SPS and softies together?

[pathos]

you can keep both, but at opposite ends of the tank and with the MH over the SPS and not the LPS and softies. here's a pic of my 65 gallon with a little bit of everything:

HTH, pathos

 

[esmithiii]

I have both, some quite close together. I have good growth rates on the SPS and LPS, slower with some of the softies. Many of my softies are high in the tank under 3x400W MH + 4x 96W PC Actinics.

Ernie

 

[MiNdErAsR]

Certain soft corals (especially Discosoma and Actinodiscus) pack quite a punch (toxicity) and can easily overwhelm many (if not most) stony coral either through chemical warfare or direct physical contact. As an example, several leather coral (Sinularia spp. and Sarcophyton spp.) are believed to release chemical compounds (growth inhibitors?), which can affect surrounding coral (in particular certain Acropora spp. and Porites spp.) negatively. Quoting from Aquarium Corals by Eric Borneman under the topic Husbandry Considerations (page 112), "The obvious zonations that occur in the wild should be carefully considered, and it is in the coral keeper's interest to have soft corals and hard corals minimally intermixed, if at all." If one takes the proper precautions it can be done, but I don't recommend it.

 

[Mouse]

The main thing you have to contend with will be the defensive reactions of both coral types.

The SPS and LPS will more than likeley deploy sweeper tentacles which are very long and potent stingers.

The softys on the other hand will release various toxins with varying effects.

Carbon is a good way of removeing these toxins from the water, which also means that the different types wont detect each other.

IMO excellent animal husbandry and a good knowlege of the defensive qualities of all inhabitants are a must. Go for it, but arm yourself heavily with knowlege and expirience before you make any purchases, and dont relu on the information passed on by your LFS, because more often than not it will only result in the sale of an unsuitable addition.

 

[kcinminni]

Is it possible to keep SPS corals and softies in the same tank? I know the lighting and current requirements vary, but if they are positioned accordingly, will they be okay? Or is there some rule about keeping one or the other?