I'd like to start SPS, but I have alot of softies. This a no no or not?

[wienerdog]

I have alot of softies in my tank. I've heard that if you have alot of soft guys you'll most likely have problems with SPS. I am running a 20long.

[gabe_j]

try something cheap. run ALOT of carbon. i don't keep leathers at all. but i've got a bunch of zoas, some mushrooms and the like.

[d9hp]

I run carbon constantly with lots of softies in my tank.

 

I'll never have a mixed reef again because no matter how hard you try and manage things your SPS will get stung and they will die. It's really hard to stomach when you're beautiful bright green mille gets nuked by pink anthelia you thought you completely eradicated.

 

My next iteration of this tank (after it gets torn down and restarted) will be one or the other but not both. Too stressful, although it does create the best vibrancy IMO.

[bioload]

I have alot of softies in my tank. I've heard that if you have alot of soft guys you'll most likely have problems with SPS. I am running a 20long.

 

Depends on what you have and how big the colonies are but:

IMO if you are really serious about sps you may have to get rid of certain known offenders such as Sinularia sp. and Sarchophyton sp because they release chemicals into the water which can inhibit stony coral growth. Also the flow requirements for each are quite different. Carbon use can help but in a small tank IMO you are just causing yourself extra headaches.In a large system you can use zonation and may be able to get away with keeping them together.

[GokesReef]

Get some cheaper ones and try it.. you can ask for advice all day, but each system is different

 

Run some carbon, make sure the coral is in a good place and see how it goes!

[swayd]

I have an entire ridge of my tank dedicated to SPS. The reason for that is to make sure nothing else can get up there and hurt it. I only have a bunch of zoas and a few shrooms but I make sure they all stay away from each other.

Good luck, I think you will be fine if you find the right spot for it!

[OClownsandNanos]

The biggest corals in my 40BR right now are a finger leather, cabbage coral, and neon toadstool which are known to be some of the worst offenders. Mind you, they are not that big yet so I don't know how it will be as they grow, but I've put them on one side of the tank (with lower flow, away from the powerhead) and put the SPS I've acquired (montis - encrusting, caps, etc., and an ORA birdsnest and bird of paradise and a meteor shower cyphastrea) on the opposite side of the tank, closer to the Vortech. I haven't had most of those SPS frags for very long - about a month and a half - but I have already seen growth, esp. on the ORA birdsnest and ORA bird of paradise. I do run a carbon reactor also. I would suggest if you start out that you do so with one of those types of SPS that are more forgiving like I did, try to keep them away from any problematic softies, and don't expect rapid growth out of them. Make sure you run carbon also.

[Nano sapiens]

I have alot of softies in my tank. I've heard that if you have alot of soft guys you'll most likely have problems with SPS. I am running a 20long.

 

Depends greatly on what types of Softies and SPS. A good number of Rics and Discsoma mushrooms have caused no apparent harm to Montis, Pavona, Leptastrea and Acans, as long as there is no direct physical contact. I don't run GAC or anything else, just weekly 10% WC.

 

As mentioned, many of Leathers are more problematic when keeping SPS.

[wienerdog]

I am at my stock limit, I believe in my 20 long. Not alot of room to add any SPS without being too close to leathers. So, I'll wait until I start my 75g in the next few weeks.

[Dnic]

Do you all run carbon all the time? I haven't used any in about four months, any everyone looks lively ?

 

I even went on a zoa eradication campaign the other day.