SPS Identification please

[labnjab]

We received a few free soft coral frags yesterday from a member of a local reef club, but I noticed he also threw in what looks like a small sps (thought it was a softie, till I went to put it in my tank). After doing some research I've found that it may be pocillipora, bit I'm not 100% sure
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After doing research, I've found that these are agressive and like high lighting. Agression is not a problem, as I can move the zoa frag and let it have that whole rock, and I think I have good lighting (192 watt PC lights)

My biggest concern is being that it is an SPS. I know these take special care, but I don't know exactly how much or what would be involved, and if it would be good for my young tank. Should I be monitoring or dosing any calcium or trace elements? Should I feed it anything? I don't want to do anything that would do harm to my tank, but I'm also willing to do what I have to to help it thrive.

In you opinion, should I trade this sps for a softie, or would I be ok to keep it and do whats necessary to keep it alive.

Also, is there a good place to get information on keeping SPS, I'd love to do my own research too, it just seems many sites are too conflicting.

thanks for any help

[kaybee]

My biggest concern is being that it is an SPS. I know these take special care, but I don't know exactly how much or what would be involved, and if it would be good for my young tank. Should I be monitoring or dosing any calcium or trace elements? Should I feed it anything? I don't want to do anything that would do harm to my tank, but I'm also willing to do what I have to to help it thrive. In you opinion, should I trade this sps for a softie, or would I be ok to keep it and do whats necessary to keep it alive.

That small coral shouldn't require any additional additives since there are no other stony corals in the tank (correct me if I'm wrong on that). You may want to monitor your calcium and alkalinity levels just to get an idea of what those levels are.

I'd be more concerned as to whether your lighting is sufficient or not. Here's a nice non-forum type site which provides some general info on the coral in question (click the link, scroll down to Pocillopora, click on that and a pop up with info will appear. He's had luck keeping it with less watts of PC lighting than you have.


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[labnjab]

Thank you kaybee, I'll pick up a calcium and alk test kit tonight and keep an eye on it for the light, its up at the top of the tank

[gem]

While pocillipora does require high lighting, it is possible to keep it under PCs, providing you keep it very high up in the tank. It will likely not color up to it's full potential (ie: it'll likely be brown) but can survive and even grow slowly. Like Kaybee said......you do need to keep an eye of cal and alk and try to keep it stable or you'll probably get some rtn. This is not to say that this can be done with any sps...but there are a few that can tolerate lower lighting.....birdsnest, montipora, and a couple others....but again....they may not color up to full potential if at all...and may brown if colorful when intoduced.
I have 2x65 watt pc in my 46 gal and keep green birdsnest, tricolor ponope birdsnest, and tyree purple ployp birdsnest, and orange montipora capricornis. the ponape is a little browned out, the purple is fine, the higher up green birdnest is still green, the other came to me brown...and still is. and my monti is still quite orange! I did have pocillipora at one time....but yes it was brown and I gave it away. = )

[labnjab]

It was brown when I got it, and he had it under metal halides. I wasn't able to get a calcuim test kit this weekend, but I will be picking one up this week, as well as a calcium and trace elemnet additive that was highly recomended buy my LFS's reef expert, to have on hand just in case the calcium gets too low. So far its been open since I got it, and I have it as high as I can get it, so I'll see how it does over the long run. Thanks GEM and kaybee for the information.

[labnjab]

I got a calcium test ket and my calcium is perfect, at around 400 without adding anything. I still looking for a alk test kit