JHSteepat
Active Member
I've had a mixed reef for about a year now. Parameters are normal, though fairly low available nitrate and phosphate due to algae issue (slowly getting under control). Alk~8.5, Ca~440, Mg~1400, pH low 8's. 4 foot tank with 21" depth.
I am avoiding soft corals, so maybe this isn't quite a "mixed reef." As above, certain corals are growing like crazy, including chalice, psammacora, stylophora, "favia", caulastrea, styloconiella, leptastrea, cyphastrea, and birds nest, even with occasionally overwhelming hair algae in the ugly stage. Two acros (test subjects) and an alveopora are doing fine though not growing (yet?). During the worst of the gha blooms, I lost a Bali slimer and an anacropora that was growing well prior. Killed both my Montipora (digital and encrusting) by placing too high (plus gha overgrowth) after they grew well on a rack at the bottom of tank. Have a hammer, I am not sure it is happy.
As another poster mentioned above, all the corals in the first year have been "test subjects" as I get to know my tank. I've decided I need to go with what works and pay attention to placement. Don't glue anything down until you see it is thriving in a location.
A previous post mentions 1800 par. That seems like a lot, even for the most light-loving sps. I have a single Orphek icon that generates ~300 par at the middle and ~150 at the bottom depending on placement, and all corals seem happy, and the sps are colorful at the top. I think a light like that is great for a mixed reef as it provides great coverage without being too intense.
I am avoiding soft corals, so maybe this isn't quite a "mixed reef." As above, certain corals are growing like crazy, including chalice, psammacora, stylophora, "favia", caulastrea, styloconiella, leptastrea, cyphastrea, and birds nest, even with occasionally overwhelming hair algae in the ugly stage. Two acros (test subjects) and an alveopora are doing fine though not growing (yet?). During the worst of the gha blooms, I lost a Bali slimer and an anacropora that was growing well prior. Killed both my Montipora (digital and encrusting) by placing too high (plus gha overgrowth) after they grew well on a rack at the bottom of tank. Have a hammer, I am not sure it is happy.
As another poster mentioned above, all the corals in the first year have been "test subjects" as I get to know my tank. I've decided I need to go with what works and pay attention to placement. Don't glue anything down until you see it is thriving in a location.
A previous post mentions 1800 par. That seems like a lot, even for the most light-loving sps. I have a single Orphek icon that generates ~300 par at the middle and ~150 at the bottom depending on placement, and all corals seem happy, and the sps are colorful at the top. I think a light like that is great for a mixed reef as it provides great coverage without being too intense.
