Trying out sps, what should I start with?

[Chaotic]

So I have had my tank for about a year and a half, and it has been mostly dominated by lps and some mushrooms, no softies or zoas, and the corals have been thriving. Especially one very annoying echinopora I got a while back, it has grown big and stings ANYTHING close to it so that makes placement of new ones difficult.... But anyway, I wanted to TRY some SPS coral, I just got a stylophora, and it seems happy, no die off, and great polyp extension. What other good sps corals would you guys recommend? I want an acro.... but I know how sensitive they are, unless there is a tougher species that I do not know of. But let me know what species of sps you would recommend to start with!

Tank size: 30 gallons
Stock: 4 Fish, dragonet, clown, purple firefish, and watchman goby
Equipment: Skimmer, chaeto, return pump, no sump, Kessil A160 light, and a powerhead.

 

[Cherub]

Birdsnest and pocillapora(spelling) are easy ones

 

[Zagreus]

Try a Plutonium Tenuis. Its green and hairy. Tells you how's its doing by color and polyp extension and rebounds back quick from issues once you fix them. I like them better than green slimer.

Zag

 

[thirdchild]

Montis are encrusting, cap or branching, sometimes multiple forms. Go with a monti or birdsnest

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Encrusting montiporas are also pretty forgiving but I would still try the birdsnest and pocillapora first. Red monti caps are probably the cheapest SPS coral in my area. Green birdsnest comes in at a close second.

 

[Chaotic]

I like the look of that tenius, I might start out with a birdsnest and a pocillopora first though to see how they like the light and flow, maybe give it a 2-3 month wait, and then try out the easier acros!

 

[Radman73]

My first was a red monti and it refused to die when I was learning the ropes so that would be my suggestion lol!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Look for a green slimer acro. Highly unpopular and cheap. Very hardy.

Just do it.

Come over , I'll pop off a piece for you.

 

[Cherub]

You could keep anything just make sure your testing all your parameters and dosing what is missing. I recommended stuff earlier but honestly you want to put stuff in your tank that you want not just what you can keep.

 

[foxt]

+1 for pocillopora, love that fuzzy look. Montipora digitata is also a hardy fast grower.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Birdsnest is always a good beginner. I believe it's what I started with for my first SPS.

 

[coil1002]

Montis are encrusting, cap or branching, sometimes multiple forms. Go with a monti or birdsnest

+1 on the montis mine have been great since day 1. My Digitata are my fastest growers

 

[LetItReef]

Setosa.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

You could keep anything just make sure your testing all your parameters and dosing what is missing I recommended stuff earlier but honestly you want to put stuff in your tank that you want not just what you can keep.

+1.
I've had the most rewarding experiences in the hobby learning to keep the stuff I wanted.

I don't really test that much though.

 

[pdiehm]

Following. Figure I'm about a month from adding SPS to my tank. Just got my parameters where I want them. 9.5 alk, 425 calcium, 1400 magnesium, 4 ppm nitrates, and 0.07 PO4 (hadn't touched GFO in 8 weeks, so I replaced that).

Have been recommended stylophora, seriatopa, pocillopora, montipora digitata, monti-caps, and the green slimer as SPS to add. Now to find someone locally who is willing to give me 2 or 3 small frags. Being a seahawks fan, I like the green slimer, reminds me of my Seahawks green.

 

[BoomCorals]

Cliff's Acropora

 

[PiscesPower]

I have found stylophora very forgiving in a new'ish tank. They keep their polyps open all the time and they can get really bushy.

 

[PiscesPower]

Following. Figure I'm about a month from adding SPS to my tank. Just got my parameters where I want them. 9.5 alk, 425 calcium, 1400 magnesium, 4 ppm nitrates, and 0.07 PO4 (hadn't touched GFO in 8 weeks, so I replaced that).

Have been recommended stylophora, seriatopa, pocillopora, montipora digitata, monti-caps, and the green slimer as SPS to add. Now to find someone locally who is willing to give me 2 or 3 small frags. Being a seahawks fan, I like the green slimer, reminds me of my Seahawks green.

Go Hawks!

 

[rkpetersen]

You can get two (or three) different color Montipora capricornis, position them near each other, and watch as they grow to interdigitate and wrap around each other. I've got that going with red, blue-green, and purple cap monti's right now, and it's interesting to watch them start to interact.

Or get a Montipora spongodes; mine's survived several extinction events and is going strong, looking like something from outer space.

 

[thirdchild]

Following. Figure I'm about a month from adding SPS to my tank. Just got my parameters where I want them. 9.5 alk, 425 calcium, 1400 magnesium, 4 ppm nitrates, and 0.07 PO4 (hadn't touched GFO in 8 weeks, so I replaced that).

Have been recommended stylophora, seriatopa, pocillopora, montipora digitata, monti-caps, and the green slimer as SPS to add. Now to find someone locally who is willing to give me 2 or 3 small frags. Being a seahawks fan, I like the green slimer, reminds me of my Seahawks green.

Yup, trying 2-3 small frags that aren't too expensive is a good idea.
If they do well, you know you can upgrade safely.