SPS anyone?

I need some unbiased opinions.....our LFS is not too reliable with their info so I need the input of any and all that may have kept any SPS corals. I have read and read and get conflicting feelings, some say they are hard to keep going and others say that is you get aquacultured kind you can have great success. I love the colors and shapes of the SPS corals but am afraid to jump in. I recenlty bought a 90 gallon with (2) 250 W Halides and (2) 110 W VHO actinics. I have the lighting and feel my tank is mature enough or will be very shortly to sustain these, but I don't want to jump in over my head. So do any of you have SPS corals and to what degree are they harder than say LPS corals. Thanks in advance!

 

I find montiora easier than tha acupora corals. Plus I am finding them less likley to have DTN.

I would say that is a good start.

 

Any acro is relatively easy Look for a green slimer and as mentioned Monites are fairly easy s are the Pocillapora's man they are not that difficult to grow way hardier then many will have you to think Light is the key and you seem to be set there. And water stability and really good currents strong lighting and steady as possible from the heat of the lamps thats all I find they need. Need Frags ? How old is this tank and how stable and what levels do you keep the ca and carbonates at ?

 

To help you out, as far as the $$$$ aspect, why don't you get a sps frag and try that for awhile, this way you will be certain if Sps if for you and your tank...with your lighting though you will be fine trust me!!!!
Just remember to acclimate any coral slowly to your lighting scheme and water parameters to lessen the chance of stress(bleaching etc.)!
Great beginner corals(SPS):
Bali Slimer Acropora
Millipora Acropora
Montipora Digitata-green, purple, pink, blue,orange
Porites
Pavona
Pocillipora
These will enable you to incorporate a touch of small polyp stonies into your tank!
Start off down low in your tank and gradually raise them up toward the light! It also helps with knowing the lighting intensity of the tank at the pet shop that the coral was in to help you with acclimating the stony!
Good Luck!
Karma to you in your branching out to a whole new area of reefdom!!!

 

Montipora digitata were my first SPS, you couldnt kill these things even if you wanted to... but dont try ok . But as mentioned above, how old is your tank and what are your water params?

Marc.

 

What is fun is when I added my first Acropora my frogspawn when crazy with it's sweaper tenicles. And the corals were 3 feet away. Pretty cool. Then 24 hrs it calmed down

 

As others have mentioned some of my favourite pieces were frags from other peoples tanks. Great way to meet other people interested in the hobby. Is there a Reef club in your area?

I agree with the lists of SPS above as good beginners. But try the frag avenue it will save you a lot of $$ in the long run

J

 

rashr I find aquacultured corals seem to acclimate a little easier than wild- and I also seem to have less bleaching when I pick up something local as apposed to shipping- less stress - no time in box devoid of light and tempature control- maybe just my expierience- don't get me wrong I have some nice mailorder SPS in my tank but it seem to take a little more care to make these happy

 

Thanks to all for your replies.....The tank is a little over 14 months old (same age as my son). Right now my tank stays pretty stable....Temp around 80 day and 78 - 79 at night...Calcium is at 400 - 420 and the dKh is around 7-8 (does this need go up or is it ok?). No recordable phosphate (phosphate reactor). Basic params are Amm=0, rite=0, rate=0. I have had great success keeping these at these levels. As far as flow and current....I have a MAG 9.5 returning through a SCWD for what I am guessing at around 700 gph, I have 3 MJ1200s on a Red Sea Wavemaker (Jason I decided to keep both methods from another post I made on this). Again thanks to all of you for your help and support in this great venture in reef keeping. If you told me 2 years ago I would even be keeping a salt tank much less a reef tank I would have told you that you were crazy........I am definitely hooked and my kids seem to be loving it as much as me!

 

Sounds like you have everything you need I'd look at my Magnesium levels and if low add a little Epsom salts to get them up to par and kick that dkh up to 10 to 12 maybe and watch the ca to keep that at present levels and let her rip. Maybe a fan to keep it a tad cooler in the daytime but thats not a rel issue at 80F at the maximum. Hell I say go get'em Reefer man ;D