Any SPS keepers?

[wiley0717]

Getting into SPS and looking to see what is local here in KY

[CorbetJackson50]

i have a couple montis, a birdnest, and some acro, i got them all in cincy though, not alot of nice sps around these parts.

[wiley0717]

I'm finding that, mostly Softies. Only one LFS that really deals with SPS here in the Louisville area, was hoping to reach out to some fellow refers. I'd like to find a couple decent sized frags of green slimer, cats par and? Mos frags around here are only coming in at about an inch.
My schedule still hasn't opened up enough for me to slide out your way yet, hopefully soon!

[Lee_Bay]

I'm getting ready to get rid of all of my softies (in a month or two) and go with just SPS. I've got a couple of Acros, couple of Monti's, about a 2 in. frag of green slimer. The Xenia and Kenya tree are gonna go bye-bye.

Got all of it at the LFS here in Ashland.

[wiley0717]

I couldn't get Xenia to do anything but slowly shrink and disappear in my tank, Kenya and GSP's on the other hand were a plague! I've been mostly LPS with a couple odds and ends (Crocia clam, BTA's pavona, and zoo's) for the last two years. I've dabbled in SPS without success until I recently got serious about it after seeing a few SPS only tanks.
I plan on keeping a couple LPS but all softies have been pulled (reminds me, if anyone wants GSP's, I've got some).

Tried to find some locals here in Louisville who are into SPS but have only found two to get frags from and those are Monti's and Digi's. I'll try to post some pics of my current SPS, coloring is not that great as my camera seems not to capture the colors for some reason.

[phljess]

I have a few SPS, I have a couple colonies and and numerous frags. It is almost impossible to try to keep a mixed reef of LPS and SPS because their demands contrast very much. I phased out many of my softies and LPS over the last year and I am getting very serious about keeping a SPS only tank. I also have a 125 I am converting to a LPS/softies tank.

[Lee_Bay]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9855034#post9855034 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wiley0717
I couldn't get Xenia to do anything but slowly shrink and disappear in my tank


You should probably consider yourself lucky. lol

[wiley0717]

Well, I would have accept the other edge of that sword got me when I put the Kenya in. lol! The Mother Colony would drop branches weekly and they would float into inaccessible spots and take hold.

Do you guys feed your SPS? I've just started adding DT's Natural Diet Oyster Eggs again and was wondering if anybody had any opinion on it before I pick some more up. I will say it did keep my clam alive for 8 months while it was under 96 watts Pc light but I'm unsure about my Acro and Digi's.

One more question, looking at my pic, does anyone think my Acro is getting too much light? When I put it in it was darker brown with blue tips, two weeks later it's a lot lighter (looks even lighter in person than in the pic) ant the tips are more like baby blue. Right now I've got 440 watts 6500k and 220 actinic so colors aren't as brilliant as with 10k's but I've got other corals that are hiding from the light and was thinking I may be getting too much and need to move the Acro down


http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q97/wiley0717/P1010014.jpg

[wiley0717]

An example of my other corals getting too much light,
First is a couple monti frags, came from the same colony, the pink one is in the top half of the tank the brown is at the bottom. The buttons are taken in the open and under a ledge

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q97/wiley0717/P1010003.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q97/wiley0717/P1010004-1.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q97/wiley0717/P1010005.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q97/wiley0717/P1010008.jpg

[wiley0717]

Pics of my Digi's just cuz

Brown

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q97/wiley0717/P1010010.jpg


And Blue

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q97/wiley0717/P1010009.jpg

[phljess]

If you are keeping your acros under VHO I would doubt they are getting too much light. How deep is the tank and where is your placement? Also how much light was on the tank you got them from? I keep my Acros under 1200 watts of halide and they do fine. You just have to acclimate them. If they are coming from a tank with less light start them low. Also digis and caps need less light than acros IMO so they can go lower in the tank. Personally, I think you will not be able to get Acros to thrive under VHO lighting but since you are using 6.5K bulbs they may live. The 6.5K spectrum will also make your coral change color so this might be the reason why they look differently from when you bought them.

[wiley0717]

The corals came from a 16" deep prop tank lit by a 20k 400w halide approx 2' over the water. I've placed the Acro approx 5-6" from the lights that are actually NO T8's (25 watt I think) overdriven by 2 Ice Cap 660's. I actually ended up moving my clam from midway to the sand this weekend as I got less extension than under 175 halides in the same spot, it's a little more extended now. I've got 2 250w halide setups that I haven't 100% ruled out, trying to avoid them due to the heat (not the tank but the living room) as they keep the ends of the house frigid with the thermostat 2 feet from the tank!

[phljess]

I have tried to keep some SPS under Compact fluorescent lighting and they never made it. I really think you will find that you will need halides if you want to be able to keep acros.

[wiley0717]

Although I kept my clam under them temporarily, I don't have much faith in PC's either.

As for the the mixed reef, I will have the rest of my softies out this weekend, haven't had much interest in them here locally so I may just trade them in. How about gorgonians and SPS, any advice here on keep or toss?

Any pics of your frags and colonies for sale?

[wiley0717]

Actually, anything that you feel will do good under this lighting

[phljess]

I only have about four that are big enough to frag at this time.

[wiley0717]

Any pics? What would shipping be to 40031? Speaking of shipping, is it neccesary to ship SPS over night or can they be shipped like softies?

[phljess]

I can probably frag all of these again:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1064061

I can ship as many frags as you would like for $15.00 Fed Ex ground and they should be there next day.

BTW, you need to get SPS frags ship next day, two days would be too long IMO.

[wiley0717]

Can I get a Colonial pic of the Undata, also Don't happen to have a Stylophora in there some where do you?

[phljess]

Sorry, do not have a colony shot of the montipora, I broke it into several pieces and was only going to keep one to grow back out. I do not have a Stylophora or at least I do not think I have one, is it a Cat's paw coral? I have a nice pink birds nest I should be able to frag.

[wiley0717]

phljess:
I can get those locally (saves me money on shipping). I think the only thing that I haven't seen locally is the neon green acro but I'm not sure it will do well with my lighting. I'll holler when I figure out what to do with my lighting (halides or not).

Thanks for now.

[wiley0717]

Anybody interested in trading some sps for my Green Bubble Tip? Nothing wrong with it, I just have 4 and am wanting some real estate back