Reef Sanctuary
Become a Sponsor  

Welcome to the Reef Sanctuary forums.

We're a beginner-friendly Reef Aquarium community featuring saltwater fish tank discussion, reef aquarium supply reviews, free photo gallery and more!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to many of our features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today! Want to check the place out first? Take a look at our Beginner's Guide for a quick tour of all the features we have to offer the marine aquarium hobbyist. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact support.

Go Back   Reef Sanctuary > Main Forums > Indepth Topics of Disscussion
User Name
Password
Home Forums Photo Gallery Chat Product Reviews Live Coral Frags Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Indepth Topics of Disscussion current and passed topic of the month and coral and fish specific topics.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 10-19-2006, 04:40 PM   #1 (permalink)
Charlie97L
Reef Lobster
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: North Bethesda, MD
Posts: 1,288
Topic of the Week - October 10/22 - Mixed Coral Reef Tank

I've been looking at a lot of tanks to get ideas for my new 90 setup... I've seen gorgeous softie tanks, amazing SPS reefs, and SPS/LPS, and LPS/softies.

I've researched the "chemical warfare" phenomenon, between softies and SPS, but the question occurs to me, is it possible to have a truly thriving mixed coral reef (softies, LPS, SPS), and not experience growth inhibition from the chemical defenses, or "pouty" behavior from your colonies?

If you're in either court, please share your thoughts, methods and experiences! I'm toying with the idea of attempting just this on my 90. I would love to hear from people who have had success. If I implement this, I plan to run carbon all the time in a fluidized reactor, changing every week, wet skimming, and a lot of flow, as my primary counter to the chemicals and toxins.

And when I say mixed, I mean as close to a 3rd of each coral family as I can get as far as stocking. We've all seen the SPS tank with the token Sarcophyton, or the softie reef with the ORA Blue Tort all alone. I'm not talking about those tanks. Truly mixed. GO!

pssst, mods, we need a new topic of the week! maybe this would work for ya.
__________________
40 Breeder, 20H Frag
Aquactinics T5s, CPR Fuge, Deltec AP600, AC Jr, WavySea
Charlie97L is offline   Reply With Quote
ReefSanctuary Sponsor
Old 10-19-2006, 04:47 PM   #2 (permalink)
sasquatch
Brunt of all Jokes~
 
sasquatch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: the very farthest west coast of canada
Posts: 8,508

My ReefSpace
Add yours!
Re: Can one have a truly *mixed* coral reef tank?

Charlie, sounds like quite a plan, will you be building habitat areas or sheltered zones?? Steve
__________________
DIY stuff for my tank
stand, 100g tank,rock lift, overflow, foam walls, closed loop,lighting reflectors, 50gal sump, bubbletrap and sock holder, ato bracket,kalk bucket and reservoir, 40gal fuge, fuge lighting, remotish dsb raceway, turf algae raceway, dual pumped recirc skimmer, more to follow.

Barb ripped my sig
sasquatch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2006, 04:55 PM   #3 (permalink)
Charlie97L
Reef Lobster
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: North Bethesda, MD
Posts: 1,288
Re: Can one have a truly *mixed* coral reef tank?

I'm just starting to think about it... the only definite "plan" I have as of this moment is to have a few upper level sand beds for LPS and clams, to give me more real estate. A bowl of rock, so to speak, with sand in it.

Sheltered areas are a great idea though, and I'm definitely taking it into consideration... however, it would almost be "cheating" in my mind.

I definitely have these 3 concepts in my head. Softie movement, I love the swaying... SPS have the best colors, I think and LPS have the most interesting character... with the sweeper tentacles, and some being mobile, I find them fascinating, and the most proactive of the coral families.
__________________
40 Breeder, 20H Frag
Aquactinics T5s, CPR Fuge, Deltec AP600, AC Jr, WavySea
Charlie97L is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2006, 04:59 PM   #4 (permalink)
BoomerD
Reef Shark
 
BoomerD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Northern California
Posts: 5,234
Re: Can one have a truly *mixed* coral reef tank?

I think it's quite possible, as long as you plan for each species. You'll probably have to run a lot of carbon, and aggressively to help remove the alleopathic chemicals, but otherwise, why not? Just give everything room to grow, and plan so that the LPS sweeper tentacles can't get to other corals...
__________________
Intelligence is not knowing all the answers,
but knowing where and how to find them!

www.google.com



http://www.whodah.com/albums/Avatars-and-Graphics/afb.jpg
BoomerD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2006, 04:59 PM   #5 (permalink)
billyr98
Reefing Addict
 
billyr98's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ
Posts: 5,399

My ReefSpace
Add yours!
Re: Can one have a truly *mixed* coral reef tank?

