SPS, half great, half not so much...

[mpderksen]

Just beginning to learn about SPS. So I started with some really small frags. A few are growing fantastic (as far as I can tell). I could use some experienced advice on a few. I don't really know the names of most either. Also, what tank parameters are best to keep them going.

Pretty sure this is an Acro, right? I see little polyp extensions on the tips, but it's a lot darker on the lower half. It does seem to be getting taller. Should it be the same green from top to bottom if it's healthy?

This little guy is growing almost fast enough to see. Even though he's tiny, he started out as just a little bud in a V shape, but now there is branching. Looks promising. He's really super fuzzy. What is it?

This one I'm not so sure about. It is a brighter green at the base, where it seems to be encrusting, but the rest is dark. Can't tell it its growing and I never see any polyps at the tips. Normal?

Potato chip? Each "chip" is getting bigger, and it's definitely growing, but slowly.
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This one is really exciting to me. It started as a chip that was only the size of a flat quarter. Not it has grown out, and down onto the rock. It completely covered the plug and has rounded out. Maybe the size of a golf ball now. Some sort of Monti, I think. I have no idea if it will extend out into plates.

 

[mpderksen]

This is another one that is fun to see grow. It, like the Monti, started as a flat chip, but this one was only the size of a dime. The white tips where it seems to be growing into branches continues to get a little longer every month. Behind it you can see half of the one that concerns me. A second picture is below.

This one is the issue that I don't know what to do. It was previously all one, but when I re-scaped, it broke in half when I pressed it down. So I put both halves I put a few inches a part. But it seems to be dying, from the bottom. Some branches are completely dead. Not sure what "STN" is, but is this what's happening? Do I cut off the dead or dying? Is it like an infection where you have to get a clean break to save it? Or, can I do anything to stop it from dying off and just leave it? I can't really dip it in anything, since I would have to remove the rocks that have other corals on it.
Help?

 

[mpderksen]

Anyone?

 

[ThorEffex]

i would cut it. You can always snip it at the base in order to dip it. They grow like weeds so don't worry.

 

[mpderksen]

Dip it in what? I'm pretty new to SPS. Should I snip off the good portions and frag it back to the rock? Is the edge where it's receding like an infection that needs to be removed?

 

[cugly]

Dip it in what? I'm pretty new to SPS. Should I snip off the good portions and frag it back to the rock? Is the edge where it's receding like an infection that needs to be removed?

You can dip in revive or coral RX , do some research on dipping i would advise you to dip all corals you get before adding to yiu tank.
Research is key there's alot of great info on keeping sps goodluck happy reefing

 

[mpderksen]

SPS, half great, half not so much...

Asking here is just the tip of the iceberg for my research. Since there are so many people with experience it helps a great deal.
Here is a current FTS. As you can see, it's a tall 75, and I'd like to get some height with more rock. What would be a reasonably easy SPS to add that will help fill that in? While I would love a few gorgonian fans, I don't believe I yet have the experience to be successful.
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