SPS spacing... how’s mine look? Pic heavy.

[Williamson’s Reef]

I’ve gone from a mixed reef to SPS dominant. 18 months in and my tank is finally at a place that they’ll thrive. I’ve learned a lot of hard lesson to get here. While my tank is fallow from ick I’ve added a lot of SPS frags. I took out a lot of softies,LPS and added a 90 gal frag tank to my system for them. Also pulled some cheap starter SPS as I’ve added some expensive ones. Most frags are 6in a part and on different levels. Thoughts?

 

[Brandon Smith]

That is a lot of pics lol. Your spacing looks good to me. As they grow out, you will probably have to frag some of them is all.

 

[Williamson’s Reef]

JF Home Wrecker, JF Jolt only added 3 weeks ago and encrusting nicely.

 

[Williamson’s Reef]

That is a lot of pics lol. Your spacing looks good to me. As they grow out, you will probably have to frag some of them is all.

Thanks...Just don’t want them killing each other. I also wanted to get some pics to track my growth. Figured I’d share. I love pic heavy threads myself...lol.

 

[ISFNick]

That is packed! If I was you, I'd leave it, and just focus on keeping good water and feeding the sticks and other corals you have!

 

[Williamson’s Reef]

That is packed! If I was you, I'd leave it, and just focus on keeping good water and feeding the sticks and other corals you have!

I agree it’s full now. Added some rock work just so I could add more sticks... It’s a sickness for sure.

 

[ISFNick]

I agree it’s full now. Added some rock work just so I could add more sticks... It’s a sickness for sure.

Remember to teach your kids about coral so they won't have enough money for drugs!

 

[Williamson’s Reef]

Remember to teach your kids about coral so they won't have enough money for drugs!

So true!

 

[Williamson’s Reef]

Tank is 72x30x28 for reference. I swear it looks smaller/fuller than it is in the pics.

 

[flyfisherman]

If you have the cash, I think you could double the amount of sps if you wanted. Risks would be possibly adding pests when you have some higher ends in there or limited expansion room down the road if you see frags you like. Not all those coral will grow quickly, some will sputter out or grow painfully slow. By adding more frags you have a better chance of filling it out sooner....

 

[Williamson’s Reef]

If you have the cash, I think you could double the amount of sps if you wanted. Risks would be possibly adding pests when you have some higher ends in there or limited expansion room down the road if you see frags you like. Not all those coral will grow quickly, some will sputter out or grow painfully slow. By adding more frags you have a better chance of filling it out sooner....

I like your thinking. How close are yours? I lost most of my sticks previously trying to QT in a 25 lagoon for 77 days. With adding directly to my DT I’ve only had one loss. But I did get ick. So with the tank fallow I’ve gone crazy adding corals. Or at least that’s what my wife says..lol

 

[melanotaenia]

Acros in my experience don't really exhibit warfare when they get close to eachother; mine just grow around eachother, but definitely compete for space.

Montipora on the other hand...

 

[flyfisherman]

Acros in my experience don't really exhibit warfare when they get close to eachother; mine just grow around eachother, but definitely compete for space.

Montipora on the other hand...

Its fascinating how the branches will grow and curve away from eachother. Encrusting montis for sure must be planned properly!

I like your thinking. How close are yours? I lost most of my sticks previously trying to QT in a 25 lagoon for 77 days. With adding directly to my DT I’ve only had one loss. But I did get ick. So with the tank fallow I’ve gone crazy adding corals. Or at least that’s what my wife says..lol

I've put valuable nub sticks within 2 inches of eachother on premium rock with high par. When i get a colony growing well, i will move down or out of the premium space. I like to try and keep the rock moveable that the colony encrusts on. I will glue frag to a rock anf then glue the rock to the bigger rock, ect.

 

[Williamson’s Reef]

Acros in my experience don't really exhibit warfare when they get close to eachother; mine just grow around eachother, but definitely compete for space.

Montipora on the other hand...

Good to hear. I took out my monit’s after reading a few threads on here about regrets in coral placement. I don’t want my acros over run.

 

[Williamson’s Reef]

Its fascinating how the branches will grow and curve away from eachother. Encrusting montis for sure must be planned properly!



I've put valuable nub sticks within 2 inches of eachother on premium rock with high par. When i get a colony growing well, i will move down or out of the premium space. I like to try and keep the rock moveable that the colony encrusts on. I will glue frag to a rock anf then glue the rock to the bigger rock, ect.

That’s a great idea. I was able to move my cheap test SPS and others that I had epoxied. The whole chunk of epoxy came right off. So I used that again on most of the new ones. Some I did super glued. I’m going to rent a par meter when there back in stock at BRS. I changed my lights two weeks ago from two Kessil Ap700s in a aquatic life hybrid fixture. To three Radion G5’s in the same fixture. I don’t even have the t5s on as the G5s are enough right now.

 

[ScottB]

I think you did a fine job. It is impossible to forecast growth rates. Sometimes, difficult to remember which acros are going to table versus stag growth patterns. That you have plenty of epoxy deployed is a good thing. It can be pried off and moved as needed.

So when are you free to add fish? Fallow is the opposite of my method. I have no idea how to keep sticks alive without fish poo. I pray you are successful as I need to learn how this can work. New territory for me.

How old is this system now? Live or dead rock start?

Edit: 18 months. Whew. Your biome should be pretty ready.

 

[Williamson’s Reef]

Thank you. I have a bc aquatic man,pc super man and tsa habanero that are tables. I believe thats it. I gave them more room.

Well I just now placed a order with TSA...good deal on Optimus prime, twister sister and daydream. So 77 days from when they come in..lol. After losing 13 out of 14 fish to velvet i was QTing all fish. After restocking with full fish QT and a 77 day fallow period from velvet I got ick from coral. So here I am again. After this 77 days nothing goes in without QT. Coral included. Im adding all the sticks I can right now since the fish are in QT with copper.

I started with dead rock but added a few live rock from a LFS. And some sand from there huge shark tanks. My bio is more than ready. It’s been full of fish most of the time. Every inch is full of pods, feather dusters and life. I have 5 urchins that keep eating the coralline. The white rocks I just added last week. I was testing no3 and no4 daily without fish in it. Now twice a week. Keeping no3 5-10 and no4 under .10 but at least .03. I had to dose them at first with no fish to keep above zero. But there stable now. I feed something to the tank daily.

 

[jeffrey750750]

Cant wait to see the progress 6 months to a year

 

[Williamson’s Reef]

Cant wait to see the progress 6 months to a year

Me to! I’ll definitely post it. Multiple times a day i look over everything just to see any new pulp or growth. Even 18 months in I still enjoy tank maintenance.

 

[DancingShark]

I see a lot of pruning in your future.
I would love to see this tank in a year or 2.
These things get massive. They will sit there for a while then exponentially grow.