Being Confident With SPS (SPS SWAGGER)

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I have always been a zoas/paly, fatty LPS type hobbyist but things are changing for me. I have tried to set my new tank up in order to be "sps successful." So far I have been able to color up some sps frags and keep them pretty healthy so now I'm itching for more.

But I can't wait for the day!!!

What day you may ask. The day I can be CONFIDENT with SPS! Confident that when I pay higher prices for frags that I won't kill them in short order. Confident that where I place them will be the best place for optimal growth and longevity. Confident that I could would day turn a little frag into a beautiful colony.

I'm envious of you veteran stick heads but I know you can't be that much smarter than me! I've seen some of your facebook pages.... :p

When did you realize that you had the SPS Confidence (swagger) that some of us don't have? Maybe post a photo as well.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

Starting a new tank right. SPS are easier than we think the only thing they are not is forgiving. I.e you need A lot of flow, a lot of light , clean source water I.e your RO/DI has to be 0 at all times, (more important than most think) your parameters in line and stable, CA, alk, ph, mg, (no3 and po4 detectable. )You can't move SPS around all the time. And patience. If something went wrong , it takes at least 3 weeks for a browned out sps to color up. Don't keep on changing every thing just because one frag is not looking good.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

More input please!

 

[Mirkus]

Rev,you might need keep waiting for the confident with sps day.

I've been keeping sps for a long time, but can't say I'm confident. I've felt really good about tank growth and color only to have it crash for who knows what reason. With that said, patience and stability with parameters are key.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

You got to be somewhat confident when you pay $500-$1000 for a nub! Or maybe you just got to be crazy! Ha!

 

[Tahoe61]

With a newer system when the easier sps are stable, good coloration and growth then I would proceed with your classic aquacultured acropora. Start out with montipora and birdsnest.

 

[Mirkus]

You got to be somewhat confident when you pay $500-$1000 for a nub! Or maybe you just got to be crazy! Ha!

There is not a nub on the planet I'd pay $500 for.

 

[Scorpius]

There is not a nub on the planet I'd pay $500 for.

But if you can make it into many other nubs for $500 just think of all the different $500 nubs you could buy!!!

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

But if you can make it into many other nubs for $500 just think of all the different $500 nubs you could buy!!!

And there it is! The SPS SWAGGER! Lol!

 

[pa1ntbru5h]

I know exactly what you're talking about! I started my Mixed Reef tank in August last year. Right now my tank is still just littered with frags. SPS, Zoas, LPS, you name it... 90% of which aren't even on the rockwork yet. It's a mess!
But in the last week, I've been noticing a growth spurt in my SPS!! Enough growth to where I've been slowly raising my 2 part dosing every day just to keep the parameters stable!
I can't wait until the day my rockwork is covered in beautiful corals..
I can't wait until the day I can say "I need to frag my SPS because they're overgrowing"..
I can't wait until the day I have SPS SWAGGER

 

[Robthorn]

I have some of the most expensive corals in my tank. Never paid over $150 for one. Can't believe I was stupid enough to risk that much but I did. I am glad my tank is packed full.
Sad thing is unless you like looking at your tank under royal blue all the time you don't see whats pictured anyway.
Come to my house when you get to Florida. I will give you a ton of so called high end frags for $500. Ok not a ton but a bunch. :-)
As for confidence I have been doing acros for 16 or 17 years. I can't say I am confident because I know things like bad glue or bad magnesium can just kill coral. I have reached a certain level of not giving a d...... I have probably reached a point I know my corals look good because I have seen hundreds of tanks in person and I am impressed when I see my own tank. I am not confident though because .... happens.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I have some of the most expensive corals in my tank. Never paid over $150 for one. Can't believe I was stupid enough to risk that much but I did. I am glad my tank is packed full.
Sad thing is unless you like looking at your tank under royal blue all the time you don't see whats pictured anyway.
Come to my house when you get to Florida. I will give you a ton of so called high end frags for $500. Ok not a ton but a bunch. :)
As for confidence I have been doing acros for 16 or 17 years. I can't say I am confident because I know things like bad glue or bad magnesium can just kill coral. I have reached a certain level of not giving a d...... I have probably reached a point I know my corals look good because I have seen hundreds of tanks in person and I am impressed when I see my own tank. I am not confident though because .... happens.

