When to add SPS? And what's the best beginner SPS?

hds4216 · Dec 16, 2020

My tank had its 6 month anniversary yesterday and I'm itching for some SPS. The parameters have been stable for a while now and I test twice a week and track on an excel sheet to make sure they stay that way. This tank has gone exceptionally smoothly, literally only one thing has died and it was a single hermit crab. The parameters are currently:

- Mag is1270
- Alk: Red Sea says 8.75, my Hanna says 8.70. Close enough.
- Temp is a constant 77-78 F.
- Salinity is 1.025
- Nitrate is between 5-8
- Calcium is 425
- Phosphate is .07
- pH is 8.1-8.2

I'm running a BioCube 32, the corals I have currently are doing great and growing like weeds. I have some frogspawn, a Duncan, some zoas, some acans, and a scoly atm. I really want to try some SPS in the near future. What's the best beginner SPS, and when can I add it?

excell007 · Dec 16, 2020

if your LPSs are growing, you can try adding SPS. I think birdsnest is an easy SPS. That's my first SPS and it grew a lot in 1 month.

Epic Aquaculture · Dec 16, 2020

hds4216 said:
My tank had its 6 month anniversary yesterday and I'm itching for some SPS. The parameters have been stable for a while now and I test twice a week and track on an excel sheet to make sure they stay that way. This tank has gone exceptionally smoothly, literally only one thing has died and it was a single hermit crab. The parameters are currently:

- Mag is1270
- Alk: Red Sea says 8.75, my Hanna says 8.70. Close enough.
- Temp is a constant 77-78 F.
- Salinity is 1.025
- Nitrate is between 5-8
- Calcium is 425
- Phosphate is .07
- pH is 8.1-8.2

I'm running a BioCube 32, the corals I have currently are doing great and growing like weeds. I have some frogspawn, a Duncan, some zoas, some acans, and a scoly atm. I really want to try some SPS in the near future. What's the best beginner SPS, and when can I add it?

Your parameters look good. Are you seeing coraline algae growth? If so you should be good to go. I would start out with a Montipora digitada. Other good starters include Montipora capricornis, Seriatopora Hystrix (birdsnest), and when you're ready for Acropora, Acropora Yongei (green slimer) is a great starter Acro.

Fishko · Dec 16, 2020

Try a cheap red monti cap or green birdsnest, like 10-15 dollars for a nice frag. Very hardy and forgiving

excell007 · Dec 16, 2020

here's the birdsnest I bought for $20 on 11/10.

here it is on 12/10

Silent · Dec 16, 2020

Digi, birdsnest, monti, all are good options. Then maybe slimers and red planet, things that have been around in tanks forever like that.

Auto-pilot · Dec 16, 2020

When I first started i couldn't get my birds nest to grow! But my montipora grew. Montipora/ birdsnest are a good first go.

92Miata · Dec 16, 2020

excell007 said:
if your LPSs are growing, you can try adding SPS. I think birdsnest is an easy SPS. That's my first SPS and it grew a lot in 1 month.

I've killed more birdsnest than anything else in this hobby. And every one of the 'what coral can't you grow' threads around here - birdsnest is the winner. It seems to be really easy for some people, and impossible for others.

Green is definitely the easiest.

Easy SPS IMO:
Monti Cap
Monti Digi
Green Slimer Acro (Yongei)
ORA Tricolor (Valida)

I've never found the 'easy' acros to be all that difficult - and frankly, I think a lot of them are easier to keep than some of the montis/etc. If I bottom out my phosphates - the montis die before the acros do.

SPS2020 · Dec 16, 2020

What is your lighting and have you checked PAR levels?

hds4216 · Dec 16, 2020

SPS2020 said:
What is your lighting and have you checked PAR levels?

I’m running the Steve LED biocube upgrade. I haven’t measured PAR, is there an easy/convenient way to do that? I don’t want to buy a PAR meter and use it like once or twice...

Dave Cureton · Dec 16, 2020

What color are you after and what is your budget? I would avoid Montipora Caps in that size tank. They can grow very quickly and absorb a lot of alk an calcium. Speaking of what are you using to supplement cal, alk, mag?

hds4216 · Dec 16, 2020

Dave Cureton said:
What color are you after and what is your budget? I would avoid Montipora Caps in that size tank. They can grow very quickly and absorb a lot of alk an calcium. Speaking of what are you using to supplement cal, alk, mag?

I’m not after any fancy colors at the moment. In terms of budget, looking to stay relatively inexpensive for the first few frags, probably like $30-70 per frag. I might get two to start. I’m manually dosing Red Sea foundation pro atm.

SPS2020 · Dec 16, 2020

hds4216 said:
I’m running the Steve LED biocube upgrade. I haven’t measured PAR, is there an easy/convenient way to do that? I don’t want to buy a PAR meter and use it like once or twice...

Check some local clubs; many times you'll find someone who will let you borrow one. LFS may have one also. I rented one from BRS for a week.

However, from what I see, there isn't much adjustability with the Steve LED biocube upgrade. So, you may want to just go for a cheap frag or two and see what happens.

hds4216 · Dec 16, 2020

SPS2020 said:
Check some local clubs; many times you'll find someone who will let you borrow one. LFS may have one also. I rented one from BRS for a week.

However, from what I see, there isn't much adjustability with the Steve LED biocube upgrade. So, you may want to just go for a cheap frag or two and see what happens.

Thanks. It comes with a controller that allows me or adjust the intensity of the blues and the whites. Currently blues are on 60% and whites 40%. I’ll see about renting a PAR meter.

Dave Cureton · Dec 16, 2020

If you're ok with green either a green slimer (A.Yongei) or a green goblin anacropora would be a good start. Both are hardy and provide a good color pop. IMO every SPS tank should have a green slimer.

92Miata · Dec 16, 2020

Dave Cureton said:
If you're ok with green either a green slimer (A.Yongei) or a green goblin anacropora would be a good start. Both are hardy and provide a good color pop. IMO every SPS tank should have a green slimer.

Its a great coral once you get past the mucus.

ApoIsland · Dec 16, 2020

hds4216 said:
Thanks. It comes with a controller that allows me or adjust the intensity of the blues and the whites. Currently blues are on 60% and whites 40%. I’ll see about renting a PAR meter.

I spent many years in CO. Lots of good reef people there. Join a local forum in Ft. Colins and get all those easy sps frags for free. Should never have to pay for that stuff.