Beginner SPS corals??

Emma01 · Apr 11, 2019

Hi all.
I’m looking for suggestions on beginner SPS corals. I’ve currently got a 30 litre nano that had been up and running 3 + years.
Suggestions on SPS corals, and placement requirement would be great
Lighting = Ecotech Radion.

Thanks all
Emma

Oshengems · Apr 11, 2019

Can never go wrong with some birdsnest, they literally grow under any light and flow(light for sps of course) also monti caps and stylos are very easy, try to get a freebie from a fellow reefer, a test frag that’s how I build my confidence went to buy some LPS from a fellow reefer he gave me a piece of blue digitata to try out

Dr. Dendrostein · Apr 11, 2019

Emma01 said:
Hi all.
I’m looking for suggestions on beginner SPS corals. I’ve currently got a 30 litre nano that had been up and running 3 + years.
Suggestions on SPS corals, and placement requirement would be great
Lighting = Ecotech Radion.

Thanks all
Emma

Your ready, comrade

mattzang · Apr 11, 2019

i've had my first sps success with a purple stylo, green digitata, and a green pocillopora. now attempting an ice fire enchinata..

Slim64684 · Apr 11, 2019

I just added first sps about 3 weeks ago. An orange digi and a pink birdsnest.

Emma01 · Apr 11, 2019

Anyone had any luck with a
Turbinaria. Are they difficult to keep/ accommodate??

High ICP · Apr 11, 2019

Emma01 said:
Hi all.
I’m looking for suggestions on beginner SPS corals. I’ve currently got a 30 litre nano that had been up and running 3 + years.
Suggestions on SPS corals, and placement requirement would be great
Lighting = Ecotech Radion.

Thanks all
Emma

Youtube Tidal Gradens has some vids on high tolerance hard corals.

Acros, montis, elegance are the ones that are extra sensitive in my experience. Everything else are relatively easy to care for.

Emma01 · Apr 11, 2019

High ICP said:
Youtube Tidal Gradens has some vids on high tolerance hard corals.

Acros, montis, elegance are the ones that are extra sensitive in my experience. Everything else are relatively easy to care for.

Thanks, I’ll have a look on their channel!

Pete_the_Puma · Apr 11, 2019

In my opinion there are 3 groups of SPS roughly:

Hardiest/easiest SPS : Pocillopora, Seriatopora (Birdsnest) and Stylophora

Medium difficulty SPS: Most Montipora,

Hardest: Acropora.

If your tank has been stable for 3 years (most important would be rock stable ALK) and is lit by Radion LEDs you should have no trouble starting with the first group and moving up if things go well! The issue is that if I read this correctly you have a 7G (30 LITRES?) tank and keeping parameters stable in such a small volume of water might be challenging.

Pete

PatW · Apr 11, 2019

Birds nest tend to be hardy and fast growing. Most monitora grow well. Pociilapora are hardy and fast growing. Stylaphora are hardy but not so fast growing.

Well established, “easy” Acropora strains can do well. They are more of a crap shoot. I would suggest that if you try them to go with inexpensive ones.

Hemmdog · Apr 11, 2019

Emma01 said:
Anyone had any luck with a
Turbinaria. Are they difficult to keep/ accommodate??

I have one. Super easy. They just don’t grow much. Get any sps you want. A 3 year old tank can handle pretty much anything as long as your parameters are all stable.

acro-ed · Apr 11, 2019

Specific examples/strains of species that have been in captivity a long time will be far easier than maricultured/wild versions of "easier" coral genus.

Ex. a Garf Bonsai acro is almost impossible to kill and is easier than a wild birdsnest.

I would look at getting a tank grown Orange Monti cap, Garf bonsai acro, and ORA sour apple birdsnest. That gives you good diversity and those three grow like weeds. Also gives you orange, purple, and green corals.

Emma01 · Apr 12, 2019

Ok, well I’ve Just ordered my first SPS.
Ordered a
Stylophora + Seriatopora
Well, we’ll See how it goes

!

skysoblue987 · Apr 12, 2019

Cornbred's The Thing Anacropora is as hardy and fast growing as a bird's nest. Looks better too.

Emma01 · Apr 13, 2019

skysoblue987 said:
Cornbred's The Thing Anacropora is as hardy and fast growing as a bird's nest. Looks better too.

I’ve just looked it up..... and I love it! Same environment required as other SPS I take it?; Flow etc?
Thanks

Emma01 · Apr 13, 2019

Flow.........
Looking at getting a Ecotech Mp10 for my new SPS’s. Suitable for a 30 litre (7g) tank without blowing my fish everywhere/too strong of a current? I’ve had a previous cheap wavemaker, that wasn’t really adjustable. My clowns were finding it difficult to swim against the current.
I’m frightened that if I spend that much on a Ecotech Mp10. Will the same thing happen?
Thanks all for your amazing replies!
Emma

skysoblue987 · Apr 13, 2019

Emma01 said:
I’ve just looked it up..... and I love it! Same environment required as other SPS I take it?; Flow etc?
Thanks

Yes. As long as theres water movement around the coral you should be fine.

skysoblue987 · Apr 13, 2019

Emma01 said:
Flow.........
Looking at getting a Ecotech Mp10 for my new SPS’s. Suitable for a 30 litre (7g) tank without blowing my fish everywhere/too strong of a current? I’ve had a previous cheap wavemaker, that wasn’t really adjustable. My clowns were finding it difficult to swim against the current.
I’m frightened that if I spend that much on a Ecotech Mp10. Will the same thing happen?
Thanks all for your amazing replies!
Emma

You can just partially cover up the intake grating on your wavemaker to reduce the flow. MP10 on lowest setting will work but too expensive. Use the money for a 40 breeder.