SPS Addiction

watchguy123

Member
Featured Reef
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
2,017
Likes
42
Points
38
Location
West San Fernando Valley
#1
Well, ever since I was a kid, I have been fascinated by saltwater tanks. Loved visiting local fish stores, always has felt like a field trip did just like in elementary school. Each display tank showing such beautiful creatures whether fish or coral. Started out in my 20's with fresh water but forever eyeing saltwater. When my daughter turned 16 which is a long time ago, she begged and begged for a saltwater tank and I finally relented. Well, as one might expect, although located in my daughter's room, it became my responsibility to maintain. Been hooked on saltwater ever since. Tried growing coral in a 40 gallon without sufficient equipment or knowledge and you can guess how that went.

Never gave up and then a hand full of years ago, decided to dump my daughter's tank, switched from her 40 gallon to a 180 gallon bow front with a decent amount of equipment like a protein skimmer, CA reactor, sump, refugium, metal halide lighting, plus, plus plus. Had a crash about two years or so ago, I had tried biopellets and made a couple of mistakes, and made a couple of wrong corrections and made a couple of more mistakes and then made a couple of more wrong corrections and then you know how that went.

So, over the last couple of years, after letting the tank kind of fallow and settle in, I slowly started to repopulate it. I have purchase about a gazillion frags and way over crowded my real estate but if I had a 400 gallon, I am pretty sure I would have done the same thing. How can you ever stop collecting coral, there is always something that you have always wanted and finally found. The nice thing is you can always sell or give away a pretty colony, or carefully frag or do a host of things to keep it all looking wonderful. I have not quite achieved that look of coral everywhere without any visible rockscape but am slowly approaching that endpoint. I prefer pretty coral over rare or expensive. When you have been doing this a long time though, sometimes rare or expensive start to kind of look pretty. So as I share a few pictures with you, you will see how strict I have tried to be with that philosophy and can probably guess how that went as well.

I am new to photography and although I think my colors are true, or atleast as true as I can get them, it is difficult to get quality pictures in a fish tank lit by 20k metal halides. I hate the blue look of many photos because you really can't appreciate the real or correct colors of that coral. It has taken a lot of time and energy to get the pics I have and I will probably retake many of them to get hopefully a better photograph and more accurate colors. I am working on that.

I have posted many of these on another forum but was requested to share on this forum. Hope you like what I show.

This is from a LFS, it is Tat's Psammacora. I think it is really pretty and unusual even if it is all green.



Below is Vivid's tricolor prostrata. I am not sure if they have the mother any more. When this is bigger, I hope to return a frag to its home.



These next two came from Vivid as well. My picture unfortunately does not accurately represent how darn bright and fluorescent the first one is. The second is a wild colony (I almost never get maricultured corals, I have had so much better success with color retention and longevity with aquarium raised coral).

 

watchguy123

Member
Featured Reef
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
2,017
Likes
42
Points
38
Location
West San Fernando Valley
#2
So like I said, I almost never get mariculture coral. Here is another maricultured coral I got at Vivid's.


This is another Vivid's and I think it is really stunning. The mint green body is so cool, it probably should be called Wrigleys spearmint or something. It has no name that I know of but it is pretty. I do not know if they have more frags, yes it started as a small 1/2 to 1 inch frag. Almost everything in my tank started as a one inch frag because they are so much cheaper than large frags and they all grow.

 

watchguy123

Member
Featured Reef
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
2,017
Likes
42
Points
38
Location
West San Fernando Valley
#3
This is an absolutely stunning frag that came from Coral Collection. I believe it is called the Strawberry Kiwi prostrata and when I got it they said that Jason Fox had also gotten a frag which is pretty darn wild. I guess that means that like me, Jason has an eye for some pretty and unusual coral. If he needs any help in the future, I would certainly be willing to help him. I mean there is a cost,but heck, gotta pay for my expertise and uncanny ability to pick insane coral.LOL

this is a top down view so you can not really see the main branch which is an inch plus in length. This like many frags decided to spend its energy on encrusting first.
 

