Softies in an SPS tank.

[reeftank21]

Can this be done with success? I have a full mixed reef with a considerable amount of sps. The sps grow but don't always seem to thrive. They will not extend polyps during the day and colors aren't always like they were when I bought them. All parameter in tank are in check and lit with phoenix 14k 250MH about 12-13 above water. Most sps are in upper half of 25" tank. I went to another reefers house and the sps looked so much better.
The one thing that I wonder about are the leather corals that I have. I have tons of the neon green leathers. I'm tempted to start getting rid of those but hate too because they are cool.
All else being equal, could that be my problem or do others have similar corals and still have sps that thrive?

 

[don-coraleone]

i think it depends on how good your skimmer is. ive had full mixed reefs in the past with great sucsess.

 

[reefdan]

good question.

i tried doing a mixed reef and my softies (zoanthids) mostly withered away. i think my water was too clean. i have a small reef (50g) and a big skimmer (atb small cone).

 

[don-coraleone]

i had that promblem at first but then i just fed more and it fixed the promblem.

 

[jcom]

I have a single leather in what is now an SPS dominant tank and it's withering away...even with significant fish and coral feeding.

 

[reeftank21]

Do the leathers release that many toxins at would stress the sps?

 

[don-coraleone]

some do. ive heard sinularia release alot of toxins.

 

[reeftank21]

I think I will start removing some of these and see if things get better. I do use carbon but still sps don't seem to thrive. I have a devils hand also besides the sinularia. I probably have 20-25 large stalks of the sinularia in a 240 gallon. Lots.

 

[CoralBandit]

Anyone have problems with SPS and pulsing Xenia together??? I still love those guys but I was having the same problem as ^ this guy with the SPS color being dull. I did move my reef from Orlando to Tampa so Im not pointing fingers yet just wanted to see others experience.

 

[CoralBandit]

Oh and to answer question I have a friend who has full blown reef with Devils hands and SPS and colors are amazing she uses T5's though and we both use halides I really think there is something more to do with the spectrum emmitted. T5 have a limited spectrum when you speak of one bulb but when you mix the diff bulbs you get the full spectrum covered where as halides tend to be stronger in one part of the spectrum vs another leading to deficiencies in color. anyone agree.... disagree....? In other words if the coral is not getting the wavelength that generates that color then it wont b/c it cant display that color....

 

[rock_lobster]

Honestly I dont think its possible for both of them to thrive in the same tank, However I have read in many places that zoas and sps are found in the same areas. SPS will not survive in organic rich water that is beneficial to zoa growth. But zoa can adapt to lower organic and survive with sps and skimming you will just have slow growth. The toxins from the softies will definitely stress the sps too, you will need active carbon and pretty good skimming too keep them together.

 

[reeftank21]

I use orca 200 and plenty of BRS activated carbon. A full reactor of carbon. I think BRS estimated about 3 cups is what I should use.

 

[CoralBandit]

are your Ca Mg and Alk staying consistent? not the right levels but consistent. I find that matters A LOT for coral color as well. And +1 on carbon thats a must for a mixed reef.

I have had no problem keeping Zoas and SPS recently I had trouble in the past but I got a better skimmer so I feed a lot more now.

 

[reeftank21]

This will take this in a whole new direction, but what is considered consistent? Always, always the same Alk? or can fluctuation 1-2 or .5 or not at all? 1-2 over couple days? What do most consider stable Alk?

 

[don-coraleone]

not mine...it was at about 14.4 the other day.

 

[CoralBandit]

well it is going to swing a little unless you have a Ca reactor or a doser constantly dripping. Some people have stopped even dosing Ca and Alk on the same day but I personally havnt seen any benefit. If you dose daily or every other day and you dose the same amount and your level stays within 1 pt i would assume you should be doing fine. Also remember once you achieve stability by minimizing swings in Temp Ph and all that it could take a while up to weeks for your corals to begin to color up. Another bad thing to do is move corals that will definitely cause them to lose color so you want to wean them into their new lighting and do it slowly. good luck!!! My problem is part of my corals color up and the rest is brown which I think is more of a lighting issue

This will take this in a whole new direction, but what is considered consistent? Always, always the same Alk? or can fluctuation 1-2 or .5 or not at all? 1-2 over couple days? What do most consider stable Alk?