I need your SPS knowledge!

[BradsOcean]

Ok, i have a 12g tank and i just upgraded to halides and I want to try SPS. I've never had SPS before. I have mainly softies in my tank right now. I really like Montipora, birdsnest, and acropora. Idk how hard these are for beginners. What would be the best one to start off with? thanks

[soccerbag]

What are your parameters? That would help. All else being equal, monit's are usually pretty easy. Birdsnests are easy for me to keep but others struggle. It just all depends on your setup. Just be careful putting acros next to your softies. All out war could break out in that 12g!

[BradsOcean]

would i have to put a small monti far away from softies?

[BradsOcean]

and by far, i mean like 6"...lol...that pretty far in my 12g

[soccerbag]

As long as they don't touch, you'll be fine. Most acro polyps are smaller and don't "sweep". Monit polyps are tiny so should not be an issue. Some softies "sway" or "sweep" so just be careful.

[BradsOcean]

so they just can't TOUCH? could i put zoas and shrooms that don't sway at all next to a monti if they don't touch, but get like 1" away? would that be ok?

[soccerbag]

Yes. Just know that some softies can kill SPS and some SPS can kill softies. As long as they don't touch, they should be fine. Just keep in mind that the corals will grow. Montis will encrust quickly in good water. Acros will grow and branch out. I just wanted you to be sure you were aware of the stinging factor before you spend good money on SPS. They ain't cheap! I would look at the coral selling forum and try to pick out a SPS pack that suits your tank size. If you buy from LFS or online, it adds up quickly. JMO.

[chris4869]

Zoas and monti can touch each other without any harm. I don't have any of the mushrooms touching any of my monti, so I can't say.

[IFbettas]

Try montipora digitata. They are probably the hardiest sps I know of and great for beginners. In the end you will probably want to get rid of most of the softies. If you keep them you need to run carbon, because many softies release poisons into the water to inhibit other corals growth.

[BradsOcean]

I'm running chemi-pure, is that just as good as carbon?

[tmantaylor18]

Nice ab's bro.

[polysynth]

Don't let the mushrooms touch the SPS. The mushrooms will win, in my tank they do at least.

[JazzZero]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14100199#post14100199 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by polysynth
Don't let the mushrooms touch the SPS. The mushrooms will win, in my tank they do at least.

I agree mushrooms are monsters i had too many bad experience with them lost some parts of lobos and some acans...i hope you dont mind but i got a question of my own...can SPS (as in monti, acropora, cyphastrea and etc) touch each other without killing one another?