Montipora

[laurabelll]

I want to combine Montipora in my 120g reef tank with soft corals. There is lots of room still available in the tank. I am very much in awe with these corals. Do you believe this will be okay, and if so how much space do I need to leave between?

 

[laurabelll]

Thanks Kip, I will do a search on it now.

 

[robchuck]

FWIW, I have two species of Montipora in my reef along with Xenia, GSP, a Hammer, Galaxia, and a few Ricordia, and have seen what I would consider average growth from both of the montis. I also run carbon and the occasional polyfilter, so either of those measures or the fact that my non-SPS corals are medium-sized at best inhibit the amount of chemical warfare that could take place.

 

[laurabelll]

Rob,
How close do you have these from each other? Also, are they in the flow of water from the same powerhead? I was thinking maybe if I kept the Montipora on one side only of the tank so it was only in the flow of one powerhead it might not be as bad? I can't find a legible site on allelopathy, they are all way above my head. Any way, I do have alot of nice soft corals and I don't want to have them damaged. Wish my house was not so tiny, I would get another tank just for that. I also run a small filter with carbon, not large enough for my tank size though.

 

[robchuck]

Originally posted by laurabelll
Rob,
How close do you have these from each other? Also, are they in the flow of water from the same powerhead? I was thinking maybe if I kept the Montipora on one side only of the tank so it was only in the flow of one powerhead it might not be as bad?
My montis are the first corals to receive water as it's discharged from the sump, and the closest corals to them are at least 8" away.

 

[laurabelll]

Thank you for the information. Unfortunately I thought the corals I have already were all soft corals....it sounds like I am wrong though. I already have hammers, frogspawn, mushrooms, leathers, yellow polyps, halomitra dome, star polyps, pink zoos, zenia and sponges. The tank looks very healthy and everything opens up so gorgeous. I hope I don't have a problem hovering in there I wasn't aware of. I am worried now!! Please advise me if one or more of these is particularly a problem to fix right away. I guess I better not be adding any montipora to this tank.

 

[jauringer]

laurabelll,
Mixing SPS with soft corals is done in many, many tanks including my own. I have never had a problem with it nor heard of anyone else having a problem with it. That what skimmers and carbon are for. We may be going a little overboard here. i think a montipora species is a great starter sps and it grows like a weed. heck I have seen 15'' leathers in a tank mostly comprised of SPS.

 

[laurabelll]

Thank you so much. I am very relieved to hear that, I am quite attached to the corals that I have and would hate to have to get rid of any of them. I think all is well in my tank. I appreciate your contribution to the subject.

 

[jauringer]

take a look at some of the TOTMs. Huge stonies. If you run a tank the way it should be run there will be no problems. IMO, people need to be worried about P04 inhibiting growth in SPS than sofites.

 

[jauringer]

thats generalizing kip, the one for this month basicaly stated that he hadn't run carbon in six months, and when he finaly did, it cleared up the water so much that it bleached some of his SPS.

 

[jauringer]

changing carbon every six weeks is deffinatly not a lot, yes that is a very big system, but it is only one example of many. i have found that in my limited experience of keeping SPS that there are a lot of other factors to worry about than keeping softies with sps. (temp, SG, PO4, Nitrate ...........) There should be no reason that laurabelll should be steared away from trying a SPS mearly because she has softies.
Now, i am not saying that soft corals don't produce toxins, but I am saying that with a properly maintained tank, no body should have a problem keeping them together.

 

[laurabelll]

Everyone thank you so much for your input, I think I have enough information to make the decision that I am not experienced enough yet, however, I do intend eventually to add them to my tank. Or even, perhaps start another small tank down the road just for them!! Anyhow, I certainly appreciate all the information.

 

[jauringer]

so i guess eric and anthony spent a lot of time researching and pulbishing this for nothing.

I guess I will repeat myself
"Now, i am not saying that soft corals don't produce toxins, but I am saying that with a properly maintained tank, no body should have a problem keeping them together."
and Another
"There should be no reason that laurabelll should be steared away from trying a SPS mearly because she has softies."

 

[jauringer]

I am with you on that Kip. I also want to make clear that people like eric and anthony are pioneers of the hobby, and without people like them, keeping these critters would most likely be a lot more difficult.
BTW I thought I was the only one up this early on a Saturday?