Lps, Sps ???

[mujtba]

Ok SPS is hard corals, and LPS is soft corals? Or is soft corals in a class by itself???
what do they all stand for?:notsure:

 

[jeffro8332]

i think it's
Large polyp stoney and Short polyp stoney but the last S stands for something other that stoney. Beth has posted a list of acronyms in the new hobbist forum.
j

 

[cbshark]

SPS are small polyp stony corals and LPS are large polyp stony corals. Soft corals are in a class by themselves. As far as difficulty in keeping and greater demands, SPS are the hardest, LPS not quite as hard and softies are the easiest. Now, mind you that this is not necessarily always the case, but as far as i've experienced, this is the general rule. SPS seem to require the most light and best water parameters. I have ever had any success with SPS which i am sure is due to my lighting and the fact that I don't use ro/di water but iI've had pretty good luck with the LPS's that I have tried (green open brain, candy canes, scolymia, hammers and frogspawn). I did have an alveopora that did great for about 6 months then mysteriously died. That was a shame, it was an absolutely gorgeous coral. As far as softies, I have shrooms, ricordia, leathers, zoos and some others, although i've not had good luck lately with xenias. I have read that LPS and SPS don't do well with leathers that shed their skin. Seems that there is something fatal to lps and sps in the process of sheeding their skin. As far as the xenia, I think my problem is too high phosphates or to low nitrates. It sound stupid, but as soon as I got my nitrates down to 10 ppm and less, they tanked. If I was you, I would start with some shrooms, zoos and leathers/colts. They do great under less intense light and some I think prefer it. If anything I have said here is wrong, feel free to correct me anyone, cause lord knows, I don't know it all.

 

[mujtba]

hmm are there a LOT of colors in soft corals? i rather do my entire tank witl soft corals. I want a bunch of soft ones all over the tank and make an awesome bright reef!!!
is that possible or are there limitations to soft corals? :notsure:

 

[cbshark]

Most softies are pinkish, but shrooms, zoos and ricordia come in an array of colors. Rics can be pricey, but they can be beautiful. I don't think you would be at all dissapointed if you stick with softies. I may get flamed for this, but you may even want to try a condylactis anemone or two. They are beautiful as well and are cheap and don't require nearly the light as other anemones. The biggest problem with condys is that they sting their neighbors and they will move around until they find a place they like. I have three in my 125 and they are all in what seems like permanent places. If you want to go this route, I suggest you start with the anemones, let them find their place, then add corals around them where they can't be reached by stinging tentacles. I have a maroon clown hosting one condy and I like it way better than the long tentacle he was in before.

 

[cbshark]

Here is a picture of my old 10 gallon before I transfered it all to my 125. These are all softies, except for the candy cane and the condy anemone.

 

[cbshark]

Sorry, didn't add pic.

 

[latino277]

soft corals are usually brown, yellow, tan. there are some LPS that can be kept with them but you need a good skimmer to get ride of the toxins that are released. I think shrooms are the most colorful of the softie group:notsure: maybe some one else can add to the list.

 

[mujtba]

ok i saw the tank of my dreams.. i think its all soft corals. can you tell me if it is?
Corals:
Ricordea florida - 18 different color morphs
Zoanthus sp. - approx. 53 different color morphs
Xenia - Fiji Pom Pom & Bali Bi-Color
Ricordea yuma - 11 different color morphs
Clove polyps (Clavularia spp.) - 5 different color morphs
Small assortment of Discosoma spp. and Rhodactis spp. mushrooms
Latino, there seems to be more than tank yellow and brown.. :notsure:
i want my tank just like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

is there a certain way to do that? are the corals he has easily purchasable???
:thinking:

 

[cbshark]

I would say it would be fairly easy, just very expensive. And yes that is one awesome tank, i'm with you, I wish my tank looked like that.
P.S. where did you find that pic?

 

[mujtba]

it was *********** tank of month.. its the sexiest tank i have seen in that size.. my jaws drop always, and thats just a pic! in reality i duno wat id do... 3 words.. W O W!
im sure its very expensive, but ill try to do it slowly... how long do u wait b4 addin corals?

 

[footbag]

That was a nice tank... Its nice to see a tank of the month that isn't a SPS dominated tank. Color morphs are the "in thing" as far as softies. And beginners will find softy tanks more attractive anyways.
BTW...its also nice to see those beautiful SPS dominated tanks...Thanks BJ!

 

[smarls]

If you liked that tank, you would also like the tank of the month in August 2003 by "Mucho Reef", another softies tank (actually, almost a pure zoanthids tank)