Best Beginner Corals

[Michael W.]

I am on my way to starting my first saltwater tank and I'm looking at ideas for corals. It's going to be a 20 gal min./30 gal max. tank lightly stocked with a pair of clowns, a goby or two, and maybe another fish later down the line. I have been doing some research on corals and decided that I wanted to go more for the LPS approach. I love the looks of favia/favites and blastomussa and even the Aussie lords on WWC. Now I don't know a ton about any of the corals that I just listed but what I think I understand is that they are relatively easy to care for as long as you keep up with everything. I also wanted to add a SPS later down the line like a simple birdsnest or maybe a hardier acropora. Again, corals are not my specialty in any way, so advice or ideas from anyone would be great. Thanks!

 

[sfin52]

blasto, acan and Duncan's are nice.

 

[mahindra.dev]

I am on my way to starting my first saltwater tank and I'm looking at ideas for corals. It's going to be a 20 gal min./30 gal max. tank lightly stocked with a pair of clowns, a goby or two, and maybe another fish later down the line. I have been doing some research on corals and decided that I wanted to go more for the LPS approach. I love the looks of favia/favites and blastomussa and even the Aussie lords on WWC. Now I don't know a ton about any of the corals that I just listed but what I think I understand is that they are relatively easy to care for as long as you keep up with everything. I also wanted to add a SPS later down the line like a simple birdsnest or maybe a hardier acropora. Again, corals are not my specialty in any way, so advice or ideas from anyone would be great. Thanks!

Hi Mike. Softies, LPS or SPS. It’s all about maintaining water. Good water = Thriving tank. Ofcourse based on coral types, you will need water movement, anywhere from 20 Times the tank volume in case of LPS to upto 50
Times in case of SPS. Lighting is another aspect. Low to medium is what most LPS demand. While SPS need medium to High light. Also depending on where they are in the tank.

So maintaining water chemistry can be achieved in numerous ways and depending on budget. For the size you are talking about and assuming it’s an all in one tank, 20Nuvo or 30Nuvo a weekly 10% water change should take care of LPS needs without having to deal with dosing etc and Skimmer is a must.

So pick the right size tank, skimmer, ATO. Then light and wavemaker based on the coral type. Def recommend with some easy softies as well along with Frogspawn and Acans. Eventually as the tank stabilized you can always add dosers, reactors etc and get more fancy.

My input: Wait for a full cycle, about 4-6 weeks, add the clown fish, wait for another month or two before adding any corals. By then you will also understand your tank, maintenance and routine.

Hope this helps!!!

Good luck and HAPPY REEFING

 

[cracker]

Try softy's 1st my Friend .

 

[mtraylor]

I would get some zoa's and a basic branching frogspawn to start off with. Good starting point IMO. Place the zoa's on a rock in the sand bed and mount the frogspawn.

 

[botheboss]

Smaller tanks are harder imo. I would go with atleast a 40g and start off with softies and maybe some lps. Xenia can be a great beginner coral.

 

[WVNed]

6 fish in 20 gallons is heavily stocked
5 in 30 is normally stocked.
Unless you stick to strictly nano fish.

 

[Michael W.]

6 fish in 20 gallons is heavily stocked
5 in 30 is normally stocked.
Unless you stick to strictly nano fish.

I'm looking at probably going mainly nano fish, but if I do the 30, I might do a pygmy or dwarf angel at a small size knowing I'd have to move it eventually.

 

[Michael W.]

Smaller tanks are harder imo. I would go with atleast a 40g and start off with softies and maybe some lps. Xenia can be a great beginner coral.

Space is limited so I think I am going to stick to picking between the 20 and 30 gal systems. I am making sure I do a whole lot of research beforehand so I know what I'm dealing with.

 

[Michael W.]

Try softy's 1st my Friend .

That's what I was thinking of doing at first, and I still might, but many of the easier to keep LPS corals are more attractive and the care requirements are something I think I can keep up with.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

i kinda like gsp.

 

[Michael W.]

Hi Mike. Softies, LPS or SPS. It’s all about maintaining water. Good water = Thriving tank. Ofcourse based on coral types, you will need water movement, anywhere from 20 Times the tank volume in case of LPS to upto 50
Times in case of SPS. Lighting is another aspect. Low to medium is what most LPS demand. While SPS need medium to High light. Also depending on where they are in the tank.