Atticus27

New member
Joined
Sep 20, 2012
Messages
96
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Rosemead
#4
That's an unfortunate story but glad to hear it eventually overcame the hump and began to thrive. I'm in my 20's and am in the process of setting up my first reef. Those SPS look amazing! My favorite one is the Tat!
 

watchguy123

Member
Featured Reef
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
2,017
Likes
42
Points
38
Location
West San Fernando Valley
#5
I should let everyone know, I do not have a macro lens so some of my shots are just darn lousy. Nonetheless it is my best effort and yes, sometimes my best may stink. The following frag came from Reef Raft, USA. I also got it as a small frag in fact to save repeating myself. Every coral (well almost every coral), started as a small frag in my tank. I like to see them grow and best of all when you glue down a bunch of small frags, it seems like there is more than enough real estate. Its when they all start to expand, that you realize how much more space you needed to allow. Oh, well.

I got this because it was a very bright green and the tips were showing a hint of blue. Tony thought the blue might come in dramatically. Well, so far it really has not but it is a young colony and still holds promise. Even if it did not improve, it is awesome.
 

watchguy123

Member
Featured Reef
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
2,017
Likes
42
Points
38
Location
West San Fernando Valley
#7
So in the above photo (last reply), you can see the coolest, brightest, most fluorescent pink millie in the world ( I might be understating that). Below that is the coolest baby blue echinata. In the far right corner is a strawberrry shortcake and in the top right hand corner is a superman digitata (yes, blue body with orange/red polyps) I will find pictures and include them.







And yes, my bias may have led this to be a little bluer than it should be, but whatever, it is really blue body and awesome
 

watchguy123

Member
Featured Reef
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
2,017
Likes
42
Points
38
Location
West San Fernando Valley
#9
That's an unfortunate story but glad to hear it eventually overcame the hump and began to thrive. I'm in my 20's and am in the process of setting up my first reef. Those SPS look amazing! My favorite one is the Tat!
well, hold tight, I got a couple more to share yet. And yes, this hobby, for all its frustrations, is truly rewarding.

Tending one's garden and watching it grow, is full of virtue.
 

watchguy123

Member
Featured Reef
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
2,017
Likes
42
Points
38
Location
West San Fernando Valley
#12
And you can see in the first pic above, on the left is my red dragon that I purchase a while ago from a Southern Cal reefer on this sales forum. So here are a few pictures of my CITR red dragon


and another, In this one you can also see a tyree ice and fire or is it ice and water echinata. I got the ice and fire (or whatever it is called) from Carson's Tropical Fish in Hawaiian Gardens but I do not think they have the mother any more.
 

watchguy123

Member
Featured Reef
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
2,017
Likes
42
Points
38
Location
West San Fernando Valley
#13
Beautiful tank. How about a fts?
You know an FTS requires probably a third or fourth date atleast and then only if you are special. So no FTS yet.

But here is a cool piece, with lots of potential (and maybe thats all) from Vivid's. I am hoping it shows more color than just the green. But the green is a very pretty and kind of unusual color anyway, so I guess if it never got better, I would still like it (is that to many commas in one sentence, thats why I switched to the parentheses )



Close up:

And hope you notice in the first picture the Tyree true undata, it is starting to look good even though way down low in the tank.
 

