How (and if) I can mix SPS & LPS in my 40 gallon tank

[Jan]

Hi all,

Setting up my 36" long, 40 gallon tank, I bought this lighting fixture:

36" AQUALIGHT - DOUBLE LINEAR STRIP
Dimensions: 36" x 7" x 2 1/2"

The Aqualight...includes a protective acrylic lens cover and Coralife compact fluorescent lamps.

Product Information:
Aqualight Deluxe Series - Double Linear Strip96 watt 10,000K and 96 watt True Actinic 03 Blue square pin base compact fluorescent lamps
Two on/off switches with two 8-foot power cords for separate timers
Built-in ballasts
Two cooling fans, Sleek aluminum housing
Highly-polished reflector, Acrylic lens cover

I would like if possible to mix LPS, "softies," and some SPS corals. Also a light load of fish. Will this be possible given the limitations of this lighting fixture? (I will have good filtration with a robust skimmer + refugium + 60 lbs of live cured rock). Also, will the water parameters needed for the SPS make it difficult for the LPS/softies to thrive--or vice versa?

If you have any specific recommendations of SPS that don't need super-bright halide lighting, I would appreciate hearing those...

thankyou!

 

[matts125]

the Lps and SPS will be ok given you allow proper space between them, on the other hand the softies are not a good idea they release toxins in the water that stunts the growth of other corals, this is called toxic soup and will harm your sps corals, it is worse then you think because of the closed system and especially this small of a closed system.

I would advise not to go with any softies is sps are in the plans the softies would be ok with the lps but not the sps..

Matt

 

[Jan]

thankyou, Matt

 

[jezzeaepi]

Having tried the same tank size, with the same light, with the same goals for corals, 1 year later heres my advice:
Sps will not grow very well at all. They will not look near as cool as they did in the store when they are in your tank, and they probably wont grow or retain their color. Its just not enough to do well with SPS.
On the other hand, softies will grow very very quickly. Most LPS should show moderate growth and retain their coloration.
You are dead on with this question:
"Also, will the water parameters needed for the SPS make it difficult for the LPS/softies to thrive--or vice versa?"

Most softies prefer a "dirtier tank" to grow well. SPS on the otherhand will loose color and not grow in a dirty tank. LPS can do alright in either a clean or a dirty tank. A lot of LPS require some occasional feeding too so this may also negtivly effect your water quality. So SPS and softies are pretty much opposite. Thats not to say people havent been succesfull in keeping both, but it will be to the detriment of one of the groups.

 

[Jan]

OK, this is making sense. It relates to another thread I just started, about whether the skimmer I've selected will "overskim" my tank:

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22598

I will focus on LPS+softies in this tank. Will this skimmer & pump make the tank too clean?

 

[Pikachu]

i believe running carbon will help. Softies often give out chemical toxins to fight with other corals. running carbon, along side water changes, will help ur tank out.

 

[4251cpd]

All great advise. LPS will do fine with that fl pc's but the sps might not. PC's may not have the extra "umph" that MH lighting has. As for softies with sps, if you keep your softies closer to the outlet side of your tank and use a quality carbon rotated out every two weeks, I don't see so much of a problem provided there is ample spacing. Just gather as much info on LPS as you can, because in general they are a more neighbor "hating" group then other corals. Good luck padawan.

 

[returnofsid]

I have PC lighting on a 29 gallon reef tank. I'm keeping SPS but I'm keeping them very high in the tank and keeping SPS that aren't quite as light demanding as most. Montipora Digitata, Montipora Caps and such. I do have Softies and LPS in my tank as well. I'm not suggesting you do this though. I've been lucky...lol. I do run carbon on a regular basis and have a lot of flow for such a small tank. I also do religious water changes of 10 gallons each week. I'm in the process of setting up a 75 reef and when I get the lighting unit installed, I'll be moving the SPS to that tank. It will be mainly an LPS and SPS tank with VERY few of the not-so-toxic softies.

I do think you can keep SPS under those lights as long as you keep them high, keep less light demanding corals and keep your water quality pristine.

 

[Jan]

Thanks for the good advice. I didn't know about softies putting out toxins! I must not be at that chapter of my books yet...

By the way...where can I learn more about toxicity from soft corals and which ones are less toxic?

 

[spongebob lover]

By the way...where can I learn more about toxicity from soft corals and which ones are less toxic?

well not an expert but leathers are sort of bad for sps .

 

[ronj]

i wouldn't attempt to keep any sps really with pc's, not even lower light sps corals...it can be done, but you would have to keep them so far up that they wouldn't even be able to grow upwards any, or they would be out of the water

 

[returnofsid]

Sarcophytons are really bad and from what I've read and heard from Kevin recently...GPS are one of the worst!! Surprised me.

 

[Snappy]

i believe running carbon will help. Softies often give out chemical toxins to fight with other corals. running carbon, along side water changes, will help ur tank out.

I second this. As far as sps you will probably need a more intense light if you want bright coloration. As mentioned maybe start with some easy to keep sps like M. Digitata and some caps. I have a mixed reef and run a bag of carbon passively in the sump. I have a buddy who has a lot of sps under pc lighting and they do quite well. The color is a little dull but he has great growth. Now, he has a lot of pc's over the tank and the sps is placed high but it can be done.