Getting corals...which ones?

[NotFishyFishGuy]

hey everyone, I am new to the hobby and only have one saltwater tank. It is the fluval evo 13.5. Can anyone tell me what corals I can get? It’s been running for a little more than a month and has two clowns, a damsel, and a shrimp. I don’t really understand the difference between the different corals like LPS or soft. When can I get corals, how many months does the tank have to be running? Can someone explain to me the difference and what corals you think I can have? Thks

 

[ecamden]

hey everyone, I am new to the hobby and only have one saltwater tank. It is the fluval evo 13.5. Can anyone tell me what corals I can get? It’s been running for a little more than a month and has two clowns, a damsel, and a shrimp. I don’t really understand the difference between the different corals like LPS or soft. When can I get corals, how many months does the tank have to be running? Can someone explain to me the difference and what corals you think I can have? Thks

I too started with the evo, and it's a great nano tank! I personally waited 3 months before adding coral and started with a few zoanthids (an example of a soft coral). Soft, LPS, SPS are general terms used to describe them. Softies do not have a skeleton and typically require less work. Note typically as some can be more work than SPS. LPS are large polyp stony corals which produce a skeleton and have large fleshy polyps. A good beginner one would be a candy cane coral. They have a great feeding response so they can be fun. They require stable calcium and alkalinity and not too picky with light. SPS, or small polyp stony corals are generally more demanding and require stable conditions and high light/flow. A good starting SPS would be a birds nest. With that said the stock light that comes with your tank will put out more than enough light for anything. I tested the par and had close to 600 at the surface, 350 mid, and 180 at the sand bed. My son now has that tank and has a mixed reef with a clown fish and a rainbow bubble tip anemone. Good luck and enjoy!

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

I too started with the evo, and it's a great nano tank! I personally waited 3 months before adding coral and started with a few zoanthids (an example of a soft coral). Soft, LPS, SPS are general terms used to describe them. Softies do not have a skeleton and typically require less work. Note typically as some can be more work than SPS. LPS are large polyp stony corals which produce a skeleton and have large fleshy polyps. A good beginner one would be a candy cane coral. They have a great feeding response so they can be fun. They require stable calcium and alkalinity and not too picky with light. SPS, or small polyp stony corals are generally more demanding and require stable conditions and high light/flow. A good starting SPS would be a birds nest. With that said the stock light that comes with your tank will put out more than enough light for anything. I tested the par and had close to 600 at the surface, 350 mid, and 180 at the sand bed. My son now has that tank and has a mixed reef with a clown fish and a rainbow bubble tip anemone. Good luck and enjoy!

He has an anemone?! I always thought that an anemone would grow too big so never really researched getting one.

 

[ecamden]

He has an anemone?! I always thought that an anemone would grow too big so never really researched getting one.

Depends on what kind you get. I wouldn't suggest a carpet anemone but a BTA will be fine. This is his

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

Depends on what kind you get. I wouldn't suggest a carpet anemone but a BTA will be fine. This is his

that's a cool anemone. does it grow?

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

I too started with the evo, and it's a great nano tank! I personally waited 3 months before adding coral and started with a few zoanthids (an example of a soft coral). Soft, LPS, SPS are general terms used to describe them. Softies do not have a skeleton and typically require less work. Note typically as some can be more work than SPS. LPS are large polyp stony corals which produce a skeleton and have large fleshy polyps. A good beginner one would be a candy cane coral. They have a great feeding response so they can be fun. They require stable calcium and alkalinity and not too picky with light. SPS, or small polyp stony corals are generally more demanding and require stable conditions and high light/flow. A good starting SPS would be a birds nest. With that said the stock light that comes with your tank will put out more than enough light for anything. I tested the par and had close to 600 at the surface, 350 mid, and 180 at the sand bed. My son now has that tank and has a mixed reef with a clown fish and a rainbow bubble tip anemone. Good luck and enjoy!

where did you ge the corals? online or in store

 

[Gatling]

where did you ge the corals? online or in store

I would highly suggest to buy them in store. The amount of stress a coral goes through when it's shipped is pretty bad. Plus you'd need coral dips and what not to make sure its happy. In store, a coral being delivered in your car goes through minimal stress, plus you get to see what you're buying! That is very important as you have to live with what ever the coral depot guys send you in the mail..

 

[ecamden]

where did you ge the corals? online or in store

Both. As far as online goes I have had great experience with battlecorals.com. All shipped well and are doing great. He has excellent customer service and awesome selection. I'm in the Houston area and That Aquarium Place is where I go locally

 

[ecamden]

I would highly suggest to buy them in store. The amount of stress a coral goes through when it's shipped is pretty bad. Plus you'd need coral dips and what not to make sure its happy. In store, a coral being delivered in your car goes through minimal stress, plus you get to see what you're buying! That is very important as you have to live with what ever the coral depot guys send you in the mail..

They still get shipped to the stores, and you still should dip and qt even from your lfs.

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

I would highly suggest to buy them in store. The amount of stress a coral goes through when it's shipped is pretty bad. Plus you'd need coral dips and what not to make sure its happy. In store, a coral being delivered in your car goes through minimal stress, plus you get to see what you're buying! That is very important as you have to live with what ever the coral depot guys send you in the mail..

True. What corals did you start with again?

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

Both. As far as online goes I have had great experience with battlecorals.com. All shipped well and are doing great. He has excellent customer service and awesome selection. I'm in the Houston area and That Aquarium Place is where I go locally

Ohhh. I have never ordered any livestock online yet. Do they have policies or refunds if you didn’t get something you liked or it dies?

 

[Gatling]

They still get shipped to the stores, and you still should dip and qt even from your lfs.

Yes you're right. Im saying the corals will just be less stressed overall. Plus, I had a bias.
Where im from, corals will die in the cold right now as the temperatures are roughly -15C here! lol so no shipping for me.

True. What corals did you start with again?

I've posted about my coral issues here, my Acan and Hammer being quite ill. I have a few Zoas which are growing like mad and I think I solved my LPS issue with low Magnesium levels. Im dosing them up. Will update my threads if everyone recovers

 

[ecamden]

Ohhh. I have never ordered any livestock online yet. Do they have policies or refunds if you didn’t get something you liked or it dies?

You'll have to check his site but I know he has a live arrival guarantee. All I can say is I have never had an issue

 

[ecamden]

Yes you're right. Im saying the corals will just be less stressed overall. Plus, I had a bias.
Where im from, corals will die in the cold right now as the temperatures are roughly -15C here! lol so no shipping for me.


I've posted about my coral issues here, my Acan and Hammer being quite ill. I have a few Zoas which are growing like mad and I think I solved my LPS issue with low Magnesium levels. Im dosing them up. Will update my threads if everyone recovers

Lol definitely understand that. I have to deal with the summer here with shipping when it's over 100deg