LPS coral chart

[themartins]

We have begun a chart of LPS corals as an easy to read reference for aquascaping our aquariums. Do you have any suggestions? Any helpful suggestions or constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated as this is an ongoing work in progress.

 

[Vettitude]

This would be so helpful. Every time I buy something, I look at many sights trying to find out tank size, placement, flow, feeding etc.
I guide would be awesome.
I hope that it can continue.
Thanks for starting this.

 

[Retired_AF]

This is a very good start. There is a lot of info that has been organized to be read easily.
What is your info source for the data?

Great job!

 

[themartins]

Thank you for your interest.

The source mostly used is liveaquaria.com. We just organized the information in an easier to read form, rather than looking at just the needs of 1 coral at a time. We looked at a lot of different sources and found varrying information that was quite confusing to us as we are fairly new the the hobby and just beginning to add corals to our 2 reef aquariums. I believe liveaquaria.com to be a more reliable source then many out there on the web and they have helped us with advice and information concerning both freshwater and saltwater aquarium issues in the past whenever I have called them.

If you have any other information, or even constructive criticism we would like to hear it. We were thinking from the beginning that this could be a collaborative effort from those on Aquarium Advice. There just isn't anything out there of this nature, at least from what we've seen that is a reliable, easy to read chart for corals the way that there is for fish compatability charts. Please also look at the other 2 charts that we have begun (soft corals and SPS corals) as well and feel free to give imput on those also.

Again, thank you for your interest. We look forward to hearing back from anyone interested in helping us with this collaborative effort.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I agree that Liveaquaria.com is a good source for real information in regards to the difficulty level and so on. For example, I have tried to raise orange sponges for over two decades. I know it is almost impossible to do long term, although it CAN be done. I had LFS and web sites tell me over and over that they were simple to keep. They are not.

 

[kay-bee19]

Regarding the 'temperament' of the acan. echinata, based on my experience with them I would rate it as aggressive.

I currently keep three types of acans (a. lordhowensis, one unknown type and a. echintata). The other two are fairly peaceful however, the a. echinata has destroyed a number of xenia and mushrooms that have grown within 3"-4" of them. Their mesenterial filaments pack a punch and have a long reach. They'd wreck havoc on a LPS if they'd cast their mesenteries at one.

My echinata even attempted to snare a hermit crab (which it probably mistook as food I guess, although I've never seen it employ the filaments when I've fed it):

(I eventually relocated the zoa's and leptastrea seen in the last photo because they were too close to it and the hermit could have led the stinging mesenteries to them).

 

[Gregcoyote]

I would agree on the acans as aggressive and would suggest the chalice coral is non-aggressive IMO. My mushrooms push it around all the time. I would rate the torch as aggressive. I have also had one kind of trumpet colony killing another trumpet colony. I did not think they would do that, but it happened.

 

[mwilliams]

I know this is kind of an old thread but I was wandering what is the best alkalinity to keep LPS at?

 

[mr_X]

8-12 dkh. The same as any other coral. Stability is the key.

 

[mwilliams]

Oh ok thanks.... I lost my open brain the other day it had only been in the tank for barely 3 days and gone... I was told that my alk was to low which I have it 8-9 that they require high alk.

 

[mr_X]

That's not accurate. The KH in the ocean is only 7.
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

That's a Tracyphyllia and in my experience, are a pain in the butt to keep happy. If you want another, I suggest a Wellsophyllia.
Who told you it was your tank that killed it, the LFS that sold it to you?

 

[mwilliams]

That's not accurate. The KH in the ocean is only 7.
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

That's a Tracyphyllia and in my experience, are a pain in the butt to keep happy. If you want another, I suggest a Wellsophyllia.
Who told you it was your tank that killed it, the LFS that sold it to you?

Kind of sortof the LFS did.. Not in so many words... But he has given me store credit for the loss which is pretty nice of him....Not all LFS will do that.
Thanks for the info on them being a pain in the butt to take care of I will try the Wellsophyllia ones when I go to collect on my store credit.
Mine alk usually stays around 8-9 I think it has gotten up to 11 once but not very often. So that will be good for the Wellsophyllia correct?
What about Scolly's not the very expensive Aussie ones the ones on the less expensive side? How easy are they to maintain any special requirements?

 

[mr_X]

Both the wellsophyllia and scolys (Aussie and Indo) are pretty easy. I don't see you having a problem with them.

 

[mwilliams]

Cool thanks I will give them a try.

 

[dragonfisher33]

according to the chart, LPS like Miami Hurricane Chalice should be in low-med light with low flow but i don't understand why my chalice is still bleaching. it's placed under a LR

 

[mr_X]

First of all, if you blasted it with light and did some damage, it's going to take a while for it to come back. They don't just turn around as soon as you shade them.
Secondly, maybe it's not light at all.. Maybe something else is effecting it.
Chalices in my experience can be kept in different light intensities, but no coral should be exposed immediately, 100% to new stronger light. What kind of lighting did the guy who sold it to you have it under?

 

[dragonfisher33]

First of all, if you blasted it with light and did some damage, it's going to take a while for it to come back. They don't just turn around as soon as you shade them.
Secondly, maybe it's not light at all.. Maybe something else is effecting it.
Chalices in my experience can be kept in different light intensities, but no coral should be exposed immediately, 100% to new stronger light. What kind of lighting did the guy who sold it to you have it under?

mr_X: this is the part where i don't understand. when i got the frag from the lfs, it was under some LED light (looked like Radion but not certain). he's very reputable in my area so i'm not going to question his practice and methodology. but here's the ironic part: i first place the frag on a piece of LR and under direct light (like how i saw it in the store). slowly and surely it looks like it's on the way out. so i contacted him and told him about the situation, he actually replaced the original frag with another frag of the Miami hurricane(kudos to him for doing that). so this time, i put it under the LR and yet the same thing is happening. the second frag looks bleached as well and i can already see its skeletal structure. all my parameters are checked and nothing out of the ordinary. i'm beat when it comes to chalice.

ps: if this doesn't work out, it will be my first and last chalice

 

[mr_X]

What else are you keeping currently? How are these corals doing?
What light are you using? If LED, what percentage do you have it at?

 

[dragonfisher33]

What else are you keeping currently? How are these corals doing?
What light are you using? If LED, what percentage do you have it at?

sps: monti, birdsnest, purple garf acro, one other sps i can't think of the name of
lps: frogspawn, some zoas, scoly, fungia, war coral,
softies: ricordea, xenia, etc.

there's some more that i left out but the idea is that they're all doing well under my quad T5HO x 39W

 

[mr_X]

well, then I don't know. What do you keep your alk at?