# Seriatopora Guttatus



## Ningal

I've got a chance to get a seriatopora guttatus (also maybe a montipora undata) coral for an amazing price and I was wondering if anyone knew any specific care instructions for it? I've read a good deal about SPS care in general and my nitrates are very low (usually at or under 1 ppm on salifert kits, undetectable on API) calcium 460, dkh 10.

I have high quality LEDs that generate an equivalent of a 250 watt halide. PAR is. At 10 inches, it gets 805 PAR, and my water is about 18 inches deep, so....

About Our Lights | Apollo Reef LED Here's the link to them.


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## Ningal

Also, related, undatas are encrusting not plating, right? As in, I need to devote a full rock to it if I understand correctly.


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## whitetiger61

Ningal said:


> I've got a chance to get a seriatopora guttatus (also maybe a montipora undata) coral for an amazing price and I was wondering if anyone knew any specific care instructions for it? I've read a good deal about SPS care in general and my nitrates are very low (usually at or under 1 ppm on salifert kits, undetectable on API) calcium 460, dkh 10.
> 
> I have high quality LEDs that generate an equivalent of a 250 watt halide. PAR is. At 10 inches, it gets 805 PAR, and my water is about 18 inches deep, so....
> 
> About Our Lights | Apollo Reef LED Here's the link to them.


we have had the discussion on this coral in chat..but in all the talking i have'nt found out your tank size and and how long you have been in the saltwater hobby. 

as for your next question that i cant figure out how to quote..it is encrusting.

Rick


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## Ningal

30 gallons, thought I mentioned, lol. And I've had the tank running for three and a half months, though been researching long before that. But I had a stable discus tank for about three years before that.

Also, forgot to mention my powerheads generate a cumulative flow of 1520 gph


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## whitetiger61

I was in this hobby 20+years before i even tried to have a saltwater tank.I was in saltwater for 4 years before i tried any form of SPS..they are very demanding and as i said require very clean water.I am not try to discourage you just fore warning you of things that can and will happen.

I had a very wise and smart man told me this once and its always stuck in my mind.

"Only Bad Things Happen Really Fast In A Reef Tank"

And when they happen to go bad...they go bad very fast..trust me on this one..I have had a tank wiped completely out fish/corals.everything in a matter of 14 hours..

IMO 30 gallons isnt big enough for SPS..not enough volume of water..and alot of room for the quality to go bad

This is just my opinion and take it for what its worth to you

Rick


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## Ningal

I understand and appreciate your warning. No offence taken. I've heard that saying myself. And I do appreciate how fast things can go wrong, hence I have a quarantine/hospital tank up at all times in case of such an emergency and I monitor my parameters religiously.

I'd just like some species information here so I can make an informed decision. There's just so little information I've been able to find on this species in particular.


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## Reefing Madness

Feature Article: Super Corals - Montipora undata — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

The Green Birds Nest is not a particulaly hard SPS to keep, so you may get away with it in a newer tank.


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## Ningal

The main thing to worry about apart from flow and light for SPS is nitrates, right? And if I keep my nitrates under 10, it'd be alright, is that right?


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## Reefing Madness

Among a few other things, but basically that will help, yea. And I will have to agree with Tiger, sometimes its best to wait, but if your set on it, its my job to make sure you have everything needed to give it the best shot possible.


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## Ningal

Yeah I'm getting them, but they're both captive bred. In any case I certainly don't mind monitoring the tank heavily. I'm testing many times a week for dkh and calcium for the clam already, you tell me what else to test for, I'll test it.


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## Reefing Madness

Ningal said:


> Yeah I'm getting them, but they're both captive bred. In any case I certainly don't mind monitoring the tank heavily. I'm testing many times a week for dkh and calcium for the clam already, you tell me what else to test for, I'll test it.


Magnesium looks to be the only one left to test for.


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## Ningal

I'm ordering a mag kit and kent doser now

Might as well have that since it keeps the calcium more stable and the clam is gonna be eating that.

What about iodine/iodide and strontium? There's a fairly affordable seachem iodine test kit I could look into....though strontium kits are not at all cheap.


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## Reefing Madness

Don't know of many that use those. Your system would be full of SPS at that point to need those tests.


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## Ningal

Aight. Thanks again for the link. It's more than helpful! Also, I HOPE to be switching from Distilled to RO/DI water (need to buy a freshwater test kit for hardness to make sure the dern thing worked) which I believe is even more pure and also should allow me to boost the weekly water change to by adding 5 to 10%


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## Euruproctos

I've been having problems with my powerhead not sticking to the wall and blowing everything around in the tank and last night the seriatopora got blown right next to the brain coral and got some stingers on a branch:










I'm thinking of epoxying it down cause for some reason it's the one that keeps getting blown around instead of the undata, but the nem hasn't healed yet and is still hiding under a rock the has no light, so I dunno


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## Reefing Madness

Not a bad idea to epoxy the plug into place. What kind of power head you using the it comes loose? Not magnetic I take it. The Nem will roam when he's ready. Unless he's on a rock yiu can just turn over.


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## Euruproctos

Amazon.com: Marineland Ml90512 Maxi-Jet 1200 PRO, 295/1300GPH: Pet Supplies

It's this, in circulation mode. and I switched to a clip attachment which just hooks to the side of the tank now. It's been stable since then, but I'm watching it.


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## Reefing Madness

Right on.


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