Why are mixed reefs hard

[Nor'easter Reefer]

Getting LPS to thrive in a high flow, high light environment is a challenge but what limits my mixing them is that LPS sting surrounding SPS. Nutrients are not a problem as everyone has done well in low nutrient environment.

I have a Duncan that is doing well in high light high flow and I can nestle it in SPS because it doesn’t sting. Euphyllia wouldn’t be an option here.

I have a goniopora at the bottom away from the SPS although it does sting and battle a Hollywood Stunner.

My softies tolerate high light high flow.

Beautiful! So obviously, acros and LPS/softies are doable

 

[BryanM]

Just curious, is it trying to find the balance between low enough nutrients for acros and high enough nutrients for lps? I don't want any softies like leathers etc so I geuss it wouldnt be a true "mixed reef" but I have a bunch of LPS and some zoas and wanted to try my hand at an acro or two but always here mixed reefs are the hardest. Just curious on what everyone's thoughts were. Bonus points if you have a successful mixed reef and want to post a picture

Mixed SPS and LPS, my view from reading is that its more about flow. most of the SPS want well over double the flow to keep them clean, that will just torture softies.

Mixed LPS+Fish, mostly just choosing the right fish that wont eat your corals :)

 

[Dburr1014]

Just curious, is it trying to find the balance between low enough nutrients for acros and high enough nutrients for lps? I don't want any softies like leathers etc so I geuss it wouldnt be a true "mixed reef" but I have a bunch of LPS and some zoas and wanted to try my hand at an acro or two but always here mixed reefs are the hardest. Just curious on what everyone's thoughts were. Bonus points if you have a successful mixed reef and want to post a picture

My take on mixed reefs. I mean softies and lps and sps.

Soft corals emit terpenoids which cannot be removed by skimming. They can only be removed from the water via use of carbon and/or water changes. SPS will suffer from the terpenoids. You need to change our the GAC every week or two. Maybe that's not hard but it's constant. I have removed all my soft coral except a couple varieties of zoa.

Flow can be a problem. I put my lps against a rock face to help protect it from whipping around. My sps love the flow, they are mostly on top or in the wide open.

Lighting for sps is much stronger for sps but soft coral can be put under ledges.

Now, taking all this into consideration, the Rockwork needs to be right. Lots of planning for placement. Some folks don't know exactly what there going to buy when filling up a tank, it's more spontaneous when they walk into the LFS.

 

[mboley]

It's much easier on a 24" high tank with a higher reef structure sloped back to front. Add a quality LED Light bar such as Orphek OR4's or the ReefBreeder Edge above the back part of your tank and you're set.

With that set up on my tank I am running 80 - 100 par in front on the sand and about 275 along the back at the top of the rock structure. In the middle 150- 170.

I use an OR4 in back with the bracket mount, which gives you adjustability of the light beam for more control. So I could get 400 in back along the top without much affect on the middle par levels.

 

[Tamberav]

When I had a very mixed reef, I put t5's over it and put an extra powerhead by the SPS. I did not find it to be overly difficult, SPS can handle higher nutrients, some top tanks run them pretty high so I don't think that is the issue.

More to do with flow and lighting and stinging than running some magical perfect number.

T5 just gave me the easy even no BS coverage. My tank was shallow, 16".

I did not run any GAC and had huge softies. SPS did not seem effected, maybe they would have grown faster with GAC? no idea but they certainly didn't die because I had basketball size softies in the tank with them.

Biggest issue was a BTA walking over and killing some.

 

[Lavey29]

Your zoa garden in the center is huge!

Those dudes are outa control but I just let the tank do it's thing.

 

[BryanM]

When I had a very mixed reef, I put t5's over it and put an extra powerhead by the SPS. I did not find it to be overly difficult, SPS can handle higher nutrients, some top tanks run them pretty high so I don't think that is the issue.

More to do with flow and lighting and stinging than running some magical perfect number.

T5 just gave me the easy even no BS coverage. My tank was shallow, 16".

I did not run any GAC and had huge softies. SPS did not seem effected, maybe they would have grown faster with GAC? no idea but they certainly didn't die because I had basketball size softies in the tank with them.

Biggest issue was a BTA walking over and killing some.

oh, I'm not sure why since it seems obvious now, but I had not thought to dedicate a powerhead to sps. TY!