Would love too but not going home after the show so no frags! :(

 

[Flippers4pups]

Testing KH like a mad man all the time! Lol (really just twice a week)

Keeping water pramameters stable is (everyone says!) is key.

It's just me, others may say otherwise, but I wouldn't attempt SPS for the first year on a new system. The "nasties" come and go during that time and once the tank matures, that's when I put the "SPS BIG BOY PANTS" on.

My system is over a year old and its time to crack that whip! Lol

 

[pa1ntbru5h]

I have some of the most expensive corals in my tank. Never paid over $150 for one. Can't believe I was stupid enough to risk that much but I did. I am glad my tank is packed full.
Sad thing is unless you like looking at your tank under royal blue all the time you don't see whats pictured anyway.
Come to my house when you get to Florida. I will give you a ton of so called high end frags for $500. Ok not a ton but a bunch. :)
As for confidence I have been doing acros for 16 or 17 years. I can't say I am confident because I know things like bad glue or bad magnesium can just kill coral. I have reached a certain level of not giving a d...... I have probably reached a point I know my corals look good because I have seen hundreds of tanks in person and I am impressed when I see my own tank. I am not confident though because .... happens.

I'd like to disagree... Seems like you know all the ups and downs. It sounds like you've got it figured out to the point where you know how to handle certain situations and why certain things happen. Not giving a (hoot) is confidence. Being able to see hundreds of other tanks and coming home and saying "My tank is the (bees knees)!" is definitely confidence!

Personally, I'm at a point where I'm constantly trying to figure out if I have enough lighting, will this certain piece grow in this position, how should I mount this piece, how come this piece isn't coloring up, why is this piece dying, etc etc...
I am definitely not confident. I'm just learning as I go, and I've lost a few nice high dollar frags.

 

[cnseekatz]

When someone whose tank you've always admired (lusted after?) gives you a compliment along these lines, "Wow, I wish my _____________ would look/grow/color-up like yours!"

 

[Robthorn]

Not

I'd like to disagree... Seems like you know all the ups and downs. It sounds like you've got it figured out to the point where you know how to handle certain situations and why certain things happen. Not giving a (hoot) is confidence. Being able to see hundreds of other tanks and coming home and saying "My tank is the (bees knees)!" is definitely confidence!

Personally, I'm at a point where I'm constantly trying to figure out if I have enough lighting, will this certain piece grow in this position, how should I mount this piece, how come this piece isn't coloring up, why is this piece dying, etc etc...
I am definitely not confident. I'm just learning as I go, and I've lost a few nice high dollar frags.

Lol. Call it what you like but I do not feel confident. When you see intense purple in one tank and the same coral is brown in another its just fact at that moment.
Confidence in my head is thinking I am better and nothing can go wrong because I am that good. That is not the way I feel or see things. I know at the moment I left my house an hour ago my tank in my eyes looked pretty amazing. We all know all the water could be on the floor when I return. That fear alone crushes all confidence I maybe could or should have. After so many years of this fear you just start thinking eh, it is what it is.
I have a tri color colony that is what I call a nice purple. I cut about 8 to 10 frags off of it. They were all doing well for maybe 2 months. 2 days ago one rtn'd from the tip. Then stopped and the rest of it looks fine. All the other frags look good visually. Always going to be things you can't explain in a reef tank. I just stopped caring and stressing about the unexplained.

 

[Robthorn]

Well

Would love too but not going home after the show so no frags! :(

Well I don't have a coral business but I am helping a friend out at RAP. Stop by Reef Addicted and say hello. Talk to my buddy Matt. He ships every week and will hook you up. I can maybe throw some frags in with his for you too.

 

[Robthorn]

Yes. As stated. I test alk at least t times a week if it is moving. It is always moving sooooooo. Test all the time. :-)

 

[Scorpius]

And there it is! The SPS SWAGGER! Lol!

lol Far from it. I have little nubs that I'd love to see turn into decent colonies. I hope my Purple Monster nub and Walt Disney nub that I received today make it.

 

[Robthorn]

5 times a week. Edit doesn't work long enough.