Thinking about SPS

[christinaekenn]

Hello Everyone,

I have been thinking of getting more into SPS corals for a while now but I have always been worried about killing those beautiful corals. My 90 gallon reef has been thriving for a couple years now and I just upgraded my skimmer to an Euro-Reef as well as a phosphate reactor and Ozone generator. My lighting is two 175 watt 14,000 K halides and two 96 watt actinics. My Nitrates are 5 ppm or less but I am still worried that 5 is too high? I have some various montipora that are thriving but I know those are the easy ones I also have what I think is a hydrophora.

The rest of my parameters are:
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
pH- 8.3
Calcium-420
Nitrate-5 or <5
Temp- 80
Sg-1.025
dKH-8

Does anyone have any suggestions on the easier SPS to keep or do you think I could try certain acropora? If so, what are some of the easier ones to keep? I read somewhere that the beautiful Acropora Valida was one of the easier ones?

I really appreciate the help.

Christina

 

[vdubfiend]

If i can keep them you can!!! hahahaha... what kind of turnover do you have in the tank and what type of circulation(gph)?
im no pro but stability seems to be the leading factor in keeping them... i have a few montipora's and a green slimer and they are all thriving

 

[GMAX]

5 is not too high. You will get coloration and corals will live. Some may brown initially but will adjust and color up over time. I agree that lots and lots of circulation is important to get the polyps to come out.

 

[javatech]

:strooper: Come over to the dark side luke:strooper:
if your going to try some acropora or others like it you might want to bump your lights up a bit and lots of circulation is important

 

[christinaekenn]

What is the recommended WPG for acros? I am currently at 6.2. Thanks for everyone's encouragement! Now does anyone have any coral species to recommend? I heard Valida was a good one to start with? I will get my flow specs when I get back from work today.

 

[rockindacheeks]

I would go with 250s instead of the 175s.

 

[Ralph ATL]

pavona, monti's, pocillopora are supposedly the easiest sps. Any Acro will be more difficult than those, however, some Acro's are supposed to be "easier" than others. I have found them to be all finicky & difficult even though my parameter's seem perfect.