SPS are fired, LPS get promoted!

[john.m.cole3]

I was getting frustrated at the hobby a few weeks ago. It's probably the 5th monti cap that I've killed not to mention more acropora and other SPS than I can think of. I was really getting down on myself for being a bad reef keeper, and started having thoughts of giving up all together.

Then, I stared into my chalice and zoa tamk for over an hour. I came away from that meditation session with new #reefgoals . I'm going to focus on LPS and softies for a while. Matter of fact, I'm going to make a tank filled with color and movement that would make the most avid SPS grower tip his hat in respect of the beauty this tank will have.

Maybe you guys and gals have some LPS dominant display tanks you could share with me for inspiration! Happy reefing, folks.

 

[jsker]

Bring it on

 

[Anirban]

Lets start...what LPS do you have and what you wish to keep?

 

[MikeyB]

Definitely going to follow this thread I'm kind of taking your approach as well. Get some nice euphyllia, maybe some blasto's and acans as well.

 

[Waters]

I have tried that route several times of the last year but the stupid SPS keeps pulling me back in lol.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

My light isn't strong enough for SPS, so I've actually just placed a huge order of softies (tons of zoa's, a leather, and a gorgonian) and LPS (frogspawn and duncan). I'm going to try one chalice coral very close to the light and in the flow and we'll see what happens. My current corals (2 zoas and 2 mushrooms [one is a bubble mushroom and I think I may see a little one creeping out from under my existing polyp]) are growing like crazy. What type of fish/other inverts are you using? Just throwing out the recommendation of a pistol shrimp/goby pair. I currently have a pistol shrimp with my softies and they never have any problems, he just digs his little tunnels (his goby buddy died a few months ago, I'm hopefully getting a new from my LFS today). I also have a royal gramma, he really looks great against all the zoanthid corlas.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Monti caps are one of those corals you'll regret when it takes off anyway. In fact the only monti I like is the digitata. That said, can't wait to see the new lps tank!

 

[sdcosta]

I recently came to the same relization with my own tank. I felt terrible for any coral that died. Only thing I've gotten to thrive other than LPS is pocillopora.

 

[reeferfoxx]

I think all tips and tricks are out there for sps. Just need to do the research. Gotta understand the correlation between nutrients, alk, flow, and lighting. I also think sps growers should have a par meter.

 

[john.m.cole3]

Lets start...what LPS do you have and what you wish to keep?

I have acans, chalice, hammers, frogspawn, grape coral, favia, goniastrea, a mini scoly, candy canes, cyphastrea, leptoseris, fungia, lobo, and alveopora. I want to get into acanthophllia and trachyphyllia not to mention duncans, fox coral, bubble coral, gonipora, elegance, torch, and octospawn. I'll keep certain zoas and shrooms as well but they have to be eye catchers.

 

[john.m.cole3]

My monti curse doesn't stop me from having them. I have a colony of orange digitata and 3 more frags of capricornis, and a forest fire digi. It's always a certain incident that ends their life with me. The last monti cap got stung by an acro, alk burn before that, nudis before that, and poor beginners luck in the early days. I like the growth patterns montis have and will prob cont to pursue them as well as some other easy SPS, but the acros keep me scratching my head.

 

[reeferfoxx]

My monti curse doesn't stop me from having them. I have a colony of orange digitata and 3 more frags of capricornis, and a forest fire digi. It's always a certain incident that ends their life with me. The last monti cap got stung by an acro, alk burn before that, nudis before that, and poor beginners luck in the early days. I like the growth patterns montis have and will prob cont to pursue them as well as some other easy SPS, but the acros keep me scratching my head.

Whats your alk?

 

[john.m.cole3]

Whats your alk?

8.3, 420, 1380 no3 5, po4 .06, 8 hours of t5 a day

 

[reeferfoxx]

8.3, 420, 1380 no3 5, po4 .06, 8 hours of t5 a day

Have you tried the 7-8 range? My sps thrive in that range.

 

[needbiggertanks]

This title is amazing. Just saying. Great idea and plan on following.

 

[RyanCSGO]

I don’t have a softie/lps tank myself. But so far my favorit has to be mike’s. Great one to reference for goals lol

 

[Anirban]

I have acans, chalice, hammers, frogspawn, grape coral, favia, goniastrea, a mini scoly, candy canes, cyphastrea, leptoseris, fungia, lobo, and alveopora. I want to get into acanthophllia and trachyphyllia not to mention duncans, fox coral, bubble coral, gonipora, elegance, torch, and octospawn. I'll keep certain zoas and shrooms as well but they have to be eye catchers.

This is going to be interesting. I keep mainly SPS but have a love for LPS. Zoa is fun but somehow I dont like them but I am a Favia lover. I collect a lot of Acan, favia and torch/hammer.They are fun to look at and grow fast. Choose different bright colour combo. I dont even feed them but my homemade food has everything which I feed everyday once.

 

[john.m.cole3]

This is going to be interesting. I keep mainly SPS but have a love for LPS. Zoa is fun but somehow I dont like them but I am a Favia lover. I collect a lot of Acan, favia and torch/hammer.They are fun to look at and grow fast. Choose different bright colour combo. I dont even feed them but my homemade food has everything which I feed everyday once.

I'm expecting favia to be the next "in" coral. The new chalice if you will. Too bad LPS don't have the branching growth pattern SPS do...

 

[Flippers4pups]

My monti curse doesn't stop me from having them. I have a colony of orange digitata and 3 more frags of capricornis, and a forest fire digi. It's always a certain incident that ends their life with me. The last monti cap got stung by an acro, alk burn before that, nudis before that, and poor beginners luck in the early days. I like the growth patterns montis have and will prob cont to pursue them as well as some other easy SPS, but the acros keep me scratching my head.

I can attest to montipora caps can become a problem as they can grow quickly. I foresee that with my red montipora cap soon. I'll frag anything that will become a problem, within reason.

My digitata's are starting to look at each other like "let's fight!". That's partially my fault due to thinking they would all grow "upwards"! Should have spaced them out more, too late for that.

Acro's can be a mixed bag, especially if wild. Hit or miss. Light acclimation, especially with them, is very important.

Going "mixed" is roll of the dice due to "chemical warfare" or " I'm upset, puke!" and how the other hard corals respond to their actions. GAC is your friend with "mixed" tanks.

 

[Anirban]

I'm expecting favia to be the next "in" coral. The new chalice if you will. Too bad LPS don't have the branching growth pattern SPS do...

I agree but they plate and cover stuffs. So when they spread they look wonderful.