Confusing thought on SPS and SOFTIES/LPS combo! Nano Reefers please help!

[Dennis_said]

Here's the stats of my tank:

 

15g long

500 GPH pumpage

250W MH w/ XM Bulb

18'' CPR Aquafuge

Picollo skimmer

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My question is... that I've always planned my tank for SPS... but I wanted variety.. hence I got myself the LPS (frogspawn and hammer and candy cane) and some softies (Rics, zoos, polyps)........

 

I put all these LPS and softies at the VERY bottom of the tank... nicely along the bottom... w/ my live rock creating a nice barrier top story for my future SPS....

 

I post up some questions at Reef Central, and a majority of the people advise... "Dont' do it!!! In a tank that small... don't mix SPS!!!"

 

I want to though... I won't if it will prove detrimental... but is there any way for me to make this work? I mean I've excited about SPS for a long time!

 

Please, anybody !?

 

Thankszzz

[JIM27]

I keep lps(frogspawn), softies(zoos and shrooms/rics), with the SPS in my tank. I even have a rose bta and a normal bta in there. The only problems I've had with corals getting stung was from one SPS stinging another. I say go for it.

[jdsabin1]

I have lps, sofites and sps in my tank and have had zero problems. I have heard that leathers can sometimes wreak havoc on a completely mixed tank but can't confirm or deny.

 

I run carbon 24/7 to help with the warfare.

 

Post a pic of your tank with the XM bulb Dennis. I am going metal halide now and planned to go with the XM. Do you supplement with actinic or do you find the XM is blue enough?

 

Thanks!

[Dennis_said]

XM bulbs are awesome on my 15... no need for supplementation I have a pic from about a couple weeks ago before stocking, here it is...http://pichosting.pcthike.com/albun10/DCP_5156?full=1

[Dennis_said]

Anybody else w thoughts?

[kennerd]

Leathers can be messy, grow large, and I read somewhere that they may also contribute to Acros staying brown, and common problem with under-lit tanks anyway.

 

I don't think you'll have a problem, just make sure that you don't let zoos, GSP or shrooms start spreading toward the SPS. They tend to encroach on the bases, and while they won't normally kill the whole frag or colony, they will kill the flesh on the bottoms.

[Aquarist20]

I say go with the mix. I have a 20 long full of SPS with a leather, zoos and shrooms. Like Kennerd said though, make sure they dont creep up on th SPS. Bad softies, bad softies. Stay down.