SPS vs LPS Coral Care – What’s the Difference?

SPS vs LPS: Understanding the Difference

As you progress beyond soft corals and zoanthids, you'll encounter two major categories of hard (stony) corals: SPS (Small Polyp Stony) and LPS (Large Polyp Stony). Both build calcium carbonate skeletons, but they have very different care requirements, temperaments, and challenges. Choosing the right one for your tank — and your experience level — makes all the difference.

What Are LPS Corals?

LPS corals have large, fleshy polyps that extend from a hard skeleton. They're generally more forgiving than SPS, making them the natural next step after soft corals. Popular LPS species include:

• Hammer Coral (Euphyllia ancora) — flowing tentacles, very popular, moderate care
• Torch Coral (Euphyllia glabrescens) — similar to hammer, stunning movement
• Frogspawn (Euphyllia divisa) — branching or wall form, great for mid-tank placement
• Brain Corals (Trachyphyllia, Lobophyllia) — low flow, bottom-dwelling, bold colours
• Duncan Coral (Duncanopsammia) — fast-growing, very beginner-friendly LPS
• Acanthastrea (Acan) — aggressive feeder, vivid colours, low-medium light

Browse our LPS Corals collection to see what's currently available.

What Are SPS Corals?

SPS corals have tiny polyps covering a hard skeleton and are widely considered the pinnacle of reef keeping. They're beautiful, fast-growing when conditions are right, and highly sensitive to water quality. Popular SPS species include:

• Acropora — the most iconic SPS, branching or plating forms, demanding but spectacular
• Montipora — more forgiving than Acropora, great entry-level SPS, plating or encrusting forms
• Stylophora — branching, hardy for SPS, good starter species
• Pocillopora — fast-growing, branching, relatively tolerant
• Seriatopora (Bird's Nest) — delicate branching structure, fast growth

Explore our SPS Corals collection to find your next challenge.

Water Parameters: The Key Differences

This is where SPS and LPS diverge most significantly. SPS corals demand near-perfect, ultra-stable water chemistry. LPS are more tolerant but still need consistent parameters.

The biggest takeaway: SPS corals are highly sensitive to alkalinity swings. Even a 1–2 dKH fluctuation over 24 hours can cause tissue necrosis (STN/RTN) in Acropora. Consistency is everything.

Test regularly with Salifert kits — the Salifert kH/Alkalinity Test Kit, Salifert Calcium Test Kit, Salifert Magnesium Test Kit, and Salifert Phosphate Test Kit are all excellent choices.

Lighting

Both SPS and LPS need more light than soft corals, but SPS typically demand significantly higher intensity.

• LPS: Medium to high light. PAR 100–250 depending on species. Brain corals and Acans prefer lower light; Euphyllia (hammer, torch, frogspawn) do well at mid-range.
• SPS: High light. PAR 200–400+ for Acropora. Montipora and Stylophora can do well at PAR 150–300. Always acclimate new SPS slowly — start low and raise gradually over weeks.

Flow

• LPS: Low to moderate, indirect flow. LPS polyps are fleshy and can be damaged by direct, high-velocity flow. Aim for gentle, random turbulence.
• SPS: High, random, turbulent flow. Acropora in particular needs strong flow to deliver nutrients and remove waste from its tiny polyps. Aim for 50–80x tank volume turnover per hour from wavemakers.

Feeding

Feeding requirements differ significantly between the two groups.

LPS are active, aggressive feeders with large mouths that can capture meaty foods. Target feed 2–3 times per week for best growth and colour. The LPS Coral Pellets by Vitalis are purpose-formulated for large-polyp stony corals and are an excellent staple food. Use the Acrylic Coral Feeder by Vastocean to deliver food directly to each polyp without it dispersing.

SPS corals are primarily photosynthetic and feed on microscopic particles in the water column. Broadcast feeding with fine-particle foods like SPS Coral Food by Vitalis or AF Power Food by Aquaforest 2–3 times per week supports growth and colouration. Maintaining a healthy population of copepods also helps — we stock live Copepods to seed your refugium or display tank.

Calcium, Alkalinity & Magnesium Supplementation

Both SPS and LPS consume calcium and alkalinity as they build their skeletons, but SPS consume these elements at a much higher rate. In a mature SPS-dominant tank, you'll need a reliable dosing system to maintain stable levels.

For serious SPS keepers, the Triton CORE7 Flex Reef Supplements provide a comprehensive all-in-one approach to maintaining major, minor, and trace elements. Pair with a DOS QuietDrive Dosing Pump by Neptune Systems for precise, automated daily dosing that keeps your parameters rock solid.

Which Should You Choose?

Here's a simple guide:

• New to hard corals? Start with LPS. Duncan corals, Euphyllia, and brain corals are forgiving, rewarding, and stunning.
• Stable tank with consistent parameters? Try Montipora or Stylophora as your first SPS — they're the most tolerant of the group.
• Experienced reefer with a dialled-in system? Acropora is the ultimate challenge and reward in reef keeping.

The key to success with either group is stability. A tank with slightly imperfect but rock-solid parameters will always outperform one with perfect numbers that fluctuate.

Explore Our Coral Collections

Ready to add your next coral? Browse our LPS Corals, SPS Corals, and full Corals collection. We also stock WYSIWYG corals so you know exactly what you're getting before it arrives.

Have questions about which coral suits your tank? Get in touch — we're happy to help you choose.