Orange setosa or orange digitata

[dricc]

Hi. I am just about to start my first reef tank.( just setting it up this week i haven't cycled the tank yet.) I am going to have a minimalist aquasacape. I know it is early for sps. I just want to plan out the tank for down the line too. Since I don't intend on having much rock and want to limit my corals and let them grow out each choice is a big one( for me anyways lol) i was going to do a lps and zoa dominated tank but changed mind because i would like to have one angelfish. Oh my tank dime
nsions are 60" by 24" by 18" I appreciate and value everyone's opinion. I intend on having euphyllia,some easy sps and maybe some easy goniopora. These are mostly safe from angels according to what I read.i did have a fowlr for many years many years ago but i am looking forward to a reef tank.so which of the two corals do you think would be a better choice? Thanks

 

[dricc]

I am also looking at garf purple bonsai, bubblegum digi, bali green slimer, red planet, hot pink stylo and cliff's acro.torches hammers etc.good idea?

 

[Mal11224]

Hi. Personally, I like the setosa. Probably because I have one but I also believe it is a better starter SPS than the digi. In general, SPS do better in mature tanks. Enjoy your new build.

 

[dricc]

thank you that's a big help! yes sps is down the line for me just planning ahead.

 

[Mal11224]

thank you that's a big help! yes sps is down the line for me just planning ahead.

Cool. Patience is key. I learned that the hard way. My tank is almost a year old. My setosa was the size of a quarter. It is huge now and was one of my first SPS. Your tank is a good size so you can probably do both.... why not

 

[Bdrake]

Setosa seem to adapt any kind of light and flow you can give it. That and light intensity changes its color so drastically that you could have two frags in different levels of the same tank and look like two entirely different species.

 

[Pmj]

Bonsai is a very easy acro imo. Mine has been through every mistake while others didn't and it has been fragged (accidentally or otherwise) multiple times and still growing strong. Since you mentioned euphylia as well, frogspawn I've had the same experience, while hammers are fairly hardy and torches being the least hardy. GL

 

[dricc]

Cool. Patience is key. I learned that the hard way. My tank is almost a year old. My setosa was the size of a quarter. It is huge now and was one of my first SPS. Your tank is a good size so you can probably do both.... why not

i am going to have three rock islands in the tank so it's a matter of me not wanting to over crowd the tank and let things grow out.that's why i'd like a vibrant and easy orange but not duplicate too many colors since tank real estate is at a premium lol. thanks again

 

[dricc]

Bonsai is a very easy acro imo. Mine has been through every mistake while others didn't and it has been fragged (accidentally or otherwise) multiple times and still growing strong. Since you mentioned euphylia as well, frogspawn I've had the same experience, while hammers are fairly hardy and torches being the least hardy. GL

yes and of course torches are the ones I like the most. lol

 

[Pmj]

yes and of course torches are the ones I like the most. lol

None of the euphylia are particularly hard, but torches for me will like their spot one day and then hate it the next. Very flow sensitive. I've also had torches and hammer shrivel & die due to low nutrients. Every tank is different. I would just always advise to try and get frags from other reefers or at frag swags to not spend a lot of money and see what works well in your tank before blowing a lot of money.

 

[dricc]

None of the euphylia are particularly hard, but torches for me will like their spot one day and then hate it the next. Very flow sensitive. I've also had torches and hammer shrivel & die due to low nutrients. Every tank is different. I would just always advise to try and get frags from other reefers or at frag swags to not spend a lot of money and see what works well in your tank before blowing a lot of money.

thanks for the advice! Did you find any food particularly good for torches, hammers frogspawn?

 

[alten78]

The digi much like every encrusting monti, can and will encrust over everything in its path so dont plan on putting anything else remotely close to it. On the other hand, seeing those that people allow to grow huge is pretty nice looking.

 

[MadCityReefer]

When your ready for acros cliff’s acro “that’s me” is a very hardy and very forgiving acro so that would be a perfect acro to start out with.

 

[dricc]

When your ready for acros cliff’s acro “that’s me” is a very hardy and very forgiving acro so that would be a perfect acro to start out with.

Cool you're the namesake for this coral? Awesome

 

[reefndude]

I find the digi is a much faster grower than the setosa.

 

[BoomCorals]

Cool you're the namesake for this coral? Awesome

That is the man himself. And a very nice reefer too, stand up guy.

The garf and cliffs are both good beginner sps. Forest fire and bubblegum digis can be temperamental. Red planet and slimer are ok too.

Ideally, once you have coralline algae growing you know your tank is ready to support sps.