[Dr. Clyde]

Hey guys, I am looking to made a fairley large SPS frag order & would like some recommendations from sites you have used & trust. I saw a place that sells 20 frags for $180.00. I'm thinking of ordering around $300 worth but I would rather have healhy colorful frags than quantity. Also, I noticed some sell 1/2" frags & some say they will be between 1" and 2". So bigger is better.

[jimw369]

I have made the same mistake twice. When I started my tank the goal was to fill it up with stuff and thats what I got "stuff". It was more important to me to have quanity than quality. When I started getting more interested in SPS I did the same thing. I want just SPS and I got just "SPS". Now that I am looking to change tanks my interest has completely changes to specific SPS. Not only the species but specifically the colony they come from. Yes, you get what you pay for.

If you already have experience and are set up for SPS Id skip the "boxful" and really get specific about what I wanted. If not set up properly and little experience Id get the boxful and use them to gain experience neded to move forward in the hobby.

Good luck and let me know how it goes. Chances are you are going to have some questions with 25-30 SPS in your tank. Especially as they grow...or die. Just part of learning. No harm intended.

Be prepared for an increase for Ca and tank params need to be balanced and steady. Decent light, flow and coral placement you should be good. MUCH more so than softies.

[Dr. Clyde]

I think my system can tolerate it. I'm running 3 X 250 watt MH, & I have a Ca reactor. I only have 2 SPS & 2 LPS in it right now, just wanted to get more color going. I figure even as much as 20 frags would be spaced out good in the tank, it's 135 gallon & I recentley moved 50 lbs of the Liverock to the fuge so I could have large open areas on either end for the few fish that are in there.

[jimw369]

Sounds like you got what you need. Remember...not all SPS are created equal.

Start em off low to mid tank. It takes time for them to color up. Sometimes up to a few months. If you could put them on a frag rack in your tank at mid level and wait a while and see what ones are going to color up and do well that would be fantastic. Then place them.

Some Acros are tougher than others. Most other SPS seems pretty easy. IMO Good luck and take some pics of the frags when you put them into your tank. Its neat to look back in 4-5 months and see the changes. Some dont even look like the same coral you started with.

[Dr. Clyde]

My fuge is a 55 gallon with about 400 watts of compacts & 1 48" actinic, I bought some egg crate to make a rack for it, maybe I can acclimate new coral arrivals there.

[jimw369]

IMO I would acclimate the corals in the DT and not under the PCs. Its a different type of light than the MH in your DT. I think the frag racks in the sump are a great idea but acclimating corals that are probably coming from MH to PC lighting and then back to MH you are going to place extra stress on the corals and the risk of losing something will be greater. Also corals under pcs will color up differently than when under MH. The colors we seek in SPS are NOT there natural colors. We are actually sunburning them and getting a reaction we want in our tanks.

[Dr. Clyde]

Interesting. I didn't know that. I know you have to decide if you want growth or color when getting bulbs.

[WILLIAM1]

Check out Vivid Aquariums - Buy Online - Fish Store in Los Angeles - Buy Saltwater Fish, Live Corals, Live Rock, Drygoods and Aquarium Supplies they have alot of great frags even a section for $40 or less I think.

Heres the link to the actual page. I have ordered alot of stuff from here and know other people that shop here as well. They have a great garrantee.

Vivid Aquariums - Buy Online - Fish Store in Los Angeles - Buy Coral And Invertebrates - LPS and SPS Under 40

[WILLIAM1]

True bulb Kelvin makes a difference when adding coral. I run T5's so I just adjust the type of bulbs I have. I have seen alot of plain coral turn into great colorful pieces over time.

[Dr. Clyde]

William, interesting you posted that link. I live in anchorage Alaska but a couple months ago my wife & I were in Palm Springs, Ca for business. I googled local reef shops & found Vivids website, so I printed a map & went to the store. That has to be the most beautiful FS I have ever seen. The way he has everything laid out with the new downview frag tank style. If anyone is close enough to thier store I would highly recommend paying them a visit. Anyway, I talked to the owner while I was there & even though they don't usually ship to Alaska he said I could be his Guinee Pig if we wanted to try it out. Might have to do that.

[jimw369]

I bought a monti cap and 4 zoa frags from them prob a year ago now. All are doing great.

[WILLIAM1]

Ya I love the place. Great customer service.