Need Hardy SPS for newbie

[evilsike]

I have a 46 bow with 10g sump (1/3 is fuge with cheato and copepods?)

-circulation = CL system didn't work for me so I'm just leaving my 2 SEIO 620 with mj1200 (nozzle off and on wavemaker) plus another 1200 w/mjmod on the way. return pump is mag5.

-lighting = T5 system from aquactinics with bulbs to be installed. currently running 2x96PC

-corals = I have a poccilapora about 4" from the surface but very slow growth. have mushrooms, xenia and gorgonian.

I've been doing 5g water changes/week, carbon chage every 2-3 weeks. ozone hasn't run for about 2 weeks now. aquac 120 skimmer. calcium was a little high so I'll wait til it's 400-450 ppm. phospate less than 0.03

Now, I would like some hardy SPS, yet colorful (hopefully inexpensive frag as well). What do you guys suggest to research on?


Thank you in advance

 

[BLKTANG]

Montipora,Miliipora, 2 name a couple.

 

[esco]

definitely some montipora...

Montipora digitatas or Montipora capricornis are excellent "hardy" first SPS additions.

 

[evilsike]

isn't monti's the plate coral and gets big?
I hope this wouldn't cover my 46g quickly. by the way, any link to propogate them? I read about the other sps where you can cut and super glue them, this one too, right?

by the way, how about once that look like acros? or thorn like coral

 

[twon8]

pocillipora, anacropora, montipora caps, or digi;s, and yes all sps can be broken and glued to make a new frag,

your best bet is to find someone local and get a few frags from them; im sure there is someone with digi and orange cap that they would either give to you or sell for a really low price.

basically all sps get big eventually, but it will take time,

 

[JamesJR]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8493342#post8493342 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by evilsike
isn't monti's the plate coral and gets big?
I hope this wouldn't cover my 46g quickly. by the way, any link to propogate them? I read about the other sps where you can cut and super glue them, this one too, right?

by the way, how about once that look like acros? or thorn like coral

yeah, all sps can get huge. If they get too big you can either make more room for them or simply just frag them. That means you just carefully break off sections of the coral. Done correctly this will do no harm to the coral.

Another thing from my experience is that locally grown frags always do better. In my experience, wild sps corals are always a risk. I have repeatedly had more success with tank raised specimens. Other species can be kept as well, but they are more unpredictable as far as their hardiness goes. Some species can be easy if you know what to look for. Acropora can be easy if you are selective.
Table colonies and thick branched varieties (like A. Hyacinthus, gemmifer or samoensis) can be much more dellicate and specific as far as their needs go. with acroporas, find colonies that are growing in aquariums that are well adapted. Other good choices are hydnophora or pachysiris, pocillopor or stylopora pistillata make good beginner sps corals as well.