Do you consider SPS dominated tanks difficult to maintain and keep healthy?

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Do you consider SPS dominated tanks difficult to maintain and keep healthy?
What do you think makes them more difficult?
Why do you think they are in fact NOT harder to maintain?


Wonseok Choi's beautiful reef via @Orphek

 

[Reefer Matt]

Yes and no. For me, it was tough at first. My goal for the 75 gallon SPS tank was always to be SPS only coral. I wanted to see if I could grow them. After cycling the tank with live sand and dry rock for four months, I decided to add about 10 SPS frags. I lost over half of them within a month or two. It wasn’t until about a year later that I could keep sps frags healthy. Now 5 1/2 years later, they just don’t stop growing. I automate dosing and testing because of my work schedule. SPS coral have become my favorite, with a close second to zoas.
Stability and patience are needed for SPS coral. As well as doing the maintenance when it needs to be done.

2020-One year old

May 2024

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Yes and no. For me, it was tough at first. My goal for the 75 gallon SPS tank was always to be SPS only coral. I wanted to see if I could grow them. After cycling the tank with live sand and dry rock for four months, I decided to add about 10 SPS frags. I lost over half of them within a month or two. It wasn’t until about a year later that I could keep sps frags healthy. Now 5 1/2 years later, they just don’t stop growing. I automate dosing and testing because of my work schedule. SPS coral have become my favorite, with a close second to zoas.
Stability and patience are needed for SPS coral. As well as doing the maintenance when it needs to be done.

2020-One year old

May 2024

Showoff.....I LOVE IT!

 

[spsick]

SPS as a whole, no. Tons of easy fast growing corals in that category.

Acropora specifically, yes.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Showoff.....I LOVE IT!

Lol! To me it is just a tank that anyone can have similar success with. And that’s what I aim to help others do if they want. SPS coral aren’t all “flowy” or “showy”, but I think they are the most rewarding to grow.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Yeah I don't deal with sps for now, but eventually I'll end up getting some