Can SPS and LPS live together?

[zemuss]

I would like to know if SPS and LPS can live together.

The reason I ask is SPS need a clean system, i.e nitrates of zero and LPS like nitrates a little higher. However, LPS can live in higher nitrates over 5 but SPS start to lose color and bad things start happening.

Thoughts?


"Z"

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Yes they can live together.

 

[StikHedRon]

Sure can.

 

[TJ's Reef]

Yes they can and what is referred to as a 'Mixed Reef' that being said and as you've stated about the water chemistry preferences of each this is one of the more difficult Marine systems to maintain. Personally it is what I like the most and currently have in my 125g. It is definitely a balancing act of tank husbandry taking into consideration all aspects to each family in water chemistry, Coral placement because of potential alleopathy (chemical warfare), lighting and flow. When all balanced out though is in my opinion the most beautiful and rewarding of Reeftanks there is.

Cheers, Todd

 

[JMSKI333]

+1 to what Tj said. I have a mixed reef as well. I find that my tank does well when I feed my fish a lot for the LPS but then I do large water changes, skim heavy and change filter socks often for the SPS. If you nail the balence right, you can almost make everyone happy. You sometimes get an unhappy camper on one team or the other.

 

[mike007]

I totaly agree mixed reef is the way to go.:xd:

 

[saltyhog]

I'm having a little trouble keeping some of my LPS happy, particularly trumpet coral and a favia. Interestingly my zoas and palys are doing very well. 'Shrooms...not so much.

What LPS do you have that do well with SPS parameters? Which ones don't do as well?

 

[bct15]

Yes they can, sps can do just fine with nitrates over 5 ppm btw.

 

[zemuss]

I will not argue the fact that they can't but as TJ said it is harder because you have to find that sweet spot. I am almost convinced that you cannot keep a ULNS when having a mixed reef. I consider a 2ppm Nitrates or less to be a ULNS. However I am of the opinion that you need to keep it between 2 and 5 ppm no higher.

Thoughts?

 

[bct15]

My nitrates always test zero on my test kits and I have a mixed reef with a bunch of acros, frogspawn, zoas, torches, acans, chalices, elegance, welso, montis, birdsnest, and a couple pectinas, and a couple different shrooms. It's all about placement and feeding heavy.

 

[luisgo]

Yes you can! Soft, LPS and SPS..

 

[larangcon]

Mixed Reef is the way to go, it is a balancing act and need to be checked more often. The road to the sweet spot is what we all have as a goal in this hobby.

 

[Steveowhits]

I will not argue the fact that they can't but as TJ said it is harder because you have to find that sweet spot. I am almost convinced that you cannot keep a ULNS when having a mixed reef. I consider a 2ppm Nitrates or less to be a ULNS. However I am of the opinion that you need to keep it between 2 and 5 ppm no higher.

Thoughts?

I keep my nitrates around 2 and have had great success with Acans in my SPS tanks. I have strong, intermittent flow. Some things hate my tank i.e. golden torch coral. I have not figured that one out..possible stressed specimens... but I have killed 2. I feed a lot of small feedings because I have anthias.

 

[Assyrianfishguy]

I believe placement , water flow, and chemical balnce has to be in order to have both. I find placement the hardest to hit. cant seem to find the right placement for my chalice, and acans. they either get hit with to much flow or to much light.

 

[Fishlee]

They can just need the appropriate flow

 

[Dog Boy Dave]

MY SPS and LPS do well in the same water in the same light and even current is easy enough to manage if the tank is shaped right. However, If you put softies and LPS in your SPS portion of your system you severely limit the fish that you can keep with your SPS. Many fish commonly considered unsafe in a reef do quite well if they are kept in an SPS only tank. Butterfly fish and large Angel Fish will slaughter many softies, gorgonians, even leathers but don't bother my SPS a all. Algae and many common so called pests like aiptasia and pest anemones are a non issue in an SPS tank stocked with front reef fish as if it was actually in the high energy zone of the reef. I keep my LPS and softies segregated from my SPS section of my reef to keep them away from the fish but water, light and flow aren't the issues. On that same note, my lagoon portion of my reef (all plumbed together) has hundreds of frags and larger colonies that have out grown my SPS tank. Surprisingly some of the SPS look much nicer in the lower current and lower light of the lagoon. I say lower light , it has clams and is lit by 400 watt halide t-5 mix so most of the LPS get plenty of light.