sorry charlie.. been real busy with work.. sorry no topic of the week..
But I will make this topic of the week - Thanks!
__________________
Billyr98

-=NJRC Treasurer=-

My 450g Reef Tank ~~~ Its HERE!!!
billyr98 is offline   Reply With Quote
ReefSanctuary Sponsor
Old 10-19-2006, 05:14 PM   #6 (permalink)
boozeman
The CodFather ~
 
boozeman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: new york
Posts: 8,800

My ReefSpace
Add yours!
Re: Topic of the Week - October 10/22 - Mixed Coral Reef Tank

How about having two separate tanks..one soft and the other hard, and connected via a common sump?
__________________
Knowledge speaks, but Wisdom listens ~ Jimi Hendrix
_____________________________________________
210gal. Elos crystal 160XL, 125gal. sump, 85gal. frag tank, Bubble King 300 skimmer, Deltec FR509, FR616 and Km500 reactors, MTC procal, 2X Red Dragon returns, 2X Vortech, 2XTunze, Elos BiotopusII sms controller.

Sooner or later the crazy just comes out
Quote:
Originally Posted by sasquatch View Post
why does it sound so naughty when Boozie says it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by vdituri View Post
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed by Boozeman are not necessarily those expressed by ReefSanctuary or it's affiliates....The rest of us MAY be innocent.
boozeman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2006, 05:28 PM   #7 (permalink)
Charlie97L
Reef Lobster
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: North Bethesda, MD
Posts: 1,288
Re: Topic of the Week - October 10/22 - Mixed Coral Reef Tank

Well, that would definitely make it simple, and I know someone who has a setup like that... but really, with all that distance, I doubt that there would be much interaction chemically.
__________________
40 Breeder, 20H Frag
Aquactinics T5s, CPR Fuge, Deltec AP600, AC Jr, WavySea
Charlie97L is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2006, 06:54 PM   #8 (permalink)
R.yumaDaddy?
Torch coral
 
R.yumaDaddy?'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Easton, PA
Posts: 513
Re: Topic of the Week - October 10/22 - Mixed Coral Reef Tank

I dont buy into the chemical warefare thing. At least to the point where it significantly affects livestock. The true battle lies in combining the right amount of light and flow for a full range of reef inverts. For example, have you ever tried keeping mushrooms next to sps? Its an uphill battle of to much light and flow for the shrooms vs to little light and flow for the sps.
__________________
The early bird gets the worm, but what about the early worm?
R.yumaDaddy? is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2006, 06:59 PM   #9 (permalink)
Charlie97L
Reef Lobster
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: North Bethesda, MD
Posts: 1,288
Re: Topic of the Week - October 10/22 - Mixed Coral Reef Tank

well... i think it depends on the situation, you do make a good point about light/flow.

when i first put SPS in my tank, my leathers didn't open for about 5 weeks.

i don't think it kills anything, they just don't grow as fast.

but yeah, you may be on to something there with the requirements.
__________________
40 Breeder, 20H Frag
Aquactinics T5s, CPR Fuge, Deltec AP600, AC Jr, WavySea
Charlie97L is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2006, 08:54 PM   #10 (permalink)
BoomerD
Reef Shark
 
BoomerD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Northern California
Posts: 5,234
Re: Topic of the Week - October 10/22 - Mixed Coral Reef Tank

I dunno. When the xenia in my tank started taking over an area, all I had to do, was move my cabbage coral to that area, and the xenia started dying off...QUICKLY! I did this several times, so it can't just be coincidence. While it didn't affect a large area, ALL xenia within about a foot of the cabbage would die within a couple of days.
__________________
Intelligence is not knowing all the answers,
but knowing where and how to find them!

www.google.com



http://www.whodah.com/albums/Avatars-and-Graphics/afb.jpg
BoomerD is offline   Reply With Quote
ReefSanctuary Sponsor
Old 10-20-2006, 12:07 AM   #11 (permalink)
mps9506
They misunderestimated me
 
mps9506's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Charlotte and Wilmington, NC
Posts: 6,862
Re: Topic of the Week - October 10/22 - Mixed Coral Reef Tank

Quote:
Originally Posted by BoomerD
I dunno. When the xenia in my tank started taking over an area, all I had to do, was move my cabbage coral to that area, and the xenia started dying off...QUICKLY! I did this several times, so it can't just be coincidence. While it didn't affect a large area, ALL xenia within about a foot of the cabbage would die within a couple of days.
hmmm.... how would this affect, let's say anemones... aiptasia???
mps9506 is offline   Reply With Quote
ReefSanctuary Sponsor
Reply

  Reef Sanctuary > Main Forums > Indepth Topics of Disscussion



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:15 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.0.0 RC8
©2003-2007 Centropyge Productions LLC
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=


Page generated in 0.17434 seconds with 11 queries

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141