How to transition between a softie to LPS to SPS tank?

[whatcaneyedo]

Sort of off topic, but its a common misconception that softies don't produce skeletons. They do in fact create little rice grain looking bits of skeleton within their tissue called sclerites that help to give them structure. So a soft coral dominated system still requires calcium carbonate, how much is relative to the size and species of the colonies.

That being said I too tried to get rid of all of the aggressive/invasive softies like mushrooms, anthelia, kenya tree, green star polyps etc when I transitioned to SPS and LPS dominated. In most cases I sold off the rocks that were colonized and replaced them with new rocks. I am okay with zoanthids and certain leathery coral like Sarcophyton that don't drop clones every other day.

[Reefer Rob]

Aaarrrrg, ricordea, aggressive little beasties. The only way to get rid of them is to carve them off the rocks. Once they get under your Acropora it's almost impossible.

Also, every tank I start I say no encrusting Monties this time *sigh* If you haven't done it already try to avoid them. They slowly creep across the tank killing everything in their path.

[SanguinesDream]

Originally Posted by Reefer Rob

Also, every tank I start I say no encrusting Monties this time *sigh* If you haven't done it already try to avoid them. They slowly creep across the tank killing everything in their path.

But, but, but they're so puurrty! I hear ya, though. I have a green w/purple tipped monti bulldozing through one acro atm so much so that I broke my tank apart last weekend to isolate that rock.