Coral… How do you plan them?

i cant think · Sep 19, 2022

Whether it’s LPS, SPS, Softies, Mushrooms, NPS ect… They all have some that grow at insane rates and some that take what may feel like years before you get even just one new polyp from them.

But how do you plan them? By this I mean how do you pick which ones to put in first. Do you just mix and match them or do you put in slow growers then fast growers or even the other way round?

firechild · Sep 19, 2022

No plans. I just buy the ones I like and find a space for them.

hockeyhead019 · Sep 19, 2022

No plans here either, I have a general idea of placement but that's dictated by lighting/flow/surrounding corals.

Growth rate isn't something I have enough experience with under my current lighting setup to think "hmm, this one is going to grow too fast and end up overshadowing it's neighbor"... If I run into that problem I'd likely just frag it back.

i cant think · Sep 19, 2022

that’s interesting to hear - I love colonies but fear slower growing colonies may get out shadowed by faster growing colonies. For example Acropora granulosa against an Acropora carduus.

PandorasChalk · Sep 19, 2022

I try to place them based on how they could grow compared to online sources. Worked well so far except for a birds nest which is deciding to grow wide versus tall at the moment.

lulubap · Sep 19, 2022

I do *some planning*, at least as far as my plans go for my new 15 cube. I plan out a general idea of the rockscape and, since it's going to be a macro/softie tank, where I can place what based on its photosynthetic needs. If they're fast growers, they go on an isolated rock or near the top of one. If they're slow growers (and most importantly an NPS coral) I can get away with placing it near the bottom, or even on the sand since my livestock will be limited anyways I won't need to worry about sand sifters throwing sand on my corals.

DeniseAndy · Sep 19, 2022

I have plans. Then, sometimes I get carried away and the new plan is for a new tank to make room for those corals I had to have.

I do now have specific corals I want to have in the system and stick to those. I am careful to leave a lot of room between corals for them to grow out. Eventually, I will have to trim, but so far so good. I also have a lot of maxi mini nems and rock nems, so those just grow where ever they like.
I was always a planner when it came to the animals. That is why I have 5 tanks.

Dburr1014 · Sep 19, 2022

i cant think said:
Whether it’s LPS, SPS, Softies, Mushrooms, NPS ect… They all have some that grow at insane rates and some that take what may feel like years before you get even just one new polyp from them.

But how do you plan them? By this I mean how do you pick which ones to put in first. Do you just mix and match them or do you put in slow growers then fast growers or even the other way round?

Um, plan? What's that? LOL

I go to shows and buy what I like, no rhyme or reason.
My next build I will be more thoughtful where I place though. It will make better use of available space.

i cant think · Sep 19, 2022

PandorasChalk said:
I try to place them based on how they could grow compared to online sources. Worked well so far except for a birds nest which is deciding to grow wide versus tall at the moment.

I assume by this you mean, taller ones go towards the bottom and wider ones go towards the top?

PandorasChalk · Sep 19, 2022

i cant think said:
I assume by this you mean, taller ones go towards the bottom and wider ones go towards the top?

To a point, also just in general. For example I received some zoa frags that look nice but I would lose no sleep if some of them lost in a growing war with other zoas, so those are together on one rock to grow into a garden. Other zoa frags which I like more each have their own rock so as they grow they have no competition for space. Likewise I have GSP on it's own island in a far corner of the tank. All of my duncans are in their own little nook, knowing they can get multiple heads and fill out.

Much like a planted freshwater tank, I plan for what it could look like when things grow out, versus what it looks like now. It looks a little bare and kind of empty now, but the current tank is only 6 months old and I know in another 6 months that will be a different story.