First SPS

SSalty

SSalty

Team Liquid Force
Well, tommarow is when my first SPS frag arrives. It is an acropora and I must say I am a little intimidated. I am kind of worried concidered it will be placed in a "mixed reef" aquarium. Some softies but most LPS. There are a lot of people that claim you cannot mix SPS, LPS, and Softies. But I am going to give it a try.

I did a water change tonight and made sure my Salinity is at 1.025, temp 78, and calcium 420.

Anyother words of wisdom is apprecieated.
 
Place as far away from leather corals for sure and run carbon at least part time.Good luck with your first sps.What color or kind of sps?
 
reeffreak said:
Place as far away from leather corals for sure and run carbon at least part time.Good luck with your first sps.What color or kind of sps?
Click to expand...

I don't have any leather corals, and don't plan on getting any. Wait, is a toad stool a leather?

I honestly don't know which color or kind. My LFS ordered it. All I know it is an acropora. I will post pics tommarow.
 
I have a little frag of green acropora in my mixed reef. Mine is still small -- about 1.5" across and less than 1" high. Who knows what will happen when it gets bigger .................................

I keep mine up high and in pretty heavy flow. It turned brown under my PC lights, but under the T5s, it has perked up and turned a nice fluorescent green with purple tips.
 
i recently took the plunge with the SPS, LPS, softie combo tank as well. I was scared a bit as well. I did take out my leathers and put them in my 125, which I have converted to all soft corals. I did leave my mushrooms and zoanthids. I think they add to the tank. The SPS seem to be doing fine. Congrats on your new purchase. Post pics when you can

-Doc
 
Just remember to place your frag close to the bottom for a week or so.You'll have to acclimate it to your lights.
But you'll have it growing good.And dont forget the pics.
 
the toxins that softies release can kill SPS corals. there is usually nothing visible when it is happening, unless maybe it is your skimmer going nuts or you carbon needing to be changed out very frequently.
 
i would do it whiloe they are on, but i would put it on the sand bed and keep watching for polyp extension. once the polyps extend, start moving up SLOWLY toward the lights.
 
My acro frag is growing but it's veeeeeeery slow. Is this normal? I have no reference, because it's my first one. It HAS perked up and the color has gotten a lot brighter since changing to T5 lights. I think it has finally attached itself to the rock I had it wedged into--after like 3 months.

I think this is what I have:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=743

The stoney part in the center is definitely fluorescent green. The soft branches are only about 1/4" or 3/8" long and they are also green. The tips of the soft branches look like little purple bulbs about the size of a pin head.
 
Last edited:
Acros are slow grower when compared to LPS and softies.
Watch for about 1/16 to 1/8 of the tips to be white.That usually means a growth spurt.
So yeah Rc,Thats normal.
 
yup, keep an eye on your calcium, alk, and mag. these are what the coral uses to grow. well it uses the calcium, but all 3 work together so if one is off it could be due to one of the others being off
 
Here she is, not bad for 30 bucks:bounce: It appears to be green, anyone know what species of acropora this is?
P1000543.jpg

P1000539.jpg
 
may not be enough unless it is individual reflectors. Watch for polyp extension to know if they are doing OK.

I have found that frags that come from aquaculture do better than frags from the ocean, even if they are kept under MH for a time before you buy it. I did not read anything about SPS really before I put mine in. I got four frags. three aquaculture and 1 from the ocean. all were under MH before I bought them and the one from the ocean seemed to die. the others did not care about being put high in my tank from the start. I am now aclimating them from the bottom up

-Doc
 

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