Softies with SPS?

crabbejoe · #1 08/17/2007, 12:24 PM

I thought softies and sps couldn't be kept together due to the toxins released by soft corals. I even tried it, and watched a piece of digita slowly wither away in my softy tank. But after reading this article, http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-03/cj/index.php , it sounds like it can be done if you start out with sps and add the soft corals later.
Does this work? Does anyone here have sps and soft corals in the same tank?

ShannHell · #2 08/19/2007, 11:12 AM

I started with soft corals and worked up to SPS and haven't had any problems what-so-ever. I just make sure that the skimmer is working well and that the corals don't touch. I am not sure if it was just dumb luck or if it can be done all the time, but I am guessing it can be done more often than not since so many people keep mixed reef tanks. I mean, look at GARF.org and you can see how often they mix and things are doing well

xtm · #3 08/19/2007, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by crabbejoe
I thought softies and sps couldn't be kept together due to the toxins released by soft corals. I even tried it, and watched a piece of digita slowly wither away in my softy tank. But after reading this article, http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-03/cj/index.php , it sounds like it can be done if you start out with sps and add the soft corals later.
Does this work? Does anyone here have sps and soft corals in the same tank?

I think allelopathy is overrated. I have an SPS tank with various of softies growing all over the place. I think carbon has helped a lot too.

Also make sure the softies are NOT touching any SPS directly. If they're 4-5" apart, you'll be fine.

GARFVolunteer · #4 08/24/2007, 06:51 PM

I mix soft and SPS all the time. When it comes time to frag the soft coral, I always try to remove it from the tank.

Thanks,

Scott

crabbejoe · #5 08/25/2007, 06:43 PM

Thanks for the imput guys. So do you think it even matters which you put in first?

xtm · #6 08/25/2007, 11:52 PM

Shouldn't matter.

bcordill · #7 08/26/2007, 09:03 PM

I agree,

I have sps doing fine in a tank dominated by sofites.

bcordill · #8 08/26/2007, 09:03 PM

I agree,

I have sps doing fine in a tank dominated by sofites.

szeth13 · #9 09/02/2007, 12:06 PM

i have a sps tank with some softies in it n everything is fine, also no carbon is ran. now the growth on the softies isnt anything near what it used to be before the tank was redone for sps but thats only to be expected.

kcw1099 · #10 09/03/2007, 01:07 PM

I have had the corals mixed together with no problems at all

vanna101 · #11 09/05/2007, 10:57 AM

I have monti in with mushrooms/zoas/tree coral with no problems.

davidbe · #12 09/06/2007, 10:06 AM

I have a mixed reef and started with softies. I even have a yellow fiji, which is known to be bad for SPS and I have no problem. Moreover, upon entering the yellow fiji, the other toadstool and finger started to close half the time.
So go for it as long as they don't touch.

crabbejoe · #13 09/06/2007, 08:49 PM

I have a pocillopora in there now and it seems to be doing great!

seastar12 · #14 09/10/2007, 06:58 PM

I think it would be fine