Shallow Reef, how much space for SPS?

[Brah02]

I am redoing the aquascape in my 80g SR. I am trying to see if I can add some shelving for more SPS placement, but after gluing the rocks together, theres about 3.25" from the very top of the rock (its on a slight slant) and the water surface. Will this be enough room for the coral to grow?

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

I am redoing the aquascape in my 80g SR. I am trying to see if I can add some shelving for more SPS placement, but after gluing the rocks together, theres about 3.25" from the very top of the rock (its on a slight slant) and the water surface. Will this be enough room for the coral to grow?

Not in my experience. Most SPS are going to grow taller than 3.5”.

 

[BadMagnificentFirefish]

Not unless they’re encrusting varieties. But most of those don’t require quite as intense lighting.

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

I would say 6 to 8” below the surface would be a better place for the top of your rock work.

 

[Brah02]

I would say 6 to 8” below the surface would be a better place for the top of your rock work.

A good portion of the rocks leave over 6”, there’s just probably a 5”x5” section that’s up to the 3.5”ish mark. I can shape it down to about 4”. Maybe just put super slow growers in that spot?

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

A good portion of the rocks leave over 6”, there’s just probably a 5”x5” section that’s up to the 3.5”ish mark. I can shape it down to about 4”. Maybe just put super slow growers in that spot?

That could definitely work.

 

[Brah02]

A good portion of the rocks leave over 6”, there’s just probably a 5”x5” section that’s up to the 3.5”ish mark. I can shape it down to about 4”. Maybe just put super slow growers in that spot?

That could definitely work.

How close together do you put your sps? I have a LOT to pack into my 4’ tank. Went a little crazy.

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

I have put them really close together in the past when I had smaller tanks. Now that I have the 450g I give them a good bit of space.

Too close and they fight, shade others, and block flow.

I would say 5 to 6” of space in your tank. The other thing to consider is their growth pattern. Don’t put a tabling acros or monti cap right on top. It’s going to block light from a lot of stuff when it grows.

I like monti caps and tabling acros towards the bottom half and I always put encrusters either on the bare bottom or their own rocks down low.

I like to put staghorns towards the back of the display as they will grow higher.

Just really depends on the particular coral and its known growth pattern.

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

Here’s a pic of my old red sea 425 (4 ft tank). A lot of stuff crammed in there.

 

[areefer01]

Remember today, frags, vs 1 year mini colonies, then 5 years later large colonies. I understand, as you probably do as well, that it may look bare but don't fall for the instant gratification of a large number of frags today. If you are successful the space will fill in nicely without having to spend time pruning frags or dealing with over growth and shade.

We, hobbyist, need to really pay attention to the growth patterns long term otherwise we run into shade issues. Take Montipora for example. Do you want to place that high or low in the display or even medium? Probably fair better low where it can spread out, plate, and not shade.

Let us talk about table corals. BC Efflo 2.0 Acropora Efflorescens. Do a couple of searches on those. Healthy coral will table for days. I know, I have a 23" colony up high that I misplaced and now I have to deal with the shade.

Tall branching corals let us look at the popular Green Slimer, Acropora yongei. It isn't a table but rather grows tall, thick, branch stalks.

TL; DR think of the display 5 years down the road. I understand it will look bare but you will not have issues in the long run and it won't look like a bowl of Skittles.

In my opinion. Hope your day is well.

 

[Brah02]

Remember today, frags, vs 1 year mini colonies, then 5 years later large colonies. I understand, as you probably do as well, that it may look bare but don't fall for the instant gratification of a large number of frags today. If you are successful the space will fill in nicely without having to spend time pruning frags or dealing with over growth and shade.

We, hobbyist, need to really pay attention to the growth patterns long term otherwise we run into shade issues. Take Montipora for example. Do you want to place that high or low in the display or even medium? Probably fair better low where it can spread out, plate, and not shade.

Let us talk about table corals. BC Efflo 2.0 Acropora Efflorescens. Do a couple of searches on those. Healthy coral will table for days. I know, I have a 23" colony up high that I misplaced and now I have to deal with the shade.

