Why SPS?

Discussion in 'SPS Corals' started by Doratus, Jul 25, 2011.

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  1. Doratus

    Doratus Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    I can understand this. I snorkel in Hawaii and the Florida keys every winter, SCUBA off the California coast every chance I get. This too is the reason why I started my SW tank in the first place. To be perfectly honest I never looked at anything and thought "I want that in a fish tank". Rather, I looked into what the saltwater trade had to offer me and my budget, and went from there.

    I hope nobody gets me wrong. My ultimate goal is something like a 1000 gallon SPS tank in an island in the center of my mansion. (I say dream big or go home)
     
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  3. chris adams

    chris adams Purple Tang

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    :eek:that is big.... good to dream it keeps us going. My wife is constantly calling me a dreamer.

    Like when I say I want a fishing boat and a cruiser... think the kids would mind if they did not go to college???
     
  4. Tmobo

    Tmobo T-Rev

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    Honestly SPS seems like a lot of work to me. I have a wife and a kid that take up most of my time and a job where i work in the heat all day. Oh and also all my FW tanks. I don't have a fancy sump or even a canister filter on my 29. Just a plain old Eclipse 3 tank with a Zoo Med 2 bulb T5 i had bought instead of keeping th e T8's filled with softies and lps. I dose with Kent marine super buffer and coral-vite and I seem to get a decent amount of growth. I do Wc's every 3 months or so and top off when needed. Everything seems happy in there nothing dying "knock on wood." If I had more time and money maybe I would make time for SPS but I don't. I really know nothing more about sumps than someone who has never heard of one before. I guess what i'm trying to say is if you have and want to make the time for SPS and you like them, than why not take a challenge? Honestly for me what it comes down to is Time, Money, Knowledge, and Dedication which I have none of lol.
     
  5. jonjonwells

    jonjonwells Great Blue Whale

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    When I watch videos of reefs on Discovery Channel... I always see the huge mature SPS colonies with fish darting in and out next to a cliff that fades into the dark depths.
    This is why I want SPS. I love the images that are in my memory and dreams of diving on a real reef.

    As for more work... It does not have to be. With the available automation and the correct setup, very little work is needed.

    Personally, I do a water change every 6 months if lucky. I clean the skimmer once a week. I dose elements once a week.... if I remember. That is it. I feed fish and enjoy the tank.
     
  6. acanlover

    acanlover Astrea Snail

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    at first i only wanted sps because it felt like an accomplishment to know I can keep something so delicate. i used to be an lps/softy guy / hated the sps look, and again i only wanted the sps tank just for the accomplishment. then after seeing many tanks and different types of sps up close i started to like it a little more then after learning all the different types and seeing the amazing colors i got the "sps bug" i just got so obsessed with sps i immediately started doing extreme work on my tank to have sps such as keeping pristine water conditions that i never really put much thought into before. I still love lps and zoos and stuff too and keep a mixed reef but i went from hating sps to being obsessed with it. you never really get to love sps until you see them up close and the amazing colors and stuff they have.
     
  7. jkat21

    jkat21 Bangghai Cardinal

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    I agree .the most important part of building your part of the ocean is for you to enjoy it..you shouldn't have to be tinkering around all the time...the less your hands are in the tank the better..and sps or lps ehh whatever floats your boat..
     
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  9. Doratus

    Doratus Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    It's great seeing all the different responses. Thanks to everyone for being a part of the discussion.
     
  10. Reef-a-holic

    Reef-a-holic 3reef Sponsor

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    Agreed very good responses...the group here at 3reef is to be commended for their civility...it's a real pleasure to be a part of this forum...I participate in a few other SW forums and I have to say the tone and respect given to others here regardless of their opinion of level of expertise is head and shoulders above what I see other places.
     
  11. gabbagabbawill

    gabbagabbawill Pajama Cardinal

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    When I first started reefing over 10 years ago I thought keeping SPS would be a near impossible endeavor for me... but putting in the time to research and finally being able to afford to make it a reality, I found that SPS does not have to be that difficult or time consuming, at least not any more so than any other saltwater or reef tank I've had. I'll admit that it's not cheap, but the best hobbies rarely are!
     
  12. leighton1245

    leighton1245 Horrid Stonefish

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    Do you think that having the LED's might have changed the grow rate? I know that some chalice arent to fond of light?