Saltwater aquarium–building is a hobby everyone can enjoy, from beginners looking to create their first marine ecosystems to those who have been involved in the activity for decades. However, no matter how much or how little experience you have in this craft, choosing the right corals for your skill level can be difficult. After all, there are hundreds of different species to pick from, and each has their own environmental parameters. Use these tips for finding the right SPS corals for your experience level and ensuring your latest build is a success.
Assess Your Knowledge and Experience
The first step to finding the right corals for your current skill level is to develop a better understanding of your overall experience and knowledge. Think about the different SPS (small polyp stony) corals you’ve kept in the past and what that entailed. Did you struggle to help them thrive, or were you able to find the right environmental balance for them? Revisiting what you know about caring for certain SPS corals can help you identify potential blind spots in that knowledge. This can go a long way in developing your threshold for a challenge.
Identify Your Past Successes and Failures
It’s also important that you think about some of the success you’ve had in the past. Success in this hobby means keeping your corals healthy and facilitating their growth. Some of your organisms may have performed better than others, and this demonstrates the type of environment you’re able to sustain.
Make sure you also acknowledge some of your failures to pinpoint exactly where your builds tend to struggle. These experiences can help you determine which corals you should steer away from and which colonies you know you can handle.
Familiarize Yourself with a Range of SPS Corals
Another important part of finding the right SPS corals for your experience level is to learn more about the different specimens available to you. SPS corals come in a plethora of different formations, and they have a wide array of needs to meet. As such, they’re often more difficult for beginner hobbyists to keep and are therefore recommended for more experienced aquarium builders. Still, some SPS corals are more robust and can handle beginner setups. A few examples of these include chalice corals, montiporas, and boulder corals.
Pick Corals That Meet These Guidelines
Lastly, you’ll want to choose corals that best meet your current guidelines. Considering factors such as your experience and knowledge will allow you to find a challenge without taking on too much. Additional research into other types of SPS coral will also ensure that you find specimens that work with the environment you know you have.
If you’re looking for the perfect SPS corals for your new aquarium build, World Wide Corals is the best resource to have at your disposal. We have a plethora of different SPS coral colonies for sale and experienced staff waiting to answer all your questions. So turn to us for anything you might need as you prepare for your next project.
