Too many softies and LPS?

[FloridaGirl]

OK I know you can easily overrstock a tank with fish and invertebrates, but can you overstock with soft corals (such as zoos, mushrooms, ricordia, sand polyps) and LPS (hammer, frogspawn, bubble)?

As long as the corals do not sting each other, I am assuming they will be fine.

However, I am wondering what this will do to the bioload on the tank.

Any thoughts?

 

[drummereef]

There can be 'chemical warfare' between corals too. Corals add very little to the bio load of the tank. Some of the most beautiful tanks I've seen have been mixed reefs chocked full of corals end to end. Not a problem, except for the pocketbook imo.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

well as long as you're not getting that chemical warfare between certain corals and they're not stinging each other and you make sure all your levels (calcium and whatnot) stay constant, then there's no reason you couldnt keep whatever you wanted.

Corals dont add to the bioload (not in the sense of making amonia)

 

[TriniStylez]

This might be an obvious question but...how would you know if you are getting chemical warfare?

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

I don't think you can pick out a chemical warfare victim from a victim of other bad conditions/disease etc. Just read the list in bornemann's book of which softies can crank out lots of chemicals and don't keep a bunch of giant ones.
I think with good turnover, this fear is overrated because I have seen too many tanks packed with big softies and nice stonies.

physical warfare victims like from sweepers or direct contact, are easy to identify: burnt, bare, dead, dying areas