Worth trying SPS for my tank?

[Mombo]

I have a 120g tank with an SBReeflights Ultra over it. I mostly have Zoa's and LPS.

I use Fritz RPM salt and do an 18-gallon water change every two weeks. I have an ATO and temp controller so my temps and salinity are pretty consistent.

I feed Mysis Shrimp and LRS Reef Frenzy. I also use coral food twice a week (Reef-Roids, Benereef)

I don't do any other dosing of any type. (So my main worry is my alk and cal wont be stable enough and everything will just die.)

Do y'all think with the above stuff I could try out SPS or is it just going to die? Beginner SPS?

It seems like some types are easier than others. On top of that, it seems some pieces (different name coral of the same type) are more resilient than others.

If you think I could be successful with SPS I would love some suggestions of specific ones that are hardier and beginner friendly.

I would love to try an acropora or millie of some type.

 

[Mombo]

 

[Mombo]

I’m horrible at pictures...

 

[DivingTheWorld]

How old is your tank? If you're just starting with sps, I'd skip acros for now and try some Montis or Birdsnest. If you can keep those alive, you can try an easy acro. What are you testing for and how often?

 

[rob safron]

Always worth a try if your willing to do the work and have some spare change. Once you start adding sticks you WILL have to dose alk, Ca and mag. Get that setup before you add SPS. Will be a low amount to start. Make sure your Alk is rock steady day to day. SPS do not do well with swings of any sort. If your home every day you can begin dosing manually to start but like most will get real tired of doing that. How is your nitrates and phosphates?

 

[jda]

I would wait until you have a 2-part, 3-part, kalkwasser or calcium reactor set up to replenish carbonate and calcium.

Once you do, then montis, birdsnest, stylophora and pocilipora are the easiest ones.

 

[PatW]

With sps corals, you frequently need high light, high flow and low nutrients. Your nitrates should be under 5 ppm and phosphates below .03 ppm.

You want stable ALK, Ca and Mg. I measure and hand dose ALK daily. I measure and dose Ca weekly. Water changes keep Mg high enough. But I use a reef crystals which has high Mg. I am getting close to having enough ALK consumption to switch to dosing ALK with daily measuring and supplemental dosing. Keeping ALK in a narrow range is a good idea.

If you can do these things then try it.

My montiporas and birds nests are easy. Stylopora are pretty easy too. Acropora are a bit strange. Some flourish and grow and others just wither away.

 

[Mombo]

Ok. My tank hits the 1yr mark next week.

I don't test at all anymore to be honest. Everything has been fat and happy and the LPS has been growing so I just haven't done it.

I have a Algae Scrubber in the fuge section of my sump doing its thing. Not sure what my nitrates and po4 is at exactly.

Sounds like acro's other stick like things are out of the question. Would a monti or stylophora also likely die in my tank with the current stuff I am doing?

 

[Mombo]

ah ok. Ya I dont think I will be able to dose and test daily. At the top of my tank I have pretty high lighting and flow. Maybe ill try a monti up there and see what happens. If it doesn't work out stick to the LPS category.

 

[jda]

If you let the carbonate, calcium and magnesium fluctuate up and down in between water changes, then most SPS will usually tolerate it for a while, then stop growing and then the next bad thing causes STN or RTN. You need your big 3 to be stable more than anything else.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I have a 120g tank with an SBReeflights Ultra over it. I mostly have Zoa's and LPS.

I use Fritz RPM salt and do an 18-gallon water change every two weeks. I have an ATO and temp controller so my temps and salinity are pretty consistent.

I feed Mysis Shrimp and LRS Reef Frenzy. I also use coral food twice a week (Reef-Roids, Benereef)

I don't do any other dosing of any type. (So my main worry is my alk and cal wont be stable enough and everything will just die.)

Do y'all think with the above stuff I could try out SPS or is it just going to die? Beginner SPS?

It seems like some types are easier than others. On top of that, it seems some pieces (different name coral of the same type) are more resilient than others.

If you think I could be successful with SPS I would love some suggestions of specific ones that are hardier and beginner friendly.

I would love to try an acropora or millie of some type.

Depends. Like others have said, proper light spectrum and proper light intensity around 200-300 par works well for most. I've always advocated light acclimation for any type of coral when introduced to a new system. Simple as placing on sand bed for a few days and if it does well, raise it up and wait a few days. Repeat till it's where it responds well and leave it.

Water pramameters need to be in proper ranges to start, with alkalinity being stable the most. But all pramameters should be as stable as possible as well.

Flow should be random and alternating, enough to almost kick up the sand bed.

Newly established systems usually don't work well for SPS as water pramameters usually swing and become unstable. You'll hear that they do best in a mature system of a year or more. This has to do mostly from bacterial strains stabilizing and the nitrogen cycle being stable as well. Imbalances in nutrients have a negative impact on them as well as nuisance algae.

SPS coral health as frags contribute to any success with them as well, but given the right conditions, stressed frags can recover.

If your system is up for the challenge and have the above down, then you should be successful with them.

 

[Mombo]

Thanks for all the tips y’all! I think zoas and lps are going to be best for me

 

[rob safron]

You can always try down the road . Don’t waste your money and time till your ready to commit.

 

[Billldg]

@rob safron , I kinda asked a similar question, I already have a few sps frags in my tank, but check the link out.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/what-is-the-meaning-of-a-mature-tank.466715/

 

[rob safron]

i tend to run on the wild side myself. As long as things are stable which includes a process to add alk and Ca to keep those stable. And your nutrients are in check. You have the light and flow. Even if the tank is only 4 months old I wouldn’t hesitate to try. I did lose many expensive SPS in the beginning until I got everything smoothed out. But I had the money to lose which makes it hurt just a smidge less.

 

[phixman]

Once you buy your first sps, you will never stop buying new ones... just a warning

 

[Reefer40b]

Once you buy your first sps, you will never stop buying new ones... just a warning

TRUTH!

 

[Duffer]

I concur with everyone above statements...my experience after 6 maths with the tank I went head first with sps on buying an acro and I learn the hard way.. the acro did not make it...but I went the route of a birds nest and monti and the both are doing great

End result you can get some sps just get the ones that are hardy

 

[bhuyett]

Like others have said, if you aren't willing to put in the time and energy to validate you are keeping stable tank parameters. Then I would say just stick with what you have, since LPS and softies are less demanding corals.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

As recommended start with easy sps ORA's selection of birdsnest are a good start. You can add kalk to your top off water to dose cal and alk or inverst in a 2 part doser or calrx.