Turbinaria

Turbinaria are among the most forgiving SPS corals available, making them an excellent choice for reefers who want stony corals without the demanding requirements of Acropora. They grow in distinctive scroll, cup, or pagoda shapes that add dramatic architectural interest to any reef tank. Maintain calcium at 400–440 ppm, alkalinity at 7.5–9 dKH, and temperature between 25–27°C. Turbinaria tolerate a wider range of nutrient levels than most SPS and adapt to varying light conditions.

Place Turbinaria in the mid sections of your tank where they receive moderate light (PAR 100–250) and moderate flow. They naturally inhabit reef slopes and turbid waters, so they are pre-adapted to conditions that would stress more demanding SPS. The cup and scroll growth forms should be oriented to catch light across their surface — angle them slightly to prevent detritus settling in the cups. Turbinaria come in yellows, greens, and browns, with the yellow pagoda form being especially popular in Australia.

Turbinaria grow at a moderate pace and can develop into impressive colony sizes over time. Fragging is best done with a bandsaw due to their dense skeleton. They are largely pest-free and rarely troubled by common SPS parasites. For Australian reefers in warmer climates, Turbinaria's heat tolerance is a bonus — they handle brief temperature spikes better than most stony corals. Their undemanding nature and striking growth forms make them one of the best SPS for mixed reef tanks alongside softies and LPS.