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Newbie
- Thread starter alistair
- Start date
As far as I know, there is no one book thats a guide to keeping SPS..
Basically, I can sum it up easily, a well established tank, stability, excellent water quality, lots of circulation and high powered lighting..
As for the differences between digi, monti, acro etc, its the family and genus.
i.e.
Montipora digitata
Acropora tenuis
etc.
Montipora and Acropora are the two most popular SPS coral genus out there.. digi is just shorthand for digitata, one species of Montipora (aka, a finger like Monti as opposed to a plating, which would be Montipora capricornis)
Basically, I can sum it up easily, a well established tank, stability, excellent water quality, lots of circulation and high powered lighting..
As for the differences between digi, monti, acro etc, its the family and genus.
i.e.
Montipora digitata
Acropora tenuis
etc.
Montipora and Acropora are the two most popular SPS coral genus out there.. digi is just shorthand for digitata, one species of Montipora (aka, a finger like Monti as opposed to a plating, which would be Montipora capricornis)
Caps and digitatas seem to be the most forgiving of the SPS. Getting something captive bred is better for you at this point than wild caught colonies as the wild caught are usually less forgiving. Frags are good to start with because then you don't have as much invested if the coral goes south on you.
Greens and oranges are less light demanding than pink, purple and blue.
A purple cap needs more light, generally speaking, than a green cap. Acros (Milli's in particular) like A LOT of flow.
The club has lots of cap and digi if you want to get started with some of the easier SPS.
Good luck and enjoy.
Greens and oranges are less light demanding than pink, purple and blue.
A purple cap needs more light, generally speaking, than a green cap. Acros (Milli's in particular) like A LOT of flow.
The club has lots of cap and digi if you want to get started with some of the easier SPS.
Good luck and enjoy.
C
concept3
Guest
grrr beaten to the punch, here's my two cents:
Nagel and Phyl are right:
Montipora species are rather less demanding and forgiving due to their less intense light requirements and fast growth. Basically, one can grow Montipora capricornis (plating) and M. digitatas (finger or digit-like, branching) under Power compacts, VHO's or T5's, given they are the correct spectrum (10,000K and/or 50/50). Someone I know uses VHO's in a 75 gallon, and he grows caps, digitatas and a few other "true" acroporas in the tank. His Acroporas have a slower growth in his tank because of the lesser PAR, but the colors are very close.
Here are some closeups of:
Acropora millepora (the one that Phyl mentioned likes more flow than "normal":
Acropora tortuosa
another Acropora
and here's a Montipora:
DIGITATA
Montipora caps, green purple and orange (disregard the digitata in between them)
Nagel and Phyl are right:
Montipora species are rather less demanding and forgiving due to their less intense light requirements and fast growth. Basically, one can grow Montipora capricornis (plating) and M. digitatas (finger or digit-like, branching) under Power compacts, VHO's or T5's, given they are the correct spectrum (10,000K and/or 50/50). Someone I know uses VHO's in a 75 gallon, and he grows caps, digitatas and a few other "true" acroporas in the tank. His Acroporas have a slower growth in his tank because of the lesser PAR, but the colors are very close.
Here are some closeups of:
Acropora millepora (the one that Phyl mentioned likes more flow than "normal":
Acropora tortuosa
another Acropora
and here's a Montipora:
DIGITATA
Montipora caps, green purple and orange (disregard the digitata in between them)
C
concept3
Guest
one last thing: these guys are calcium hogs, so if you don't drip Kalkwasser or have a calcium reactor, start that baby up to build up that Ca++
Hope to see your tank with SPS soon!!!
Hope to see your tank with SPS soon!!!
concept3 said:
I heard that guy switched to an aquaspacelight dual 250hqi;D, he's been using tons of the B-ionic two part system since day one not only to build up the CA but to assist with the coraline growth. The colors were close but have intensified greatly with the additional light.
C
concept3
Guest
alistair, most club stock are housed in Phyl's basement. She has a HUGE selection of club SPS/LPS and softies which we sell to members cheap. Also, our monthly meetings are the best place to obtain frags, the raffle part of it is kinda cool too. The next meeting is in Bordentown, and we're doing a DIY calcium reactor there, you can PM Phyl to see what she has available, start with Montiporas at first and see how they do.
blange3 said:
He was using 440VHO with 3 aquasun 10k and a single Uri actinic. It worked out fairly well, although "that guy" was looking for more growth which he has noticed since switching. He also attempted to keep a rbta but the lighting was not enough IMHO, I don't think flow was the issue since the rbta hung on the top portion of the glass. The rbta did find a good home and is most likely thriving as I type.