Acro question

[jetlink82]

My tank has been running for a little over a year now and is doing very well. About a month ago I added a bunch of Zoa frags along with some Xenia. I really like the SPS stuff, and have been looking at them on Liveaquaria in the WYSIWYG section. My question is they are pretty much all labeled as "Difficult" on the care level. What is so difficult with keeping them? I don't want to spend a lot of money and then have them die on me.

 

[jc_k]

I think that you have to have a buch of different kind of reactors for a sps tank. I think it ok to have a coupe of pieces in a tank without the equipment. I have a birdsnest frag and a acropora frag. They are both doing well.

 

[hiimsean]

SPS require intense lighting and high flow as well as stable parameters. Reactors aren't necessary they just help you maintain more stable parameters.

 

[reefkeeper]

Light, flow temperature and water quality are essential part of keeping Acro's or Stony Corals. You pretty much need to mimic the ocean environment while at the same time keep all your parameters steady. Stony Corals are susceptible to any kind of minor changes.

With all this new technology available to hobbyist today, it does however make it much easier to keep Stony Corals in your System. You'll need to make sure your system meets all the requirements to successfully grow SPS. All of us at one time or another asked the same question you're asking us today. We've all experienced the pain of going through the trial and error of keeping stony corals in our system.

It requires some dedication and determination in order to maintain a healthy Stony Coral system. It can be done and you'll just need to experiment and start slow and see what works for you in your current system.

If your system meets the requirements, I would strongly suggest looking at picking up a few reasonable Acro frags from members on this Forum and test the waters before you byte the bullet on buying expensive corals. That's just my 2 cents and good luck!!

 

[jc_k]

I keep a coupe pieces or stony coral and they does fine. I think it's just a hardier type.

 

[jetlink82]

Thanks for all the input guys. I am thinking about a mixed reef, mostly soft corals, maybe some LPS, but would like to have a few SPS in there. I'll start off with one frag for a while and see how it does.

 

[hiimsean]

Montis and birdnests are some of the easier SPS to start with.

 

[reefkeeper]

If you like some guidance I'll be happy to assist you in any way. I'm in the Woodstock/Canton area off of Bells Ferry and your welcome to come see my display tank which is predominately Acro's. Just LMK and I'll be glad to give you some advice. Thx Dave

 

[jc_k]

You shoudl really try a Hollywood stunner. Is it a Lps.... Lol if it is you should get some. Mine grows about 2-3 inches a month. It has also been through a lot of things including water dropping beolow 50degrees.

 

[declanisadog]

Reefkeeper;935304 wrote: If you like some guidance I'll be happy to assist you in any way. I'm in the Woodstock/Canton area off of Bells Ferry and your welcome to come see my display tank which is predominately Acro's. Just LMK and I'll be glad to give you some advice. Thx Dave

Take him up on this. It is worth it to just gawk at his awesome system.

In my experience keeping SPS successfully is all about stable parameters. Lighting is obviously important, but keeping your tank stable is key. I kept several acros for years without any chemical filtration, but now that I have reactors running, it has gone much smoother.

 

[jc_k]

Atlanta Aquarium;935392 wrote: I love SPS. For couple of years, before I opened a saltwater store, my tank was predominately sps. I didn't find difficult at all in keeping them. Just couple of things you need to know in keeping sps. Strong flow, strong lighting and good water parameters. But then, the first 2 years of keeping sps, I didn't have skimmer hooked up. How good of water parameter could it be?:confused2:

Haha. I don't think skimmers are needed but they help ALOT. So do you have to does anything special to the water like any special minerals or something. Always wanted to try a small sps tank.

 

[ralph atl]

Reefkeeper;935298 wrote: Light, flow temperature and water quality are essential part of keeping Acro's or Stony Corals. You pretty much need to mimic the ocean environment while at the same time keep all your parameters steady. Stony Corals are susceptible to any kind of minor changes.

With all this new technology available to hobbyist today, it does however make it much easier to keep Stony Corals in your System. You'll need to make sure your system meets all the requirements to successfully grow SPS. All of us at one time or another asked the same question you're asking us today. We've all experienced the pain of going through the trial and error of keeping stony corals in our system.

It requires some dedication and determination in order to maintain a healthy Stony Coral system. It can be done and you'll just need to experiment and start slow and see what works for you in your current system.

If your system meets the requirements, I would strongly suggest looking at picking up a few reasonable Acro frags from members on this Forum and test the waters before you byte the bullet on buying expensive corals. That's just my 2 cents and good luck!!

BINGO! awesome answer sir!

Edit:

Atlanta Aquarium;935392 wrote: I love SPS. For couple of years, before I opened a saltwater store, my tank was predominately sps. I didn't find difficult at all in keeping them. Just couple of things you need to know in keeping sps. Strong flow, strong lighting and good water parameters. But then, the first 2 years of keeping sps, I didn't have skimmer hooked up. How good of water parameter could it be?:confused2:

However, you did have a crash when you added gfo, back in the day...lol

 

[ralph atl]

Reefkeeper;935304 wrote: If you like some guidance I'll be happy to assist you in any way. I'm in the Woodstock/Canton area off of Bells Ferry and your welcome to come see my display tank which is predominately Acro's. Just LMK and I'll be glad to give you some advice. Thx Dave

:thumbs:

please do this option...

 

[reefkeeper]

Atlanta Aquarium;935403 wrote: The first 3 years or so into the hobby. I've heard folks mentioned about the crash all the time. I didn't fully understand what they were are saying because everything went so well for me. To beat it all, I was using very little equipment to help maintaining my healthy system.
Then one day. It was quick and painful. I got to experienced it too. The crash wasn't pretty but it wasn't from gfo. It was from a moved. It's was cold and the moved was hasty. I remembered like it was yesterday. Half of my prized SPS got wiped out within a day! Ahhh the good old day. LOL

Now I can list 4 or 5 people over the years that's had or have a "OMG" kind of reef tank and I would say Rit was one of those guys when he that tank setup in his other business shop. That system before it crashed was the "BOM" it was a work of art and simply awesome!!