Sps Easy Then Softies Or Lps?

[DitchPlains]

I have found in my nano that keeping SPS is easier then leathers and softies, for whatevre reason my tank seems to do better with hard corals, maybe its my paramters, but just wondered if anyone else has experienced this. I guess I am feeling its a myth about SPS being more difficult to keep, as mine seem to have floruished under my 96 watts of pc in my NANO. Ofcourse this is all subjective, but just wondering if there are other reefers experincing this same phenomina.

[format32]

They are more difficult to grow than any almost any other coral type. Most sps require stronger light like halides instead of compacts. While I have heard many people say there sps thrive under compact lighting I have never seen this happen in real life. I have kept them under both lighting conditions and I can truly say that they didn't thrive for me and many other friends tanks. Halide truly is the only way to go with sps.

Also I hear all the time that people say there powercompact lighting does great with sps and come to find out the tank has only been setup for less than 6 months. 6 months is not a good benchmark for sps.

You also have to pay good attention to your calc levels

Do you dose calc?

[ricky1414]

What most people aren't aware of is that tanks need to be established for a reeeeaaaalllly long time before atempting to add sps. Water quality needs to be realy good.

[supernip]

mine does too. it's usually one or the other (sofites/lps or sps, I mean). and no, you dont need to wait that long.

[Withers]

if you're overskimming your tank then it is better suited for SPS than softies, SPS thrive on nutrient starved tanks, softies don't.

[corey0613]

that has not been my experience at all. when you say you SPS are thriving under PC's im assuming you are seeing a fair amount of growth, and you think that is thriving. put them under some halide lighting and then you will see the growth and COLOR that is closer to thriving. alot of the stonies under PC's dont have very good color, but they will still encrust.

 

im assuming that you are keeping the hardy species of SPS such as m. digitata and caps, etc. try some nice tricolor acros and the like and your results wont be as nice. they are much harder to keep.

 

i keep SPS, LPS, and some softies in my tank and all do well, the SPS require more TLC than the other species.

 

calcium levels are important, but i have found that alkalinity and a stable pH are even more important for long term success.

 

truth be told SPS probably grow faster than most other types of corals, except for xenias and some of the zoo species. but getting them to grow is much harder.

 

i dont think that your tank has to be up for a reeeeaaaaaaaly long time. maybe 6 months or so, as long as your parameters have been rock solid for a month or two, you will be fine.

[DitchPlains]

In regards to my tank setup time its been 8 months, so you guys are close to accurate. True, this may not be the longest time, but in so far as as enought ime to see encrusting I have. I have a Bali Slimer (green) Monti D. and thats it, no acros or high end sps. Part fo ym point was that I have foudn either you have softies or sps in yoru nano, because of teh confined space it makes it hard to keep both, and that I justhave had better luck with SPS in quality of growth. As far as calc goes yes I add Kent's Super Calc, and Pro Buffer no and again to keep the levels high. I use a Hagen Calc and Alk test kit for those levels. I would love to get salifert but can't them locally. I agree, however I would love to have MH, as I believe the colors of all corals won't fully come out until youget something with a broader, and more intense spectrum (lumenens) I am planning on getting a 175MH over my 9 gallon tank, but I am truly worried about evap. I have a auto top off setup (very ghetto, 1 gallon water jug, hole in top, silicone tubing and a small copntrol valve) Yes, I do overskim, thats probably why my tank likes sps. I do have one large Toadstool over 8 high, to the top of the water line, but my tank size is contorlling its growth. I have Xenia and a dark blue Crocea Clam as well (2 1/2 inch) I really appreciate the comments, I have never had any of the " hard to grow" sps in my tank, perhaps if I have some Purple Acro or so I would see a huge difference. Anyone, growing high requirment sps in a nano under 12g?