Do I have to Choose?

L8ndeb · 08/25/2010, 12:08 PM

Hi all,
I'm getting back into the hobby, and having trouble deciding if I want a soft or hard coral tank. I ran a softy tank successfully for over ten years, and liked the look. But I look at the pics of hard tanks posted here, and really like the looks of those as well. My question is, do I have to chose? How many of you out there have combined tanks? If you do, anything you need to do different that you wouldn't do on a segregated tank? TIA

corbett_n · 08/25/2010, 12:11 PM

I would watch leather corals and sps, my leathers killed some sps at least I think they did. I should have been running carbon. I would go with a softy tank, it is so much easier and less electricity which is better for the environment.

MCCOOL · 08/25/2010, 12:13 PM

IME softies and LPS do fine together, but if you're after SPS, it gets a little more challenging. the LPS/softies get irritated by the amount of flow the SPS need.

DustinB · 08/25/2010, 12:14 PM

You can have a mixed tank if you want. For an SPS tank you want an ultra low nutrient system which most softies don't like. You just have to feed the tank more with something like rod's food. From there you just have your standard alk/cal requirements and whatever softies might need.

phuzzykins · 08/25/2010, 12:16 PM

You need to provide different zones in your tank that are appropriate for the different corals you want to keep. You can keep low light/flow softies and high light/flow SPS in the same tank, but not under the same light and flow conditions.

Running carbon and gfo would be a good idea; carbon does adsorb and gfo may adsorb some of the allelopathic toxins that softies and LPS use as chemical warfare.

ingtar_shinowa · 08/25/2010, 01:19 PM

run carbon and avoid leathers, gsp, xenia, and other weed corals. I like higher end palys/zoas with my sps

mak3mydae · 08/25/2010, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corbett_n

I would go with a softy tank, it is so much easier and less electricity which is better for the environment.

I guess in a more general sense, yes. But there is equipment out there that is more energy efficient yet still able to accomodate softys, LPS, and SPS. As with most energy efficient things, they have a high start up cost, but pay for themselves over time. Vortec's and DIY LED's are energy efficient and are able to keep both softys and SPS.

evolutionracr · 08/25/2010, 02:09 PM

I have kept sps, higher end zoas and lps together with no problem. I occasionally run carbon and always gfo. When I tried to keep the sps and softies together thats when I had a problem.

08/25/2010, 12:08 PM	#1
L8ndeb Registered Reef Keeper Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 1,443	Do I have to Choose? Hi all, I'm getting back into the hobby, and having trouble deciding if I want a soft or hard coral tank. I ran a softy tank successfully for over ten years, and liked the look. But I look at the pics of hard tanks posted here, and really like the looks of those as well. My question is, do I have to chose? How many of you out there have combined tanks? If you do, anything you need to do different that you wouldn't do on a segregated tank? TIA __________________ Leyton at Reno Current Tank Info: Custom 200 gal reef cube with a 20 gal sump, 2 AI SOL LED Fixtures, Super Reef Octopus skimmer, custom made calcium reactor, Apex Lite controller with various modules.

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08/25/2010, 12:11 PM	#2
corbett_n Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: SC Posts: 1,271	I would watch leather corals and sps, my leathers killed some sps at least I think they did. I should have been running carbon. I would go with a softy tank, it is so much easier and less electricity which is better for the environment.

08/25/2010, 12:13 PM	#3
MCCOOL Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 1,135	IME softies and LPS do fine together, but if you're after SPS, it gets a little more challenging. the LPS/softies get irritated by the amount of flow the SPS need.

08/25/2010, 12:14 PM	#4
DustinB Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 1,532	You can have a mixed tank if you want. For an SPS tank you want an ultra low nutrient system which most softies don't like. You just have to feed the tank more with something like rod's food. From there you just have your standard alk/cal requirements and whatever softies might need.

08/25/2010, 12:16 PM	#5
phuzzykins Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Waltham, MA Posts: 685	You need to provide different zones in your tank that are appropriate for the different corals you want to keep. You can keep low light/flow softies and high light/flow SPS in the same tank, but not under the same light and flow conditions. Running carbon and gfo would be a good idea; carbon does adsorb and gfo may adsorb some of the allelopathic toxins that softies and LPS use as chemical warfare.

08/25/2010, 01:19 PM	#6
ingtar_shinowa Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Billings MT Posts: 1,610	run carbon and avoid leathers, gsp, xenia, and other weed corals. I like higher end palys/zoas with my sps

08/25/2010, 02:09 PM	#8
evolutionracr Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 39	I have kept sps, higher end zoas and lps together with no problem. I occasionally run carbon and always gfo. When I tried to keep the sps and softies together thats when I had a problem.