Thinking I might go soft

So over the past month or so I've been debating the pros and cons of keeping a larger sps dominated tank vs. keeping a softie tank. I was wondering what your opinions on these two tank situations are. My pros for sps are and always will be the remarkable colors and growth patterns, the cons are the time it takes to get those colors, if everything isn't perfect 90% of the time it seems like I spend hours tweaking something to make the water just right. A few pros for a softie tank would be there ease of care this would alot way more time to spend with my family and alot less effort and concern for the "perfect" water, it would also make salt costs less due to changing water fewer times a month.  The cons are I would loose my sps and it's somewhat harder to control overgrowth. So if you'd like please share your thoughts I'd love to hear them. Jason

 

Hey J, I can understand the time thing but you are crazy if you think you can give SPS up cold turkey! /site/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/_default/emoticons/wink.gif If you insists on taking a different route, I would keep the hardy(nearly bulletproof) SPS and sell the others. This will still give you something to look at and not having to worry so much about maintaining the best water quality for your tank. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best.

 

I've always been kinda partial to the softies. I like the way they move. I just don't get into the fuzzy sticks that much! /site/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/_default/emoticons/wink.gif Like Sone said I'd keep some of the easier nice looking SPS and go for it! It's all about how easy everything is. I'm in the same boat. My next setup will be a LOT easier to maintain than the previous one was. No more carrying 5 gal. buckets for water changes. It will be a quick couple turns of a few ball valves and I'll be done. The easier it is the more likely I am to do it and the better it will be for the tank.

 

I switched from SPS on;ly back to a mixed tank. I got more oooo's and aaaahhh's from the mixed tank than I ever got from the sps tank... People like big flowy corals and luckily those are cheaper and easier to keep.

 

Luke.....Turn to the dark side!

 

and i vote softies as well.

i like softie dominated tanks but a few sps help keep the architecture? of the tank interesting...

obviously, you gotta do what makes sense for you no matter what we say. either way your tank is going to be awesome.

 

I think part of the alluring part of SPS is that there are so MANY different types and color morphs of SPS. With the exception of zoanthids, it seems like there isnt a huge variety of softies.

What about a softie LPS mix? There are some new Aussie acans and what not that are very nice. I ran a mixed tank for a while, was pretty low maintenence compared to an SPS tank. Just run carbon /site/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif

 

Why not go middle of the road and go LPS. It is just as colorful as sps.

 

thats funny

 

Bwaaaahahahahaaaaa!

 

Well, you know what my vote would be. LPS dominated with a few rics and caps. Most of the LPS I have are very hardy "I know this from all my mistakes and that they are still alive" Many LPS require the same care as most softies. Most LPS will not turn into 100 little hands pulsing on every rock or 100 little mushroom polyps. Most of all many LPS are just awesome to look at. Having a mixed tank with a few less aggressive softies, a few hard caps, and a bunch of hardy LPS is very easy to care for.

 

i vote softies also. your tank is fly though, i agree with those who said it'll look good pm no matter what.

 

Well, I guess I wasn't the only one who had that thought after reading the post title.