Easy hardy corals

[Ok_cowboy1]

I am a beginner in this hobby and I am considering adding my first coral to my list! Does anyone have any recommendations on what coral to start with? I know lighting will be a question so I have the 36" current orbit marine pro! I know not the best light, but it is what I have to work with for now.

 

[pugcrush]

zoanthids, mushrooms & any soft corals would work

 

[I Take Cars]

Green star polyps (gsp)

 

[Ok_cowboy1]

These need to be QT'd as well, right?

 

[I Take Cars]

If you don't qt... at least dip them!!!

 

[I Take Cars]

Get a shroom and some cheap zoa's

 

[DeepBrew]

I have a 48" current orbit marine pro on a 75 gallon tank. I'm presently running it at 80% blues and 60% whites for 9 hours a day. These are the corals in the tank so far:

Soft corals:
several zooanthids - all growing new polyps
pulsing xenia - grows like a weed and has been trimmed back several times


LPS:
frogspawn - has close to doubled in size in about 8 months
blastomussa - there are four in the tank, all doing well and adding polyps
candy coral - seems happy but hasn't added polyps yet
Duncan - has gone from 2 polyps to about 12 in 8 months
Favia - a couple different ones that seem fine but growth is slow

I also have a Coralife 48" dual standard output T5 fixture that runs a few hours per day as fill light. I don't think it puts out enough light to make a huge difference in growth though. It's only about 25 PAR at the sand bed.

 

[Coastie Reefer]

These need to be QT'd as well, right?

This is considered best practices, but not always a possibility. Use a good dip like Coral Rx and inspect the coral thoroughly and you'll probably be okay without a QT.

Neon nepthea is a good starter

 

[danknuc]

I have the same light on my 48" wide 21" deep 75G. I supplemented with a 2 bulb T5 that I converted to a T5HO. I have Pink Lemonade Zoa's, Xenias, Green Montipora Capricornis, Teal acropora, Shades of green Rhoadactus Mushroom, Candy Cane Coral, Green Star Polyps, Red with Orange Streak Acan. I think you just have to work on placement to see how the corals react to the lighting and flow you have.

 

[RobBaglieri]

My first experience with coral: Green star polyps are very easy, any type of mushroom and pulsing xenia. After that if found most zoas and leathers hardy; kenya trees are very hardy. I then added a hammer and duncan, they seem to be hardy LPS. After a year and a half my tank is loaded with all kinds of softies and LPS, even got a clam in there. I have had zero success with SPS. Very sad. I inspect and dip every coral I put in my tank without exception. It only takes a few extra minutes and is very easy to do. Good luck and keep up with it.

 

[Ok_cowboy1]

After some reading I honestly don't know if I want Zoas in my tank! These sound too dangerous for me to have!

 

[mcarroll]

I am a beginner in this hobby and I am considering adding my first coral to my list! Does anyone have any recommendations on what coral to start with? I know lighting will be a question so I have the 36" current orbit marine pro! I know not the best light, but it is what I have to work with for now.

The light should be fine, but take some time to look at tank and corals...in person is by far best...and decide what you really like.

I really don't recommend taking other folks' "beginner corals" recommendations otherwise. They're almost universally "good looking" pest-type soft corals that are likely to make your life difficult later if you don't love them.

I'd do about anything to rid my system of mushrooms, but they're tougher than any other coral I care about.

There are beginner corals in every category....just take some time, like I said, to figure out what you really like. If it's green star polyps and mushrooms, then so be it. But, for example, if you like stony corals – branching, plating, etc...any form – then that's where you should start.