Tim's 54 Gallon Corner -> Going Reef

[TLTGF]

New additions... A colony of rhodactis mushrooms, and a singulara coral!

I'll post more pics once they are open...

 

[rdnelson99]

Looks nice. I added a nice Frogspawn yesterday and I am loving it.

 

[TLTGF]

Here's the shrooms all happy...

 

[rob_mango]

Nice looking good keep it up I think I have decided to go sps tank I have had no luck with my lps

 

[Ricksreef]

Nice looking good keep it up I think I have decided to go sps tank I have had no luck with my lps

You do realize that SPS are harder to keep than LPS?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Ditto...if you are loosing LPS corals, you don't have a chance with SPS ones.

 

[Jlsardina]

I failed at one SPS and won't try again. Too expensive to waste money on em

 

[slitherbomb]

Wait, sps is difficult? Ive had an acropora that was growing and doing great (I moved it to a new tank that had really high lighting and it bleached ) and now have a birdsnest and neither have had any special treatment.... Lps coral is easier than this?

 

[rob_mango]

My acro and birdsnest r doing great but I lost my frogspawn I don't know y that is but I have better luck with sps then lps

 

[Gregcoyote]

In general, SPS is considered to need the best water quality, higher calcium levels and more intense lighting than either soft or LPS corals need.
Your mileage may vary.

 

[Greenturtle]

I guess the easiest SPS such as acropora could be easier than the most difficult LPS, but in general SPS is less hardy. Which LPS types did you lose?

 

[slitherbomb]

What about montipora? I've bought 3 frags and none have survived...

 

[Greenturtle]

Montipora need really good water conditions and lighting. I would say they are a step up from acro.

 

[slitherbomb]

That explains it lol

 

[rob_mango]

I have lost frogspawn hammer and touch corals but I have a lobo that is kicking but and all my sps r doing great everyone seems to tell me that I have to much flow in my tank but even in low flow areas they still don't do well idk I am giving up on them I think don't want to keep killing corals

 

[yetee]

Montipora need really good water conditions and lighting. I would say they are a step up from acro.

It is the other way around. Monti's in general are the more hardy of sps and can live through less than perfect conditions. Acro's are some of the more difficult sps to keep.

 

[carey]

I also have several SPS and I havent done anything special for them but they are growing quite well. I keep mine higher up in the tank under medium to high waterflow.

I've had good sucess with my LPS as well, Ijust keep them on the bottom with good flow and moderate light. I don't feed my corals in the 125g either.

 

[rob_mango]

Yeah idk what is going on I can't seem to keep my lps alive it makes me sad I love the way they look but they keep dieing on me any one have any good ideas

 

[Gregcoyote]

http://www.michiganreefers.com/forums/sps-keepers/58273-sps-corals-hard-grow.html

This is an excellent and simple answer from the Michigan Reef guys.

There is little difference between LPS and SPS corals and their needs. SPS needs a bit more light, in general.
Neither one of them will tolerate fluctuations in water chemistry, and as the SPS corals absorb quite a bit of calcium, that can be a challenge for some. Acros are fairly slow growers and seem to be pretty demanding while monti is pretty easy. My purple acros grow about 1/4" every two weeks, while my frogspawn can be seen growing with the naked eye! Same with my green torch corals, but slower than the frogspawn. My elk horn coral is really a slow grower.

 

[TLTGF]

My sinularia all opened up.