Easyish SPS for a Four bulb T4 40g tank

[glb]

I have a 7yo tank that’s thriving, and want to try some SPS other than birdsnest (I have some and it’s doing great, just want some variety). My nitrates sit at about 1 and phosphates are between 0.03-0.05. I have one icecap gyre for circulation. The tank is very stable. What other SPS could I introduce to my setup?

Here’s an older pic of the tank. My trumpet coral is huge now!

Thanks for your help!!!

 

[GlassMunky]

Most montipora would be good, as would something like porites, pavona, pocilipora, stylophora

 

[Tonycass12]

Where is your alk at? Keeping that as stable as possible will be very important with sps. Personally I would up your nitrates to 10-15 before you add any sps. Start with something like a green slimer, they are super hardy sps.

 

[glb]

Thanks!! My alk is 7.2 right now and I’m raising it. The nitrates I can’t seem to raise because I have big coral colonies that eat it up. I could start dosing Neonitro. What alk do you recommend??

 

[Lavey29]

Thanks!! My alk is 7.2 right now and I’m raising it. The nitrates I can’t seem to raise because I have big coral colonies that eat it up. I could start dosing Neonitro. What alk do you recommend??

My alk stays between 8 and 8.5. I grow most of the easy SPS, monti digi, stylo, stags, other basic acros.

 

[Big E]

Get acroporas if that is your longer term goal........no need to get encrusting montis or caps as they are just a nuisance and space eaters. I'd also stay away from poccis. stylos, other birdnest, anacraporas.........just more space eating yard trash.

There are dozens of easy hardy growing acroporas that won't break the bank.

 

[Lavey29]

Get acroporas if that is your longer term goal........no need to get encrusting montis or caps as they are just a nuisance and space eaters. I'd also stay away from poccis. stylos, other birdnest, anacraporas.........just more space eating yard trash.

There are dozens of easy hardy growing acroporas that won't break the bank.

One man's trash is another man's treasure.

 

[djf91]

ORA red planet seems to be near indestructible and fast growing for most people, myself included.

 

[JoJosReef]

One man's trash is another man's treasure.

Yes!!

 

[JoJosReef]

Congrats on 7 years!

I have a 40, and word of caution would be to not pack the rocks with SPS too tightly, as it really grows out! And it doesn't look like you're aiming for an acro-dominant tank, so I suggest a variety of hardy SPS:

Slimer (middle), mint potato chip pavona (right)

Monti digis (left), goldenrod anacropora (middle bottom), garf bonsai (middle top, highly recommended!), birdsnest and stylo (right) not recommended, although a stylo could go further down on one of the bare rocks and give it lots of room to grow big and tall.

see what I mean about space? They all started as little nubs.

Encrusters and monti caps are interesting, but more trouble than they are worth for me. The one exception for me is the beach bum monti that I have down low on a plug hoping it grows out in a plating style.
(back next to the toadstool)

 

[steveschuerger]

I have montis and Stylos for easyish sps. Acros are hit or miss but the former two types can be great corals. Here’s my collection

 

[Troylee]

Grab some acros and just roll with it.. I’ve had worse luck with birdnest than higher end tenius lol..

 

[Lavey29]

Congrats on 7 years!

I have a 40, and word of caution would be to not pack the rocks with SPS too tightly, as it really grows out! And it doesn't look like you're aiming for an acro-dominant tank, so I suggest a variety of hardy SPS:

Slimer (middle), mint potato chip pavona (right)

Monti digis (left), goldenrod anacropora (middle bottom), garf bonsai (middle top, highly recommended!), birdsnest and stylo (right) not recommended, although a stylo could go further down on one of the bare rocks and give it lots of room to grow big and tall.

see what I mean about space? They all started as little nubs.

Encrusters and monti caps are interesting, but more trouble than they are worth for me. The one exception for me is the beach bum monti that I have down low on a plug hoping it grows out in a plating style.
(back next to the toadstool)

You are so right about spacing. It's hard to visualize the future growth when you have half inch sticks. I made this mistake. I bought a bunch of relatively cheap frags thinking I would surely have some die off. Out of 38 SPS frags, not one died out. Then they overgrew each other and caused problems but I'm very much a hands off when corals are fighting over space. I figure just like the ocean, the dominant coral will survive or absorb most of the available space

 

[glb]

Thanks everyone for such generous responses!

 

[homer1475]

Thanks!! My alk is 7.2 right now and I’m raising it. The nitrates I can’t seem to raise because I have big coral colonies that eat it up. I could start dosing Neonitro. What alk do you recommend??

You do realize, nominal ocean ALK is 7.0?

Once I dropped my ALK back to around 7 to 7.5, I stopped loosing most SPS.