First corals tomorrow!!!

jgvergo · Apr 30, 2016

I am ready to FINALLY add a few corals to my new tank. As a newb, I'm looking for recommendations on the top 3-5 types of corals I should be considering. I obviously want them to be relatively easy to care for, but I also want color and beautiful polyp structure. I also want corals that I will be happy with for a long time (e.g. no Xenia because I've read they take over the tank).

What are your recommendations and reasons?

BoneXriffic · Apr 30, 2016

Softies all grow fast but are easiest. Zoas are a good choice. For lps torches and hammers, and acans are very easy.... and for sps montis and birdsnests are easy.... what are some details about your tank? Lights size and parameters? And age of tank and current inhabitants

jsker · Apr 30, 2016

My first purchase was green mushrooms, they are still in the tank. I seem to have great luck with monti's too.

jgvergo · Apr 30, 2016

BoneXriffic said:
Softies all grow fast but are easiest. Zoas are a good choice. For lps torches and hammers, and acans are very easy.... and for sps montis and birdsnests are easy.... what are some details about your tank? Lights size and parameters? And age of tank and current inhabitants

Tank data:

48x24x17 - 85 gallons
Sump is 29 gallons

Rock is Pukani and Tonga shelf

Inhabitants:
2 clown fish
10 Mexican Turbo Snails
10 Hermit crabs
2 Cleaner shrimp
Blood Red Fire Shrimp (or Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp)
1 Peppermint Shrimp
Chaeto and pods (I have a healthy colony of pods in the tank at this point too)

I use Instant Ocean salt with RO/DI water. Salinity is at 35/1.026.

Ammonia 0.0
Nitrites - 0.0
Nitrates 2.0

Calcium 420
Alk 9dKH
Mg 1600+ (I've measured this carefully dozens of times and it always registers at over 1600) - Red Sea test kit

I used BioSpira to jump start the cycle and it worked as advertized, really well. Ammonia and Nitrites have been at zero since day 1
For lights, I have a Radion XRw G3 Pro and 2 48" T5s (ATI Coral Plus and ATI Purple Plus)

I am running an Apex and all tank parameters are steady and under control. My only small issue is a little green hair algae, but I'm confident I'll get rid of it quickly. It is rapidly declining. I'm running carbon and GFO and I've upped the water changes. I'm also starting to feed frozen food,which should reduce the nutrient load a little.

BoneXriffic · Apr 30, 2016

Wow, nice. As for frozen i think of not rinsed well can affect phosphates depending on feeding schedule and type of food but gfo should handle that easy.

Sounds like you can get going. I would start with lps personally and let the tank age a while before the harder sps...i started with softies and since starting to get lps and sps have gave away all my softies asides from a few zoas...

MikeyAl · Apr 30, 2016

BoneXriffic said:
Wow, nice. As for frozen i think of not rinsed well can affect phosphates depending on feeding schedule and type of food but gfo should handle that easy.

Sounds like you can get going. I would start with lps personally and let the tank age a while before the harder sps...i started with softies and since starting to get lps and sps have gave away all my softies asides from a few zoas...

Agreed. I would get some nice zoas as they have so may varieties and color. A toadstool perhaps or a colt coral.

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jgvergo · Apr 30, 2016

Is it too early to get an anemone for the clowns?

MikeyAl · Apr 30, 2016

IMO, yes it's too early. I would wait until 6 months or so. MANY will say that is old school and you can add at any time. I've rarely seen it work out myself.

nelson69 · Apr 30, 2016

Acoid sps at all time wen your tank is not mature. How old is it

Vaughn17 · Apr 30, 2016

Be careful with the GFO. It will suck too much PO4 out of your tank, which can kill corals. Euphyillia, in particular, will not be happy with no phosphate.

DeniseAndy · Apr 30, 2016

Some corals and anemones just need a more mature tank. Mature means that the bacteria and flora and fauna are steady and stable. This takes a long time. A bottle cannot make a mature reef. It can help the initial cycle, but that is it. You need all the microbes and such to get maturity. Time is a friend in that category. Also adding things very slowly.

Stay away from anemones for a while. They need stability and good maintenance. Make sure you are able to provide. Same with most sps and some lps.

Zoas, palys, mushrooms, toadstools, these guys are good as beginner corals. They will be more forgiving. From there, hammer and duncans are more forgiving than frogspawn or torches. I agree that for sps, your seriatopora (birdnest), pocillopora, and some stylophora are the easier sps.

This is from my experience, but others may have had other experiences. This is what makes the hobby so diverse and frustrating at times.

FishOfHex · May 1, 2016

jgvergo said:
I am ready to FINALLY add a few corals to my new tank. As a newb, I'm looking for recommendations on the top 3-5 types of corals I should be considering. I obviously want them to be relatively easy to care for, but I also want color and beautiful polyp structure. I also want corals that I will be happy with for a long time (e.g. no Xenia because I've read they take over the tank).

What are your recommendations and reasons?

Soft corals are great to start with and you are correct about xeina taking over but i just pull out what i dont want and i find it easy to keep under control.

jgvergo · May 1, 2016

FishOfHex said:
Soft corals are great to start with and you are correct about xeina taking over but i just pull out what i dont want and i find it easy to keep under control.

FishofHex, how often do you need to pull out Xenia to keep it under control?