Guidance on coral placement

[saltcats]

I see people sometimes say about a particular coral, "this one will do better on the rocks not the sandbed" or "that coral prefers to be on the sand", but this info never seems to be listed on a coral's product description, just lighting and flow!

Is there a good resource with guidance about placement for different corals? I'm trying to figure out what I want to keep and where it would do best in my tank, but I'm having a hard time finding information to help me out.

Thanks!

 

[George81]

I’ve found using a par meter and knowing the general par of parts of the tank. Then just committing to where the coral goes. I found temporarily placing them...snails would knock them over. they adapt as long as stuff remains stable.
look at the coral you want. Look at what it requires for par and flow and place it in an area that pretty much meets its needs.

 

[Jib]

I see people sometimes say about a particular coral, "this one will do better on the rocks not the sandbed" or "that coral prefers to be on the sand", but this info never seems to be listed on a coral's product description, just lighting and flow!

Is there a good resource with guidance about placement for different corals? I'm trying to figure out what I want to keep and where it would do best in my tank, but I'm having a hard time finding information to help me out.

Thanks!

I've been leveraging the Tidal Gardens YouTube overviews for coral specific information past just lighting and flow. He covers all of the major coral types that I've been curious about, here is a recent example.

 

[saltcats]

I’ve found using a par meter and knowing the general par of parts of the tank. Then just committing to where the coral goes. I found temporarily placing them...snails would knock them over. they adapt as long as stuff remains stable.
look at the coral you want. Look at what it requires for par and flow and place it in an area that pretty much meets its needs.

Thank you for the suggestion. I may have to end up renting a par meter to check, but I'm hoping to get away with a rough estimate since I'm using a well known light and there's data available for par at different distances... I know it won't be very accurate but fingers crossed it's in the ballpark well enough. Do you remove the coral from the frag plug before attaching?

I've been leveraging the Tidal Gardens YouTube overviews for coral specific information past just lighting and flow. He covers all of the major coral types that I've been curious about, here is a recent example.

Thanks, I'll check those out! Curious, since you're stocking yours with corals currently - how did you go about planning? Do you have a list of corals you're interested in down the line, a plan of where they might end up? Or just see what looks good at the time as long as it's one you have the ability to care for?

 

[George81]

Thank you for the suggestion. I may have to end up renting a par meter to check, but I'm hoping to get away with a rough estimate since I'm using a well known light and there's data available for par at different distances... I know it won't be very accurate but fingers crossed it's in the ballpark well enough. Do you remove the coral from the frag plug before attaching?


Thanks, I'll check those out! Curious, since you're stocking yours with corals currently - how did you go about planning? Do you have a list of corals you're interested in down the line, a plan of where they might end up? Or just see what looks good at the time as long as it's one you have the ability to care for?

I don’t, sometime I cut the bottom nub off so it’s flat bottomed, I just use frag cutter for it Or side cutters will work. I’ve tried various gel glues, epoxy, I found the best way after reading these forums which works for me, is gel super glue (I like the bsi ic gel) on the base of the plug, then some epoxy, then another layer of glue, shut off flow put where you want and give it a little twist and hold for a few seconds..you can still get the plug off.

 

[Jib]

Thank you for the suggestion. I may have to end up renting a par meter to check, but I'm hoping to get away with a rough estimate since I'm using a well known light and there's data available for par at different distances... I know it won't be very accurate but fingers crossed it's in the ballpark well enough. Do you remove the coral from the frag plug before attaching?


Thanks, I'll check those out! Curious, since you're stocking yours with corals currently - how did you go about planning? Do you have a list of corals you're interested in down the line, a plan of where they might end up? Or just see what looks good at the time as long as it's one you have the ability to care for?

Pretty much focused on corals that are know for being hardy. Since this is my first tank, and a nano, trying to make sure the corals can take some parameter swings and rookie mistakes.

Wanted Zoas for the endless color combos they can add, and they are hardy (I was scrubbing a frag plug with a brush to get algae off and accidentally scrubbed the Zoa off!. Superglued it back down and it was good as new the next day.)

Also wanted some things that could add movement. Got the sinularia since it grows tall and will take up some vertical space and help make a ventricle reef environment for the inhabitants. Added Zenia for the movement as well.

As far as placement goes, seems like you have to be a little flexable to what the coral likes. I have a hard time deciding what different light / flow levels are, so its good to be able to move things around a little. I thought I had a general placement idea before purchase, but it keeps changing.

What types of corals are you interested in?

 

[saltcats]

Pretty much focused on corals that are know for being hardy. Since this is my first tank, and a nano, trying to make sure the corals can take some parameter swings and rookie mistakes.

Wanted Zoas for the endless color combos they can add, and they are hardy (I was scrubbing a frag plug with a brush to get algae off and accidentally scrubbed the Zoa off!. Superglued it back down and it was good as new the next day.)

Also wanted some things that could add movement. Got the sinularia since it grows tall and will take up some vertical space and help make a ventricle reef environment for the inhabitants. Added Zenia for the movement as well.

As far as placement goes, seems like you have to be a little flexable to what the coral likes. I have a hard time deciding what different light / flow levels are, so its good to be able to move things around a little. I thought I had a general placement idea before purchase, but it keeps changing.

What types of corals are you interested in?

I've been looking at zoas as well, for much the same reasons! I'm also thinking of some favias and other LPS. When I see a coral I like the look of that isn't insanely pricy or difficult to care for, I save the name and picture to a document so I can look back on it later.