Lots of acronyms on the NG's. LPS corals refer to a groups of stony corals known as Large Polyp Scleractinia, which live in the lower parts of the reef, are not as dependent on light and rely more on capturing planktonic life for their survival. Examples are Leather Coral, Cabbage Coral Mushroom Coral, Bubble Coral and Open Brain Coral. These corals receive from 20 to 40% of their nourishment from processes involving photosynthetic zooxanthellae, and 60 to 80% or more from capturing zooplanktonic life, and small animals.

LPS corals fall into two catagories, depending upon at what depths they are found. Leather, Cabbage, Bubble and Brain Corals, are either found in medium depth waters or on shallower bottoms. Their lighting requirement are higher then the Mushroom corals, and its recommended that a minimum of 7 to 8 watts per gallon of lighting be provided for growth and propagation.

The lowest light requiring Mushroom corals, still need about 3 to 5 watts per gal of lighting, because of their having photosynthetic algae, but are not wholly dependent on these for nourishment. These corals are far more predatory, and are more closely allied to anemones, in their ability to capture and eat planktonic and small live animals.

These corals will display their outer surfaces during daylight, where zooxanthellae reside, but at night, their feeding apparatus, consisting of a small mouth ringed by tentacles, will emerge, waving in the ocean currents seeking to trap the minute and microscopic flow of zooplankton, from whch they take their greater part of nourishment from.

They have adapted to night time feeding as a precaution against predation, because their tentacles waving in the water, would be tempting to many animals. Feeding time should be made as close to, 'lights out' or lower light conditions. They can even be habituated to being fed on a schedule, and can sense the presence of food in the water, even when in a closed position.

LPS corals can be fed with readily available or home made substitute foods. Their water and current movement conditions are somewhat lower then some of the other corals, but sufficient water motion is required to draw off detritus and digested wastes to keep these corals clean. Regular small feedings are important for successful propagation of LPS corals.

SPS refers to Small Polyp Scleractinia. These are mainly several hundred species of stony corals of the family Acroporia, which comprise the greatest majority of coral reef building animals. These live close to the surface, and are almost totally dependent on the microscopic algae zooxanthellae which live within their outermost tissues and produce nutrients for the coral by photosynthesis. These animals receive the bulk of their nourishment from zooxanthellae (70 to 80% plus) but still require an occasional feeding of zooplanktonic like foods. These corals have smaller mouths and tentacles, but just like all corals, they too extend their tentacles at night, in the dark, to feed on the zooplanktonic life, although near the surface, food is far more scarce then in the lower depths of the coral reef, and there is less predation. SPS corals, along with the symbiotic host anemones, especially, require the greatest amount of light intensity, as they live in depths no greater than several feet on the tops of coral reefs, or on sandy substrates. These anemones also, do not require as much or as heavy feedings, as over-feeding can irritate anemones, and cause them to close up more frequently, to expel wastes. They are seldom observed 'closed-up' in nature, as they are in an aquarium.

Corals and anemones are essentially ballons, that fill themselves with water. Because of this, they are the most sensitive barometers of water quality and conditions. One must remember, that for the most part, any new corals or anemones obtained, have been kept in less then ideal conditions, and must be acclimated, as much to differing water conditions, as to changes in lighting. You simply cannot place them, immediately, in the higher light situations, after being kept, who knows how long, in probably marginal lighting conditions, and not expect to have problems. As in all things marine, a great deal of patience must be exercised.

In order to successfully keep SPS corals and photosynthetic anemones like these, much greater effort has to be made to duplicate their natural conditions. Light intensity of 10 to 12 watts or more per gallon, a range of lamps with Kelvin temps closely resembling ocean waters spectral filtering characteristics, water composition as close to natural sea-water as possible, and water motion simulating the to and fro of the ocean waves, which brings food to these animals, and carries off waste material. The greatest challenge to the home aquarist in maintaining these animals, besides the very pristine of water conditions, with proper pH, salinity, zero nitrate, alkalinity, trace elements, iodine and calcium levels, plus the duplication of light conditions approximating sunlight at the tropic zone, including sunrise/sunset simulations, current flow, and wave action, is the rather daunting task of providing sufficient zooplanktonic foods for these animals needs.

Since almost all of the paciic host anemones share the same environs as SPS corals, they too require the same conditions, except in the area of feeding. Anemones will accept subsittute meaty foods, and when properly cared for, live many, many years. In their natural habitat, they are known to live over a hundred years of age, or even more, as no-one is really sure.

That's why it behooves the conscientious SW aquarist to educate himself on the needs and requirements of these scarce and dwindling animals before undergoing the rather casual approach of their captivity, as seen in many LFS's. Unfortunately most corals and anemones have extremely short life spans in the home aquarists tanks, without the owners slightest understanding of the difficulties involved. Keep searching, reading and studying, as I am sure, secure in your knowledge, you will be more confident and have the greater satisfaction that comes with the experience and wisdom of successful reef aquaria keeping.