got ethical husbandry?

BirdsNest and other SPS talk

Schmitty

Supporting Member
So I have a birdsnest and a fire digitata which both seem to be healthy, Im wondering about adding another birdsnest and putting it next to the current one and watching them intertwine so different colors. Good or bad idea? The other question I have is what would be another good beginner SPS coral that I can add to tank and not worry about putting it next to others. Running out of room with my recent anemone split(probably need to get rid of one of them)
 
Keep in mind that even though they're easy to keep sps, you'll eventually run into issues with them as they begin to grow into each other. Green slimers are great beginner sps but once it touches another sps, it'll most likely overgrow them. They do look amazing once they get larger. Here's a tank at one of the LFS in SoCal that was dominated by just two sps, green slimer and Oregon tort.

0PuND4rL89Ns05sboE9is6F7LsKADh18SMfQTRzvHHzMmahGYWbANcesaVtOPwxVLBcK7Kgs9I-VUjyvnjIygTHbPrj03h4Xb7SSbKtn5xdX7nkUBPjZ1snmKMQNsGM8juDBFj5fSd2Wm_lTztZm0ADBtZRoHRvW46GoTrNT-_-bt3f17x9RZ4fmDgnwXeL6PhNIkh7W0j6hOqOwrASst66sfjAfB-wid-AOeFSx3Rs7tKUyOLnFuXr0ZZqD2t-KUCMc1MoLCYmulVy0hjlbRKd3BQJ8rXPOC_n-VZ8j6Qo-cPbKF1ob9M7PCj8yvVIzGHnhQu-zY6P4JQ5OUzBUIYDY1rpbdyFp5hFD6LPmnLPCylqTtbp5ig-BJ7tjYUoN-5VWXPhJYUyl-TdX4NaR-zqaeaPUOqfJuQ0lrxp0bPpuUNVJPczPZYUPAdCn9_drMCGCDhi50H9LC5SDlzJfu0vfZARcJCMdBbzp0jGfnqoBBhg42Zl4bOUS7edpLdTaTjn5plc8VIT613oNkHQ1FU8vq7gQT2LKiZ9YVZnsdmASYFc9N11xLSJ_N4vPgQhJjkaKQ9HkGpefvuMt_PtuxJP-Bg2DZVhjjjq6Usk=w1799-h1349-no
 
Well I have a good space in the back left of my tank that could be designated for it if it wants to grow like that... I gotta get rid of one of my anemone too, they are taking up my entire tank and I want other stuff to grow and not get stung
 
It's pretty easy to "prune" birdsnest and slimer to keep them at a manageable size somewhat, but yeah space between is good for several reasons, Flow and light included.
 
they grow fast once they settle in. when my 180 was mostly sps before it crashed. they grew inm between eachother no issues, but probably because they wer eall birdsnests .they were like this
 

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Ok cool, what is the average par they like? Only thing Im worried about is if my lights are bright enough, been having a hard time getting them bright enough for the sps and not too bright for the zoas...
 
not sure about specific par, but they liked about lower-middle in my tank under kessils for me. if you put them too high they will bleach. you should be ok.
 
not sure about specific par, but they liked about lower-middle in my tank under kessils for me. if you put them too high they will bleach. you should be ok.

What do you have your Kessil set to? Im at 60%intensity 30%color but seems like maybe I should be increasing...
 
I have the kessil controller. mine ramp up and down, on full intensity for about 5 hours. I have zoas from the bottom of the tank to the top and they do great

zoas are often found in tide pools in the wild
 
Wow, full intensity?!!? What do you have your actinic on? I have mine ramp up and down an hour each way and then go for 7 hours
 
Green slimer, purple or orange digitata, purple stylophora , all are relatively easy to grow. Ora tricolor valida is good as well. There are few tenius that are fairly hardy
 
Parameters are good. They don't really die, I just kinda see a white skeleton and the holes where the polyps are and see no growth and very little colors. My bubble gum has no yellow tips and the others look like they are just barely holding on. I have one digitata in the top of the tank and one at the bottom and lighting doesnt appear to be and issue. My other montis ( I have maybe 4 varieties) except the green spongode are all growing good. Judging by the amount of aiptasia that I have had, I dont believe that I have any nudibranchs. Although when the lights go out, all kinds of odd creatures come out to feed.
Salinity - 1.025
Alk - 9
Calcium - 480
Phosphate -0
Nitrates - 0
PH - 8.25/8.5
Cheers! Mark
 
Let’s start figuring out :) . I can give you a orange digitata , I have enough to run three rounds on your tank. What’s your tank parameters ?
Thanks @Ranjib Dey I appreciate the offer! I do have digitata in my tank already. That said, if you would like any corals, let me know. We have a lot of corals and would be happy to cut you some frags.
Cheers! Mark
 
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