# Further SPS Questions



## WateraDrop (Nov 16, 2008)

Which is the "easiest" SPS coral to care for? I put easiest in quotations because ... well, the internet says there's no such thing as an easy-to-care-for SPS. 

Follow-up question: which SPS do you recommend for a beginner to start with?


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Try a green or red montipora digitata or capricornis. They're usually very hardy, not light demanding, and have telling signs when something is wrong parameter wise.


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## shiver905 (Nov 2, 2010)

Id say Montis also.

I had a frag burried in the sand for a few days still lived.
You cant kill those things.

Id like to say acros because how fast they grow, But I wouldnt say it easy.


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

You don't get out to Burlington, do you? I have a few unmounted chips of orange monti cap that you can have free...


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## mattdean (Oct 23, 2010)

+1 on the Monti. I have found Millepora to be fairly easy to keep.

Bridsnests tend to grow like a weed, so you can try one of those. Just stay away from any expensive, designer coral and you can judge your performance without the pain and cost of the higher priced corals.

Be careful buying very small frags. Try to find small colonies that have several branches and are a few inches tall. The small frags can be more sensitive.

Just make sure you have STABLE and good water parameters and lots of FLOW!

Good luck.


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## WateraDrop (Nov 16, 2008)

Well, the tank has been up since March. Flow is high right now and adjustable so that shouldn't be a problem. As for water parameters, I've been testing every now and then and it seems generally unchanging. I don't expect a sudden explosion in something but *knock on wood* lol. 

I read around and people say birdsnest too for the sake of its fast growth. I assume this is going to take me into fragging territory as well -- *trembles in fear*. 

How difficult is it to keep acropora? I see these really nice colonies at SeaUMarine and other places and I look forward to having a few in the future, but yeah, any information from your experiences on acroporas from you guys?


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## mattdean (Oct 23, 2010)

Well, sounds like the tank should be fine. Lots of flow is key for SPS.

Now Acros are tricky. Here's what I do....I put them in the tank, and (this is the important part) watch them grow!! LOL! 

As long as your lighting is good, you should be OK. Look on the forums for other reefers selling frags. That's the way to go. You ten to get nicer, hardier corals that way, since the frags are USUALLY from established reefs and accustomed to aquariums, instead of off the reefs where it is VERY different from our closed systems.


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## WateraDrop (Nov 16, 2008)

mattdean, you make it seem so much easier lol. So you seriously just ... put it in and leave it at that? I had another thread asking about coral acclimation and people gave me different answers. How do you acclimate your SPS corals? 

And about the acros, I guess in terms of survivability and whatnot, are they as hardy as the montis and things that people have suggested in this thread?

Another question! Typically, I see colonies at SeaUMarine mounted onto what I think are small pieces of LR. Do you guys just shove that in with your own LR? I guess my question is actually: how do you install your coral (lol it sounds like installing software on a computer)?


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## shiver905 (Nov 2, 2010)

I dont drip any corals, Just Put them into the tank,

It depends where you want to mount the acros,
I always put them on a frag plug then on my frag rack to inspect them for a few weeks.

You can just mount them on your rock work,
Use putty and super glue,


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## WateraDrop (Nov 16, 2008)

This puts me more at ease. I always imagined hyper-slow acclimation and other scary stuff.


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## mattdean (Oct 23, 2010)

Yeah, what Shiver said. I don't acclimate frags, but will dip SPS colonies in Coral Rx with a powerhead, then into the tank.

Honestly, i don't know what SPS are harder to keep. I have all kinds and find them all pretty much the same. I've had a few corals die on me, but that goes for all kinds, not just SPS.

I personally don't like frag plugs. I always detach the frag and glue it to the rock. If it's on a rock, or encrusting on a plug, then i glue that to the rock.


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## WateraDrop (Nov 16, 2008)

Not even floating the bag for the sake of temperature acclimation ;O?


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## mattdean (Oct 23, 2010)

OK, I'm all for playing it safe, so, I have, and do, when I'm not feeling lazy - and only with colonies, not frags, float the bag, put the SPS colony in a pail and slowly add the tank's water. I have a small powerhead i like to run in the pail to keep the flow going, but not necessary. Basically, acclimate the way you would acclimate anything.

I think sometimes we over complicate this hobby. Losses are inevitable, at the beginning.


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## goobs (Sep 29, 2010)

remember all those SPS corals in the tank at SUM are under 400wat MHs. 

they change colour once they are in your tank lol


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