Tall branching corals let us look at the popular Green Slimer, Acropora yongei. It isn't a table but rather grows tall, thick, branch stalks.

TL; DR think of the display 5 years down the road. I understand it will look bare but you will not have issues in the long run and it won't look like a bowl of Skittles.

In my opinion. Hope your day is well.

I like this thought process, thank you! I want a good bit of variety, but don’t want to have frags that can’t get past the frag size. Not looking for massive colonies either but I understand what you’re saying. Problem is, I have 27ish frags coming in I only know of one of them being a table, acroberry, and two plating monti and one encrusting monti.

 

[BadMagnificentFirefish]

So wait, you have frags arriving imminently, and you are still arranging rocks? Is your tank cycling?

 

[Brah02]

So wait, you have frags arriving imminently, and you are still arranging rocks? Is your tank cycling?

No, essentially I’m adding a shelf to my already existing rockscape, because I need more real estate to place the frags lol I had some spare wet live rock that I am using.

 

[Featherweight]

I like this thought process, thank you! I want a good bit of variety, but don’t want to have frags that can’t get past the frag size. Not looking for massive colonies either but I understand what you’re saying. Problem is, I have 27ish frags coming in I only know of one of them being a table, acroberry, and two plating monti and one encrusting monti.

Battle corals then? Acroberry is more of a staghorn than table. That's a ton of frags!

 

[Brah02]

I like this thought process, thank you! I want a good bit of variety, but don’t want to have frags that can’t get past the frag size. Not looking for massive colonies either but I understand what you’re saying. Problem is, I have 27ish frags coming in I only know of one of them being a table, acroberry, and two plating monti and one encrusting monti.

Battle corals then? Acroberry is more of a staghorn than table. That's a ton of frags!

No, TCK acroberry table. I do have some BC frags though

 

[Featherweight]

Aha. Just know you may have to do some trimming eventually. Most across will table given enough flow, light n space

 

[Brah02]

Aha. Just know you may have to do some trimming eventually. Most across will table given enough flow, light n space

Yeah, thats good to know. I'll likely keep some frags on a rack, maybe the ones I am not 100% sure on, just to see what I really want to have a permanent spot. The good news is the 27 frags aren't all coming in at once, some this week, some next, and some in 3 weeks, as I am having them hold some (3 different sources) But you're right, it is a lot of frags. I have a tabling monti up high currently that i'll need to move lower i'm finding out, and I have a mini colony of some green anacropora I might trade to another reefer to make space.

 

[BadMagnificentFirefish]

No, essentially I’m adding a shelf to my already existing rockscape, because I need more real estate to place the frags lol I had some spare wet live rock that I am using.

Haha, oh good. That makes much more sense.

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

Yeah, thats good to know. I'll likely keep some frags on a rack, maybe the ones I am not 100% sure on, just to see what I really want to have a permanent spot. The good news is the 27 frags aren't all coming in at once, some this week, some next, and some in 3 weeks, as I am having them hold some (3 different sources) But you're right, it is a lot of frags. I have a tabling monti up high currently that i'll need to move lower i'm finding out, and I have a mini colony of some green anacropora I might trade to another reefer to make space.

Another thing I do is place all incoming frags in my frag tank. Once they really start growing I’ll glue them in place in the DT.

This does two things:
1. Gives me an idea of the growth pattern
2. Makes sure I am not placing a dud in the DT which is going to sit there for 2 years without doing anything.

You could do the same with frag racks inside the DT.

 

[Dburr1014]

I am redoing the aquascape in my 80g SR. I am trying to see if I can add some shelving for more SPS placement, but after gluing the rocks together, theres about 3.25" from the very top of the rock (its on a slight slant) and the water surface. Will this be enough room for the coral to grow?

That's pretty close. It will grow to the surface but that's it.

I'm in a 25" deep tank and gave them 12". My coral are half way there in just over a year. (they started as full colonies)