ideas - corals compatible in SPS set ups

having recently increased my water movement to over 60x tank volume
in order to ensure my growing army of SPS frags are kept clear of anything that might settle on them
my 3 remaining LPS corals, located at the sand bed level are not best pleased with me ( not extending as they used to and definitely showing signs of taking a battering)

I have a few Zoanthid colonies scattered about but other than that my tank is now mostly SPS frags

which other species of corals do you feel, would be fine in terms of light needs at the base of an 20 inch deep tank under 6 x 80 watt T5 lamps
and that would be happier in terms of the water movement I have

Im considering
Acans
Scollymore ( I like the bleeding apple green and red variety)
Chalices

Im looking for suggestions on colourful corals - that dont present a threat in terms of chemical warfare, are not going to over run my tank and
will survive in the vortex that my SPS seem to be enjoying but LPS are not

Steve

 

just make it an sps dominant...
lps possibilities are euphillia sp? (although they wont be as happy as a 10x turnover tank they can take it) lobo, blasto, favia, the three you listed, and you could consider clams for the sandbed

 

I'm doing all SPS on the rockwork and LPS and clams on the sandbed.

 

chalice corals will do ok, but you need to keep them in the shade in an SPS style tank. Any of the LPS that puff up will not like a huge amount of current, if you can find lower current areas in your tank they will do fine

 

Dendrophyllia do fine in some SPS tanks I've seen. Mine seem not to mind high flow, they just grin and bear it. Also light has no effect on them so you're good there, you just need to make sure you can put them in a place that's easy to feed or that you feed heavy enough that they get enough food.

+1 on Favia/Favites/Goniastrea/Acans/Scolymia.

I also think Duncans do fine in higher indirect flow.

 

I have a bubble, frogspawn, acans, favia and chalices with about 40x turnover, although it gets up to about 54x if I turn the powerhead up. IMO, it's all about proper placement. Placing acans next rocks or in areas with lower flow will be fine, they can probably handle higher flow, but their polyps may not extend all the way. Also, chalices are good too. Keep in mind that there are some chalices that require higher lighting. I got a frag of a watermelon chalice from a local reefer and he had it under a 400Mh and it did great. I put it about 15-18" below a tek 6x54w fixture and it faded, I just recently moved it much higher up.

 

what about a birdsnest i have my vortech mp20 thats set on reef crest mode ive got a birdsnest at the opposite end of the tank that loves it, i have a bubble coral on the sand bed in the middle of the tank loves the high flow but the only one that doesnt seem to really like it is my brain, i have im placed as far away from the vortech as possible but he still doesnt care for it too much

lol that's all the help but with my little bit of experience on coral that i have i say deffiently birdsnest and bubble

 

I would just stick with SPS. Acans, Chalices and most LPS can quickly devastate a SPS corals if they touch. I found so often my Chalice would fall into a SPS coral and with in minutes the SPS would be dead.

J

 

thank you Dingo for the added options

thank you jhawkor, Clam? now thats worth considering, its another species I have no hands on experience of

thanks stylaster - I do like some of the chalice corals I see on the sponsors sites and note you have some brightly coloured ones in your set up , Ill definitely look out for some of these

Thanks screwtape - great to have another option on high flow areas at lower lighting levels

thanks Guitarman - placement as you say is key, my elegance , hammer and torch are getting to big really, I dont have enough low flow areas to accomodate the 3 of them happily, but moving any one of them out leaves a vacany

thank Puffer Chick
I have the pink birdsnest and that as you say appreciates flow
I did have 2 x bubble corals 1 green and 1 pearl, but as soon as my turnover hit 50x tank volume, I just ran out of low flow areas for all 5 LPS I had at the time and my hammer torch and elegance all seemed to fare well so the bubbles where unlucky.

Hi Jason , thanks for this
if I keep the SPS higher than the chalices and acans , and secure the SPS so that they cant fall onto the LPS below them, I should be OK then?


thanks again to all of you
Ill be shopping again in a couple of weeks and armed with the above information and choices , should find something suitable for the sand bed or 1st rock layer.


Steve

 

GSP lol jk just make sure you have pics when you buy the stuff!