Hey you high end SPS collectors! Yes YOU!

[revhtree]

So I was thinking today about sps corals in general, not just collector ones but all of them and how certain ones are viewed by those of you who love them.

So me being the type of person who loves sps but whom is hated by sps has always really liked zoanthids and fatty lps corals. After seeing a tank dominated with what would be considered "common" but mature sps I got to wondering what you high end sps collectors see. (NOT THE REEF PICTURED)

To me I saw beautiful mature sps corals and I didn't think one way or another about what "named" colonies were or were not in the tank. For example when I see tanks that have a lot of common zoas in it (regular green, regular orange, etc) I think it looks good but not something I'd aspire for my own reef. I've seen breathtaking softy dominated reefs that while amazing I still would not choose to go that particular way.

I hope this is making sense.

So what do you see? Is it different with you guys or are you like any other specific coral collector who is really only wowed by those more rare or hard to find corals? (NOT THE REEF PICTURED)

Thanks.

@Aqua Pet Garden's reef tank

 

[FranklinDattein]

Personally, I couldn't care less for the tag name of a coral and what I really care is color, followed by other characteristics, such as growth speed, growth pattern, etc.

Having that said, it is a lot easier where I live (Queensland, Australia) to get stunning SPS frags without the boutique name and price, than it is to get a Zoa.

If I want a Zoa that catches the eye, I have to get from a high end collector and pay high prices.

 

[reefsponge]

I always feel like giving props to the reefers out there who have grown the original purple monster from a frag into a colony. A real canary that has always been the first to let me know when something is off. The largest I have ever grown a frag was a 3” mini colony, that was lost in a tank transfer to a new home. Ouch. To me, a colony of this is a testament to the reefers stability and dedication in maintaining their reef. I’m sure there are other acros out there that may hold this “reef tell”, but the history behind this coral is nostalgic to acropora hoarders.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

I have never cared about names or if it’s expensive or high end. To me I’m in it because I love and adore the ocean, and lol I want something like in the movie finding Nemo. Just a normal natural beautiful reef. No gimmicks or fancy names, jusr the ablity to have a real coral reef in my home. Not to mention that so many of the natural ones are being destroyed, I’m afraid I won’t get to ever see one .

When I watch finding Nemo or finding dory I can look over and see the real beauty of a reef. In addition I’m not certain that all these million dollar high end corals are even in the wild. (Not saying they are not but) most of the sps corals are green and brown on the Great Barrier Reef and Belize reef. I’m sure they exist and love to see them, but makes me sad people cut them. The reefs are barely surviving yet we have people who go out and still take from it.

I could see maybe an aquarium or national preservation doing this to prevent it from extinction, but why are hobbist doing it? I’m not condemning it, but would love to know why? Is it to preserve them, or get rich? My reef tank that I have I adore and love. I care for it as if it were my first born child or any child really. If a fish or coral dies in my care it really truly affects me. It breaks my heart, that I failed as a good humane person to properly care for such a delicate creature.

So when the op posted that picture of his reef or a reef, I don’t see money, but I see a beautiful piece of ocean. It has amazing color and makes me just want to look at it all day long. Nature is truly an amazing thing and I can never get enough of it.

Sincerely
Sarah

 

[Waters]

Like everyone else, I could care less how much it costs or what name it has. I purchase and stock my tank based strictly on whether or not I like the look of the coral.

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

I like the branching nature so not everything is not flat it gives more depth to the tank

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I think for a lot of us who like the named corals, it's not about the price, but more about the collection. I definitely love looking at a mature reef, but it's also fun for me to see a frag tank full of different stellar handpicked pieces that were selected individually as collection. So...I'm not sure I'd pit one against the other. I think both are fun ways to enjoy the hobby. Now...a handpicked collection that's grown out into colonies...that is a rare thing of beauty. Some guys pull it off... @watchguy123 where are you?

 

[jda]

I do not really care about names either, but I do notice things that some people do not. I always have my eye out for a unique acropora, so I always look really hard. In that tank above, at first glance I see a well thought out scape with some patience and a path that was adhered to - this is rare for most and it is well done. I am immediately engaged. Death/lightening from underneath of the stylo (left) and some of the acropora leads me to believe that the lighting is "just enough" for SPS, but more than enough for a mixed reef. The lack of acropora near the bottom says the same thing. The massive amount of room dedicated to the caps is telling - not too many high end acro guys will have montis since they eat up a lot of room, but general public loves them. Lack of clams or coralline. Lots of LPS. Fish load seems reasonable to keep the N and P processing, but not get out of hand - nice balance, if you will. This is not a "working" tank and does not appear to be farmed out of - if farming, there is another system which speaks to a level of involvement more than most. All of this adds up to me to a very, very nice high end mixed reef, and not a tank by a hard-core acro-head.

Once you see all of this, you start to get a bit more judgy. If I was closer or had some close ups, I could tell you if the N and P were too high for optimum color as well as if the lighting had enough spectrum to also have optimum color. The growth pattern can tell you a lot about flow as well as lighting (if stuff is growing to the center).

If I was in front of this tank, I would enjoy it very much, but I would not expect to find any high-end acros that I would trade for, but I sure would look hard.

 

[happyhourhero]

It appears to me that there are basically two groups of SPS keepers these days.

One group has systems set up that are more frag specific and they have racks of frags and mini colonies and their pictures are of single frags/mini colonies that highlight the crazy colors they get. They clip and sell frequently so they can get that newest color combo that just came in.

The other group grows out the colonies and goes for the established reef look. They certainly feature some high end pieces but go more for growth form and specific color contrasts and the overall full reef look than those who slang frags.

I think overall the names only really matter to the price tag and the serious reefer. When someone walks in my house and ohhhs and ahhhs over my tank they certainly start to lose interest when I start saying "see that reddish coral there with the bright tips? Thats a fox flame. See that red one there? Thats WWC Wow...."

 

[revhtree]

Great discussion so far!

 

[jda]

There is a reason that a lot of stuff has names. I am not quick to discount named corals. Most of the time, they are quite good... especially the ones that people have heard of. My only real gripe with names is that people like Cornbred or WWC do not need to name absolutely everything that they get... sometimes just AQ Blue Millepora is good enough.

 

[PSXerholic]

With all my SPS growing out nicely and still having colonies from the previous tank, it is the Color that is fascinating on some SPS, doesn't matter what brand or name it has.
I still have some simple SPS that give a "wow what a nice Birdsnest and so fluorescent!!!" effect to visitors ;-)

Personally I miss my huge Colt Coral that had the size of a football and was so nicely moving in the water ........... :-(

 

[tripdad]

I used to be a named coral collector, the bug bit hard. After a couple of crashes and some tough times I sat and pondered. What was it about reef tanks that first bit me, what caught my eye? I realized I needed a mixed reef to be happy. I still keep sticks as my main focus but very few named corals, mostly mari, wild or non-lineage frags. I have a few special ones but enjoy buying the oddball mari or wild and seeing what they turn into. My goal is a tank of hand sized colonies, so limited on number of different pieces I can keep. Yes, I see that there are no "high end" frags, do I care? Nope, just dig the reef tank. I still drool over the crazy stuff, just as I do beautiful women who aren't my wife, but realize for me, I'm better off leaving those things for others. I enjoy what I have and am grateful for it.