- Avoid Fish with a Hankering for SPS – Perhaps this is a no brainer, but you should bypass fish with a tendency to snack on SPS. Certain angelfish can be problematic. For example, the Centropyge species, commonly called dwarf or pygmy angels, are known to nip and are high risk. Angels in the Genicanthus species such as Swallow Tail or Bellus Angels are considered reef safe.
- Maintain Good Water Conditions – This is really two parts, but I am wrapping them into one because I want a Top 5 List, not a Top 6 List 🙂 Part 1 is to keep your parameters steady. It is critical to have stability for things such as salinity, nitrate, magnesium and calcium. Stable phosphate is important as well, but perhaps most important for SPS is keeping alkalinity at a consistent level. Any swings with this parameter over a short period of time usually spells trouble and can impact polyp extension. As for Part 2, keep a “slightly” dirty tank and have some levels of nitrates (2.5 – 5 ppm) and phosphates (.03-.05). You don’t want to starve your corals with non-detectable nutrients.
- Provide Strong Random Flow – To replicate what happens in nature, give SPS strong random flow using a good re-circulating pump like an EcoTech MP40. Proper circulation helps to deliver food and nutrients to corals. But don’t go overboard and blast SPS with constant, full-on direct flow.
- Be Mindful of Lighting Requirements – SPS corals with low light requirements placed under high light will not be happy campers. By the same token, corals that thrive under strong light will not do as well with when placed in spots with less light intensity.
- Keep an Eye Out for Pests – SPS will become stressed when Acro Eating Flatworms (AEFW) and Red Bugs are in the house. Red Bugs are easily eradicated but nuking AEFW is much more difficult.
Other Sources of Information
Additional Resources
If you would like some help with a new tank build, including help designing a custom aquarium, or help re-configuring your current setup then you can visit this page for more information. And if you are looking to add some equipment, I do sell GHL, Pax Bellum, Reef Octopus Calcium and Kalk Reactors and Royal Exclusiv products, including Dreamboxes, which is the equipment I use and recommend. I also sell Reef Brite metal halide and LED fixtures as well as Maxspect & IceCap Gyres.
As for additional insights and information, please explore my many other reef tank and SPS related articles as well as my YouTube channel. For an even deeper dive into reef tank care you can check out my Reef Keeping Master Class. This online course is an immersive and one of a kind educational tool designed to help reef aquarium hobbyists build and maintain a beautiful SPS reef tank. The course is a series of video presentations with some supplemental video from my YouTube channel. There are also quizzes to help students retain and understand the information presented in the course.
Need some frags…..I can help with that as well 🙂 Please visit my SPS Frag store to see what is available.
