SPS Spacing
 

What is the optimal spacing between sps in an aquarium. Trying to figure out how many frags I can add to my tank without over crowding.

Depends. Are you going to frag anytime something is fraggable, or do you want large mature colonies? You need from 1 inch to a foot depending on what you want your tank to look like

I want to let things grow so they look nice. I have a small tank so I dont want huge colonies. I dont mind fragging as needed but I won't be constantly pruning so I can sell frags.

It also depends on the species. Some will only encrust rocks and everything that they have in contact with. Some will encrust a certain area and grow upward. Some will grow upward before encrusting. Some will grow horizontally. Some will...you get my drift.

I would use a 500ml yogurt container to determine the space. Use it to get an idea of the area around the frag, and you get a rough idea of the end size before you get things touching. This assumes uniform growth, which seldom happens. Stags tend to go up, so you can space closer. With me, most of my frags came from my colonies, so I have a good idea what the end colony would look like, shape wise.
But, and I recall your new(ish) to SPS, you'll end up collecting more and more until you're out of room and too close :) We all do lol

Measured a yogurt container and they have a diameter about 4.5" so I will try to keep a 2-3" radius open around each frag. Might make me a little pickier with my choice of sps. Maybe save some money? :lol:

Yup, you'll need less frags that you would normally buy. The downside is the tank looks empty for 6 months. Then you think, "oh, I have room for 1 more" and next thing you know, 2" frags are killing each other

lol. That was my whole issue. I look at my tank now with coral placed about 3" apart and think its kinda empty looking. Most of my growth has just been encrusting. Only room for a few more corals (10 or less Depending on the frag size I am guessing). Going to have to get creative with space.

Just have patience. If you over stock, you have to decide which ones to get rid of one day, and nobody ever wants to get rid of nice colonies. :)

We all get to that point one time or another. Don't worry Joe, you have plenty of space....:twised: