How do you successfully keep SPS, LPS, and soft coral?

CLYRIC · Mar 9, 2023

Im curious about what parameters are recommended for keeping SPS, LPS, and soft corals together. I know that LPS like nitrate at 10-15, SPS would prefer it at 3ish, while soft corals prefer dirtier water. What parameter would work best?

Also I know that lighting and placement is very important (sps on top, lps/soft coral on mid/bottom), but how do you measure par? Is there a tool for it? If so where can I get one?

Saltyreef · Mar 9, 2023

CLYRIC said:
Im curious about what parameters are recommended for keeping SPS, LPS, and soft corals together. I know that LPS like nitrate at 10-15, SPS would prefer it at 3ish, while soft corals prefer dirtier water. What parameter would work best?

Also I know that lighting and placement is very important (sps on top, lps/soft coral on mid/bottom), but how do you measure par? Is there a tool for it? If so where can I get one?

You should target numbers for a mixed reef if you want to have a mixture of corals and not dominated by one type or the other.

They make par meters but to be honest ive never needed one in my 10 years of reef keeping.
Some people are data nerds. Im an aesthetics kinda guy.

Tired · Mar 9, 2023

One thing that helps quite a bit is sticking with SPS that don't mind higher nutrients. Plenty don't- encrusting montiporas come to mind. 10-15ppm nitrates and some amount of phosphates should keep a wide range of corals happy enough, though some SPS might not show their best colors and some softies might not grow their fastest.

There are PAR meters, but you can also make reasonable assumptions based on other's experiences with that same light, and you can always start out with coral frags low in the tank and move them up until they're happy.

CLYRIC · Mar 9, 2023

Tired said:
One thing that helps quite a bit is sticking with SPS that don't mind higher nutrients. Plenty don't- encrusting montiporas come to mind. 10-15ppm nitrates and some amount of phosphates should keep a wide range of corals happy enough, though some SPS might not show their best colors and some softies might not grow their fastest.

There are PAR meters, but you can also make reasonable assumptions based on other's experiences with that same light, and you can always start out with coral frags low in the tank and move them up until they're happy.

What other sps do you recommend? I really like the "branching" ones like acros, but not sure which one would work in a mixed reef tank

JTP424 · Mar 9, 2023

Montipora Digitatas are good for that branching look... might be easier than true Acros.

Pistondog · Mar 9, 2023

CLYRIC said:
What other sps do you recommend? I really like the "branching" ones like acros, but not sure which one would work in a mixed reef tank

Green slimer or purple stylopora are pretty forgiving.

Tired · Mar 9, 2023

Birdsnest corals are fairly durable. In terms of parameters, at least- they're physically pretty delicate.

ryanjohn1 · Mar 9, 2023

My nitrate was at 50 yesterday and my acros are doing fine

LadAShark · Jul 20, 2023

ryanjohn1 said:
My nitrate was at 50 yesterday and my acros are doing fine

Yeah the nitrate and even phosphate being high = death thing is not really true at all. I know there's an outdoor reef and a marine biologist's reef which run up somewhere around 2 ppm phosphate. Their growth was truly crazy. There are a few parameters coral won't tolerate well, like alkalinity, but nitrate and phosphate are definitely far more nuanced than people think.

steveschuerger · Jul 20, 2023

I’ve been running with generally happy lps such as Gonis and Torches/Spawn and my nitrates have been sitting under 10 for quite a while. And very low phos. Definitely agree with the Alk/Cacium and for me Mag which I’ve been keeping at 1450 or so. Also I dose for other trace elements as well including iodide once a week.