and you will see that it is more than just watts per gallon. VHO's and T5's are the only florescent lights that I know of that can keep sps alive. You were given the colony so you can try it or trade it with an lfs for something more apprioate for your tank. You have been given some good advice, but I think you will be fighting an uphill battle. Believe me, I have tried several things in this hobby that didn't work out.
 
i see. This might be a stupid question, but I don't know much about SPS. How can you tell if they are doing fine besides their polyps are open?
 
Color and growth. Too much light and it will bleach, not enough and it will turn brown before bleaching.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

E
What’s the best way to approach this?
Replies
2
Views
53
aquaman67
aquaman67
E
Experience with large colonies
Replies
4
Views
204
Timfish
Timfish
K
Help: SPS peeling strangely.
Replies
5
Views
145
griss
griss
M
Need Opinions on Hydros for 24gal Nano
Replies
12
Views
262
n2585722
n2585722
M
NanoCube 24DX Goals...Advice
Replies
1
Views
101
griss
griss
Back
Top