Does it end with sticks?

What type of coral did you start with and what type is you main focus now?


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Reefnjunkie

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Started with a mixed reef, softies, shrooms, leathers, LPS, nems, sticks -as I said mixed. Over the years I too got tired with the "same ol" stuff.

Its very gratifying to be able to grow full blown colonies from 1" frags that have so much color and variety and shape that any other coral just doesn't compare

A mature SPS tank is a site to see-IMO
 

Ryan2428

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Hmm can't answer this question never done sps . But willing to try if someone wants to ship me some to try lol. But then again if it is that addicting maybe I shouldn't lol
 

Rob Top1

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It doesn't end with sticks but multiple tanks. As mentioned a mixed reef is a compromise. Too much nutrients for the sticks or too much flow for LPS or some other faciet of ones care is lacking. For me it ends with too many tanks. I am overhauling my 220 to be 95% sticks I am hooked for sure but I can't say good bie to my 12yr old bubble. Though he ate a $450 super male hawian wrasse I love that thing. And don't get me started on Zoas some of those r just sick. My friends tease me about having multiple personalities more than multiple tanks since I can't decide which is better. All of my systems have their appeals. Even the 180 venom tank. Not a coral in it but those bizarre fish are amazing.
 
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anarchy

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I prefer a mixed reef. I haven't dove deep into the stick game yet but I have a few. I had my softy phase then my z & p phase and now it's turned to lps, but with the few sticks I have I do like the vertical random growth, but my end goal is not a sps dom tank. My goal tank is lps and z & p dom with a variety of softies and a few easy sticks. IMO you can't beat the flowy euphyllia and the crazy designs on these zoas. I like the natural look. I'd like to recreate part of the natural reefs
 
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Longnose Hawkfish

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It's just a personal opinion. In my opinion sticks aren't the coolest looking corals you could put in your tank.
 

AquariGod

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IMHO I don't like SPS only or SPS dominated tanks because it creates an imbalance with the tank that I find unattractive. I like the look of SPS, but you have to see some different colors and patterns, movement, feeding techniques and responses, and different shapes and sizes. To me a tank without a variety of coral just isn't a tank at all. Montipora for those nice shady overhangs, sticks for the long branching beauties your fish swim through, acans/ brain corals to give the rock a flourish, zoanthids for some added exotic beauty, euphylia for those beautiful colors, shapes and movement, Kenya tree for that nice swaying motion, mushrooms for those funky shapes and pretty colors, a toadstool for something bizarre and massive, bubble coral for the added texture and shape, Duncans for rapid growth and amazing accent color, Sun Coral for that added blast of warmth to the tank and an amazing show when fed. How could anyone want to miss out on that ?
 
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AquariGod

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sps!, i tell my girlfriend its the equivalent to her buying shoes or clothes.... I buy sps. She has almost 100 pairs of clothes/shoes, that means i can have almost 100 sps... Fair trade!

lol
 

tyler1503

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I'm a LPS fan :) I love my fungias, euphyllias, candy canes and cynarinas!
SPS are nice, but for me, they lack something. I do find myself getting more and more interested in them, but I can't keep them in my tank at the moment, so I can't have any anyway. I like birdsnests and tabling acros :) not much of a fan of the crazy growth patterns.
 

gacolt

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i started with lps/softies and now im a acro addict.sps,chalice and anemones are the only corals i like.which i funny cause when i started out i did not like chalice or sps now there my favorite corals.sps has also became more easy to keep then softies.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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I've never been a big fan of sticks. They might as well be artificial for all the behavior they show. :D

I've grown them and still have one, but they have never been the best parts of my tank.

IMO, host anemones with clown pairs or groups are hugely more interesting, and at least as much of a technical challenge (depending on the anemone). :)
 
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Eckolancer

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I have been around the hobby for over 15 years. At first I loved softies, mainly because of cost. Then moved into anenomes with clowns for a while. After that lps which I still like some types. Now I'm into sticks and acans. I have acans on my BB with sticks. My goal is to have the acans take over the BB and sticks everywhere else.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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I have acans on my BB with sticks. My goal is to have the acans take over the BB and sticks everywhere else.

Do you find your acans actually grow significantly long term?

Keeping them thriving long term seems an elusive goal for many.
 

Kworker

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I've never been a big fan of sticks. They might as well be artificial for all the behavior they show. :D

oh-no-you-didnt.jpg
 

Eckolancer

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Do you find your acans actually grow significantly long term?

Keeping them thriving long term seems an elusive goal for many.

Acans seem to be doing fine. Most started as 1-2 heads and now most have 5-50 heads depending on location in tank. I find they do better in areas where detritus builds up and/or swirls around. I think they are feeding on that a little more in my lower nutrient system.

One of my favorite acans here are growing like crazy.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1410401251.131542.jpg


This one was very tiny head that has been doing great.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1410401297.505210.jpg


This one is growing strange. It wont attach to the rock.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1410401544.905444.jpg
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Acans seem to be doing fine. Most started as 1-2 heads and now most have 5-50 heads depending on location in tank. I find they do better in areas where detritus builds up and/or swirls around. I think they are feeding on that a little more in my lower nutrient system.

Thanks. :)
 

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