Why SPS?

I like challenges. As a result, I will purchase various fish and inverts that are considered difficult. This explains my cuttlefish, octopus, scorpionfish, sea pens, crinoids (feather stars), electric eye scallops, blueberry gorgonians, etc. I was able to keep these all alive and healthy until my ex-wife took bleach to all of my tanks (although the last batch of cuttlefish failed and I don't know why).

I keep different tanks for different reasons.

135 will be FOWLR. No coral because I will have angels in there.
120 Tech SPS, LPS, reef safe fish.
92 bowfront. Predator tank (Planned)
29 Biocube Clowns, pipefish, odd inverts (porcelein crab, pom pom crab, etc)
29 Biocube Peacock Mantis and softies (that are glued down due to their constant decorating)
14 Biocube (undecided)
28 HQI SPS QT tank but since it's always stocked, it's an aquarium in it's own right
20 gallon nano LPS and Softy QT/growout this is always stocked too
40 gallon breeder Will become a NPS (Non-PhotoSynthetic) tank
125 gallon (undecided)

 

whaaaat! no wonder shes your ex!

 

I think it is a matter of personal preference. When i first started I was not all that interested in SPS.....didnt quite see what was so special. Then the bug hit me hard! I love SPS but I still love the other corals as much! Right now we have our SPS dominate tank (which I really enjoy caring for simply for the challenge......bunch of SPS in a 29g 150w nano tank.....as our big tank is down right now) and a LPS dominate tank. People laugh at me because some of my favorite corals are the beginer corals and just this weekend I bought yellow polyps, star polyps and some basic zoos!

 

There are so many options available when it comes to this hobby. I'm running just a 25g right now and haven't decided exactly which way I want to go with it yet.

We all have our own unique likes and styles so I wouldn't worry to awful much about it and just do what you like. I think of a tank as a canvas. There are technical things you have to be aware of but there's no rules to artistry.

 

Anythings possible, right? I really don't know; all my chalices are on the sand bed except my fastest grower, which is about 1/3 up in the tank. It is a mature colony that was wild collected. Not super fancy either, just very large (10"), a pretty teal, and an interesting structure.

 

Thats awesome love the look of chalice and SPS, mine is about 1" from the sandbed but the colors are awesome neon green, red, blue, purple. Want some SPS Acros but think I wanna get LED's first.

 

My monti cap gets good growth under LEDs. Also, an ATO that doses too, can making keeping SPS pretty easy IMO.

Personally I like SPS, its the structures of tabling acros, and the plating of montipora capricornus' that draws me in. If you like movement check out a gorgonian, they love lots of flow which is required in an SPS tank.

 

I like mixed reefs with no "dominate coral" personality.

 

I goal from my start was a "mixed reef" like the ocean. Really nothing but that would have gotten into my living room. I think that it falls back on my need to control an out of control world. lol I have ultimate control over my mini-reef and it feels good to be able to problem solve and get the chemistry just right to get those "fake" looking colors. Plus come one people... I can stare into my tank and watch the teeny tiny polyps swaying and see something a little different every time because of the complexity of the polyps and the SPS flesh.
I find zoas very addictive as well, like that dude up on page 2 said though SPS = Crack!

Heidi

 

I thought polyps, like green star polyps, or a purple encrusting gorgonian, are soft corals, and not sps, right?