Atticus27

New member
Joined
Sep 20, 2012
Messages
96
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Rosemead
#14
These corals seem very happy in your reef! I've heard SPS's are for experienced reefers, is that true? I'd love to start with some 'beginners' SPS, what would you suggest to be a good beginners sps? thanks!
 

watchguy123

Member
Featured Reef
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
2,017
Likes
42
Points
38
Location
West San Fernando Valley
#15
So before I include more photos, I should share a little story about the next frag. I shop at lots of LFS, but Vivids is the closest to my house. So Dave, the owner and friend (because I spend so much at his store, although we would likely be friends any way--oh and a disclaimer, I have no financial interest with any LFS or anyone but with myself, just sharing info for what it is worth). I never completed the above sentence, but to further clarify Dave and I only hang out in his store when I buy something, so I guess we really are not friends but I am a repeat customer). So Dave the owner and friend, suggested I buy this white coral. I thought it was dead and told him so, but he thought it would have potential. So I am not sure why, but I bought this dead looking coral for like $60 ( do not tell my wife, promise) and it has blossomed into something that I have never seen anywhere else. I do not think he has anymore frags, I think it was one of those that they chop but I am not sure. Anyway, check this out, it is incredible.



another shot of it, both not very good---sorry.

 
Joined
Jul 23, 2007
Messages
2,350
Likes
17
Points
38
Location
INLAND EMPIRE
#16
danggg
"only if you are special"
ur tank must be amazing...lol i like your confidence
healthy sps is pretty rare in socali..:a42:

You know an FTS requires probably a third or fourth date atleast and then only if you are special. So no FTS yet.

But here is a cool piece, with lots of potential (and maybe thats all) from Vivid's. I am hoping it shows more color than just the green. But the green is a very pretty and kind of unusual color anyway, so I guess if it never got better, I would still like it (is that to many commas in one sentence, thats why I switched to the parentheses )



Close up:

And hope you notice in the first picture the Tyree true undata, it is starting to look good even though way down low in the tank.
 

watchguy123

Member
Featured Reef
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
2,017
Likes
42
Points
38
Location
West San Fernando Valley
#17
These corals seem very happy in your reef! I've heard SPS's are for experienced reefers, is that true? I'd love to start with some 'beginners' SPS, what would you suggest to be a good beginners sps? thanks!
You know there is no really easy answer to that. The starting point to acquiring corals, starts with a stable tank. You need to understand, salinity, alkalinity, pH, magnesium, calcium, lighting, filtration, nitrates, phosphates and more. There are a lot of parameters to understand and evaluate on a regular and frequent basis. It is not hard, but it takes some time to keep your tank parameters stable and its inhabitants happy. I think slow and easy is the best advice. Fish only till you get the saltwater routine down. Some people think LPS are easier than SPS. I think SPS from aquariums that have hopefully been transferred from tank to tank over generations, usually demonstrate pretty good survivability. You know this stuff gets expensive and they are all living creatures so it is sad when anything dies. And it is great when your spa are happy, polyps extended and growing.
 

cymaster007

Ex-Socal Resident (IEMAS)
Supporter
Joined
Sep 28, 2009
Messages
3,127
Likes
79
Points
48
Location
Spokane, WA
My Tank Build
#18
Awesommmeee I really like that kiwi strawberry piece!! Have you checked out spscoral store or garretts acropolis?

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2
 

watchguy123

Member
Featured Reef
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
2,017
Likes
42
Points
38
Location
West San Fernando Valley
#19
the next coral is amazing and I am somewhat hesitant to show this picture, because it is so much cooler in person. I can't quite get the red polyps, blue tips and kind of yellow body to pop like it does in the tank. I will keep taking photos and see if I can come up with a more accurate representation. But for a lousy shot, this coral is awesome. It is the last for the nite but I got a boat load more to share and I will keep posting in the days to follow.


 

watchguy123

Member
Featured Reef
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
2,017
Likes
42
Points
38
Location
West San Fernando Valley
#20
Awesommmeee I really like that kiwi strawberry piece!! Have you checked out spscoral store or garretts acropolis?

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2
Garretts acropolis is amazing. And I have purchased many frags from him but none recently just because he is far from me. His stuff is absolutely extraordinary and the way he grows stuff. It is a field trip worth taking and he is a really cool guy.

I have purchase from SPS store at Reefapalooza but I am unaware if they ever opened up a retail outfit. They always have beautiful frags and the most extraordinary colors.
 

Latest posts

Top