Acro Sel.
< Hello Bob-I have ordered fifty pounds of live sand from FFE as a
"refresher" for my ten years old deep sandbed, and want to start adding
small polyp scleractinians to my tank. The tank is 2' high by 2' deep by
4' long, and will have two 400W 6500K
metal halides over it. It is filled about 25% up from the bottom with
live rock, and is
hooked up to a sump with two large Tunze skimmers and a Fluval 403
filled monthly with ESV GAC. What corals should I start with? Thanks,
Kurt Seidler
>>
In my opinion a few Acroporid fragments would be best at this time... FFExpress sells captive fragged staghorns as do many local shops and independent hobbyist/fraggers... look around... and in a couple of months we'll talk.
Bob Fenner

Technical Staghorn Info.
Thank you much for your help. I greatly appreciate it. 
Are there any particular Acropora species that are "less demanding" when
it comes to lighting. Or is it mostly dependent on the zooxanthellae
pigments?
<Yes, to a degree.... and always... what do you really want to know... where to search out information/specifics on Staghorn corals?... >
Which pigments develop in the presence of which intensities in
nature? <Ha! really? I'll look this up if you're serious...> or are the Axial corallites the areas that develop the radiation-specific pigmentation?
<The axial corallites, the more significant salient identifying characteristic of the family (Acroporidae)... these areas do develop more and some different photosynthetic pigments... and storage foods.... that lend their apparent coloration>
(not worried about water quality or circ, got those ends pretty well covered)
lighting Brand-spankin' new 10,000 k 18" Coralife tube
2 month old 50/50 6500k/actinic 3 18" Coralife tube
I ask because this is only (Yikes!) 30 watts over a 15 gallon high. 
I am less concerned about protein skimming after discussions with
curators from Mote Marine Lab/Aquarium (don't know if your familiar with
them) where I volunteer. <Yes, know the place, people>
Their experience shows that mature reef tanks
with continuously optimum water quality (w/out water changes) would
actually not be affected at all by protein skimming and might starve
beneficial bacteria or microbes and that it is not necessary. 
<Not indefinitely>
I have to admit (more like brag), my tank has been up and probably overstocked
since last July, and I have never had a problem with water quality. As a
matter of fact I went 2 and a half months w/out a water change (shame on
me, I know), and when I finally made a 25% change the water was still
well <10 nitrates. 
thanks once again
Chris
>>
<What does Zig Ziegler get credit for..."Nothing succeeds like success"... more power to ya... If what you're doing works for you...
Bob Fenner>