sps corals that are easier to keep than others

[luk81a]

Are there any beginner sps corals? I have done extensive reading :reading: up on these magnificant creatures. Are montipora's on the beginers list?

 

[coonasssaint]

Yes, montis are good starter coral. They grow fast and get really big.

 

[fcmatt]

Yes, montis are good starter coral. They grow fast and get really big.

Some are not as easy as other thoughs.

Monti Caps are "easy" but if your tank is not stable they will die.
Also color on some caps are difficult to keep good looking. Green is a great
example.

Spongodes is easy and very tough to kill in any situation.

Elkhorn is another tough monti.

Green or red digitata is a robust monti.

The rest increase in difficulty but not by much. Alk being stable is the key.

-----------

Also look into porites. Very robust coral.

 

[sponger0]

Birdsnest, pocillipora.

 

[pstank1]

I would steer away from pocillipora until you've done some research on them and are ok with them leaving little coral nuggets all over your tank. They won't wipe out your tank, but you might find yourself pulling little pocillipora colonies out of your tank left and right once you get it good and stable.

 

[Digitalelectric]

Do you mean corals that are more forgiving about water quality than others? If so I'd say dont go SPS unless youre ready to be very anal about water quality. Never the less if this is what youre asking:

Montipora Digitata
Stylophora under good light and flow-I only say this because you can tell by the polyp extension whether there is a water quality issue. These guys are little test kits.
Birdsnest
Monti caps under good light and flow

 

[rovster]

Pocillipora and monti cap grow like mad in my biocube. I just added some birdsnest and an acro to test the waters. So far so good, but too early to tell.

 

[yardboy]

Green Slimer and ORA Red Planet have been tough as nails for me.

 

[rovster]

Damn, Green Slimer is one of my favorites. I guess I need more practice with birdsnest, LOL!

 

[sponger0]

Damn, Green Slimer is one of my favorites. I guess I need more practice with birdsnest, LOL!

Acros are a pain in the...you know what. I still lose them and wonder why I keep buying them

 

[luk81a]

Thanks everybody for youre help. I am very excited and yes I am a kinda anal LOL. For sps is it best to aquascape the LR in the centre of the tank to get high flow around the rock? Also I see many are using Ziovit and have the best tanks I have seen. Can you achieve the bright colours just with water quality, lighting and flow? or do suppliments play a major role?

 

[Digitalelectric]

Depends on the shape of the tank for placement of rocks. I have a 125 which is annoying. I had to make a rock wall, boring but the only way to get good flow.

 

[yardboy]

Acros are a pain in the...you know what. I still lose them and wonder why I keep buying them

And you probably love chalices and have great luck with them. Acros seem easy by comparison for me! I've only had two long term - a Blue and a Hollywood stunner and they are probably first on a list of easiest chalices. The rest either just die or commit suicide. I remember one of the first chalices I saw was a "Bubblegum" or some such that they wanted $350 for. I decided to buy lottery tickets instead. I stood a better chance of success.

 

[sponger0]

And you probably love chalices and have great luck with them. Acros seem easy by comparison for me! I've only had two long term - a Blue and a Hollywood stunner and they are probably first on a list of easiest chalices. The rest either just die or commit suicide. I remember one of the first chalices I saw was a "Bubblegum" or some such that they wanted $350 for. I decided to buy lottery tickets instead. I stood a better chance of success.

Im not really a fan of chalices at all. I dont even care for them honestly.

 

[sea of cortez]

This Coral that I think is Pavona. Has been bullet proof in my tank.

I have colonys in bight light low light, high flow and low flow, they all grow like crazy.

It always has good polyp (tentacle) extention waving in the current (looks like a dark brown shagg carpet.

Not very colorfull but I havent killed any yet.