So maintaining water chemistry can be achieved in numerous ways and depending on budget. For the size you are talking about and assuming it’s an all in one tank, 20Nuvo or 30Nuvo a weekly 10% water change should take care of LPS needs without having to deal with dosing etc and Skimmer is a must.

So pick the right size tank, skimmer, ATO. Then light and wavemaker based on the coral type. Def recommend with some easy softies as well along with Frogspawn and Acans. Eventually as the tank stabilized you can always add dosers, reactors etc and get more fancy.

My input: Wait for a full cycle, about 4-6 weeks, add the clown fish, wait for another month or two before adding any corals. By then you will also understand your tank, maintenance and routine.

Hope this helps!!!

Good luck and HAPPY REEFING

Thanks for all the info! What you have laid out is the basic plan I had in mind, start slow and go from there. I am planning on getting the AI Prime light so lighting shouldn't be a big problem. ATO is also going to be one of my first purchases, along with the tank and light and rock.

Question: If I cycle with the lights off will I have less of a chance for the beginning-tank algae blooms that sometimes occur? Or are those bound to happen anyways?

 

[Michael W.]

i kinda like gsp.

I was thinking about those and xenia as possible starters, but people everywhere have been talking about how they take over tanks and can become unkillable (in a sense). How have they worked for you?

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Thanks for all the info! What you have laid out is the basic plan I had in mind, start slow and go from there. I am planning on getting the AI Prime light so lighting shouldn't be a big problem. ATO is also going to be one of my first purchases, along with the tank and light and rock.

Question: If I cycle with the lights off will I have less of a chance for the beginning-tank algae blooms that sometimes occur? Or are those bound to happen anyways?

algae no matter what.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

I was thinking about those and xenia as possible starters, but people everywhere have been talking about how they take over tanks and can become unkillable (in a sense). How have they worked for you?

yes both can become invasive but i think gsp is better looking and more manageable.

 

[mahindra.dev]

Thanks for all the info! What you have laid out is the basic plan I had in mind, start slow and go from there. I am planning on getting the AI Prime light so lighting shouldn't be a big problem. ATO is also going to be one of my first purchases, along with the tank and light and rock.

Question: If I cycle with the lights off will I have less of a chance for the beginning-tank algae blooms that sometimes occur? Or are those bound to happen anyways?

I have always cycled with lights off, no sand and ammonia method. After I see the nitrates starting to shoot up, around 4 weeks I do a 50% water change and then continue the cycle. Once the cycle is complete, I do a 95% water change and then add sand. This entire process take about 6 weeks. Slowly ramp lights and keep up with water changes for the next few weeks. Light on feeding.

I never had major issues with algae, small patches of Cynao here and there and having a goby solved that. Ofcourse I use RODI, bi weekly changes and a lot of methods to extract nutrients, in the first 6-8 months. Then things can taper off slowly.

To me It’s all about water chemistry. Not 0 nutrients, but consistent methods to maintain a low nutrients tank.

 

[kswan]

One of my favorites is still a green toadstool leather. Good color, easy and won't take over your tank. It is in the process of fragging itself now but nothing like my Pocillopora and Xenia. Both of those are being removed from the tank.

 

[Jessesoto33]

Shrooms

 

[Bayareareefer18]

That's what I was thinking of doing at first, and I still might, but many of the easier to keep LPS corals are more attractive and the care requirements are something I think I can keep up with.

I'm a first time reefer and went all LPS to start. I figured why start with coral that I don't really want or may need to remove at some point. All is well so far...knock on wood.

I do think I will add some softies to the back of my scape to add some depth.

 

[norfolkgarden]

I'm a first time reefer and went all LPS to start. I figured why start with coral that I don't really want or may need to remove at some point. All is well so far...knock on wood.

I do think I will add some softies to the back of my scape to add some depth.

Branching Frogspawn is about as easy as it gets. Easier than many Zoa's.

It comes in different colors and can be very inexpensive.

Classic green tendrils with blue tips is what sucked me in in the 1st place.
[emoji6]

GSP is fine if you keep it separated from your main rock work or grow it on the back glass.

Neon green Kenya tree will grow to about 5 or 6" max and doesn't shed all over the place.