Why are SPS corals difficult?
SPS corals are least tolerant of nitrates and phosphates, which must always be close to zero. They are the most demanding of strong light and strong water flow, are poor at fighting off more aggressive corals and very intolerant of warmer than normal water temperatures.
Are SPS corals for beginners?
SPS or Small Polyp Stony corals can be demanding to keep and it is wise for new reef keepers to start off with soft and/or Large Polyp Stony (LPS) corals. The move up to SPS can be made once sustained success is achieved with softies and LPS. With that said, here is my list of Top 5 Beginner SPS Corals!
What is SPS Frag?
Small Polyp Stony corals, also known as SPS corals, are a favorite among experienced and novice coral hobbyists. Due to their skeleton, SPS coral frags require a consistent level of calcium and alkalinity to avoid weakening.
Is SPS coral hard to keep?
SPS hard corals are generally considered more difficult to keep than the LPS or soft corals and are not recommended for beginners.
Do you feed SPS corals?
How to feed SPS corals – Foods, Additives and other Goodies. Corals require nutrients. It seems the best source of coral food is happy fish doing what fish do after they eat: poop. So the best coral food is simply any good fish food that is enjoyed by your fish.
Do SPS corals need to be fed?
These NPS corals require a constant feeding since they do not host the zooxanthellae algae most other corals have to give them energy. Now, the corals that do, do not need to feed since they have the zooxanthellae algae constantly photosynthesizing and providing their host with energy right? This is false.
What is the easiest SPS coral to keep?
Seriatopora. Seriatopora are known as birds nest corals and form balls of thin, spiky branches, hence the name. Although the branches are delicate and may snap, Seriatopora are one of the easiest to keep and grow, and many people do well with it just in mixed reefs, when other SPS corals fail.
What does SPS coral stand for?
Small Polyp Stony
Hard corals then further subdivide into LPS and SPS types. LPS stands for Large Polyp Stony and SPS stands for Small Polyp Stony. In contrast to LPS corals, SPS have a thin skin covering their skeleton that doesn’t inflate, and that skin is made up of thousands of tiny polyps, all with one mouth each.
When can I add SPS coral?
A lot of good answers here. When starting from dry rock and a new tank it’s going to be about 6 to 8 months before the tank is very stable and ready to grow sps. You can add sps before then and they may do well or they may not. Some sps are hardier than other.
Do you need to feed SPS corals?
Do SPS corals eat copepods?
If you have live corals in your aquarium, you are probably wondering what foods your corals eat to supplement the nutrition provided by their resident zooxanthellae algae. Copepods, Amphipods, Brine Shrimp and Mysis Shrimp will also be consumed by many corals.
What’s the difference between a LPs and a SPS coral?
The key difference between LPS and SPS corals is that LPS corals or large polyp stony corals are large calcareous corals with large fleshy polyps while SPS corals or small polyp stony corals are small calcareous corals that have small polyps.
What does SPS stand for in coral reef?
Many of us share a desire to grow beautiful, colorful corals. Acquiring and growing beautifully colored SPS corals (SPS stand for Small Polyp Stony Corals) involves a commitment in time, energy and expenditures. SPS certainly represent one of the ultimate challenges in saltwater aquaria.
Why are SPS corals difficult to care for?
Something like this: SPS corals are DIFFICULT. They demand the best water quality, which must stay free from contaminants. That means a lot of time and investment on your part. If you want the challenge of maintaining SPS corals, have the following equipment on-hand.
What are the different types of stony corals?
The reef aquarium hobby long ago divided stony corals into two categories, Large Polyp Stony (LPS) and Small Polyp Stony (SPS). This antiquated view still serves as a guideline for care where SPS need more attention to detail than their LPS counterparts.
