Barebottom tanks with corals encrusting

[duberii]

Hello!

I have a barebottom tank and I'm considering adding something like a GSP or cyphastrea to encrust but I'm scared I won't like the look/upkeep (since I have rock and I assume the coral growing up onto the rock is an issue). Does anybody have a tank like this? I'd love to see some pictures and/or hear about how you deal with said coral growing onto rocks

 

[Teen reefer]

Gsp is more tricky in a bare bottom tank because it spreads fast but something like a encrusting SPS or LPS is fine but make sure it has plenty of flow and lighting in that area you put it in.

 

[AJsReef]

Cyphastrea, Montis and Leptos would be my suggestion

That said, the bottom will encrust with coraline fairly quickly in most cases

 

[duberii]

Cyphastrea, Montis and Leptos would be my suggestion

That said, the bottom will encrust with coraline fairly quickly in most cases

I feel like a coral would easily overgrow coralline, no?

I'm also not sure what monti would be able to handle such low light

 

[AJsReef]

Of course, but it definitely looks better when the coralline grows in, IMO

Not sure on your light set up but the majority of my bottom gets 150+ par, many areas low 200 par with XR30s on a 24” deep tank. Plenty of Monti that can grow in the low to mid 100 PAR range

 

[duberii]

Of course, but it definitely looks better when the coralline grows in, IMO

Not sure on your light set up but the majority of my bottom gets 150+ par, many areas low 200 par with XR30s on a 24” deep tank. Plenty of Monti that can grow in the low to mid 100 PAR range

I have a fluval evo 13.5 witch stock lighting, which I can nearly guarantee doesn't break 100 par at the bottom. There should still be a ton to choose from solely between cyphastrea and leptos though

 

[WallyB]

I like my BARE BOTTOM (Bare).

Original Tank, while Glass Bottom.

Once coraline grows on the bottom is colors up on it's own.

I may add some Small Rock Pieces with encrusting Monti's that I got started, and then place them on Glass bottom for isolated little Color Islands.

 

[happyhourhero]

 

[AJsReef]

I have a fluval evo 13.5 witch stock lighting, which I can nearly guarantee doesn't break 100 par at the bottom. There should still be a ton to choose from solely between cyphastrea and leptos though

Monti Caps and encrusting montis would probably still do okay, just slower growth

Honestly, the extended cycle and issues establishing a barebottom don’t outweigh the negatives of sand with such a small sand bend cleaning is easy. Especially in nano tanks where surface area is a premium, a sand bed just makes sense IMO. This is coming from experience with a Nuvo 20 that was barebottom initially and was a royal PITA. I would not recommend bare bottom in your case

 

[wcroft987]

My back wall is covered in cyphastrea.
Actually debating moving the rocks around because it’s growing on everything, back wall is amazing though.

 

[IndianReefGuy]

That’s noice mate!

 

[JonnyTorch]

My back wall is covered in cyphastrea.
Actually debating moving the rocks around because it’s growing on everything, back wall is amazing though.

I just got a freebie Meteor Shower Cyphastrea and I plan on doing this to my back wall. Once it encrusts, is it hard to remove via scraping/tools? Is it similar to GSP that is kinda scab-like that peels off, or is this hard-stuck to the wall? Just wondering about controlling it to stay on the back wall, and not encrust to the side glass. I have a 20g nano. Thank you! Beautiful tank.

 

[wcroft987]

I just got a freebie Meteor Shower Cyphastrea and I plan on doing this to my back wall. Once it encrusts, is it hard to remove via scraping/tools? Is it similar to GSP that is kinda scab-like that peels off, or is this hard-stuck to the wall? Just wondering about controlling it to stay on the back wall, and not encrust to the side glass. I have a 20g nano. Thank you! Beautiful tank.

Thanks! It should scrape off with a razor blade like gap. I have never tried to scrape any off. It will encrust anything that is touching though so be carful with rocks touching the glass.

 

[JonnyTorch]

Fe

Thanks! It should scrape off with a razor blade like gap. I have never tried to scrape any off. It will encrust anything that is touching though so be carful with rocks touching the glass.

Thanks! I have only one spot on my rocks that is nearing .5 inches away, will it try to bridge that gap?