Sps newb

[zchauvin]

Ok guys, I see alot of good info in the stickys but there are some things I'm still confused and not certain about. I see people talk about tabling acropora, staghorn, deepwater, and a few others. Then I see millipora and other pora lol. Can someone describe the differences? Are they of a different genus/species. Sorry not sure how coral are seperated. I know small polyp stony and the water conditions they need and lighting just trying to get a better understanding of the different types and what there needs are in particular. You know, just the subtle things that seperate them other than place of origin. Any help that you guys can give me is much appreciated. Please excuse my low post count and don't find me as a complete noob!!

 

[Finland]

Tabling, staghorn, encrusting, plating, branching, bushy... These are all description of growth patterns, not the species. A montipora can be branching(grow into branches), encrusting(just encrust rockwork), or plating( grow into a dish/plate off the edge of rockwork). All depends on the type/species of montipora. Some acropora grow into table like structures, others into tall thin sticks(staghorn) others grow into thick bushhy structures, all depends on the type of acropora. Lighting and water flow also impact growth structure. Hope this helps

 

[zchauvin]

Tabling, staghorn, encrusting, plating, branching, bushy... These are all description of growth patterns, not the species. A montipora can be branching(grow into branches), encrusting(just encrust rockwork), or plating( grow into a dish/plate off the edge of rockwork). All depends on the type/species of montipora. Some acropora grow into table like structures, others into tall thin sticks(staghorn) others grow into thick bushhy structures, all depends on the type of acropora. Lighting and water flow also impact growth structure. Hope this helps

Thanks I know a good bit about the montipora, its the acros and what not that I'm not sure of. Whats the difference between millipora and acropora? Thats what I was talking about and then like the deep water acros and what not. Is it mostly just that they are from deeper water? I mean it seems there would have to be more to it than just that?

 

[REEF SMAC]

Thanks I know a good bit about the montipora, its the acros and what not that I'm not sure of. Whats the difference between millipora and acropora? Thats what I was talking about and then like the deep water acros and what not. Is it mostly just that they are from deeper water? I mean it seems there would have to be more to it than just that?

There is a lot too it actually. Trying to figure out what species of acropora you have is sometimes almost impossible. There are data bases and books that descibe all the different species, show pictures, but it is really hard to tell a lot of time even with that.
It's a fun exercise for everyone to debate what species coral "X" really is but I'm not convinced there are more than 50 people on the entire planet that actually could accurately ID some of them, and even those guys probably wouldn't attemp it from a photo.
So many acros change in color and shape depending on the light and flow they are getting, that it's hard to sometimes spot the same exact coral growing in two different systems.

A millipora is an acropora BTW.

All this "deep water" stuff is pretty much just refering to any acro with smooth skin (red bug magnets).
Just a marketing name pretty much. Doesn't really have much to do with how deep the water is where it came from. Supposedly they will grow with less light but that is debatable, as most will do just fine or even better with more light.

And unless you DT is ten feet deep does it really mater?

With some photos and descriptions you can probably narrow it down to the top three maybe?

As long as your acro is happy in your system, has a color and shape you personally like, that is pretty much all that matters really.

 

[Finland]

There is a lot too it actually. Trying to figure out what species of acropora you have is sometimes almost impossible. There are data bases and books that descibe all the different species, show pictures, but it is really hard to tell a lot of time even with that.
It's a fun exercise for everyone to debate what species coral "X" really is but I'm not convinced there are more than 50 people on the entire planet that actually could accurately ID some of them, and even those guys probably wouldn't attemp it from a photo.

.

+1 what reef smac said. Try this link http://coral.aims.gov.au/speciesPages/
and click on acropora just to give you an idea on how many acros there are and how similar some are to each other