Higher Par, Easy LPS or Softie Ideas

[tottiforever]

Hello!

below is a copy of my tank’s PAR readout. Any ideas for softies or LPS corals that would do well in the upper half of the tank? Not quite ready for SPS.

Open to any and all ideas, and the hardier, the better.
As always, thanks!

 

[Lavey29]

Looks like good numbers for softs and LPS. You have flexibility in there just depends on the coral choices. To low for SPS which need at least 300 to 450 so if you plan a mixed reef keep that in mind.

 

[tottiforever]

Looks like good numbers for softs and LPS. You have flexibility in there just depends on the coral choices. To low for SPS which need at least 300 to 450 so if you plan a mixed reef keep that in mind.

Really good info. With this in mind, as opposed to bumping up the PAR under my settings, I may just keep things where they’re at and stick to softies and LPS.

Any specific ideas for something in the middle (220PAR)? It’s a higher flow area to by nature of the returns.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Xenia would grow anywhere in there lol it depends on what you like. Duncan’s are pretty hardy and great for beginning coral , maybe a leather or zoas ect

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Euphyllia can handle any point in that tank and is my favorite LPS. Acans are good in all the areas below 150 par (they can take more but I like to keep them on my sand bed anyway). Duncan's are good for the lower area near the sanded. Zoas are fine anywhere in the tank. Nice mushrooms like ricordia or rodactus will do well in most of the tank (don't get trumpet or hairy they spread like weeds). Do note that the LPS will require somewhat stable alkalinity so start with softies first if you don't have a way to dose ca and alk set up yet.

Do not get any of the "beginner" softies. Examples include Xenia, Kenya tree, Green star polyps, trumpet mushroom, cheap palys (button polyps). They will eventually become invasive, take over your tank, and be virtually impossible to remove.

 

[Lavey29]

Really good info. With this in mind, as opposed to bumping up the PAR under my settings, I may just keep things where they’re at and stick to softies and LPS.

Any specific ideas for something in the middle (220PAR)? It’s a higher flow area to by nature of the returns.

I've got torches in the middle, ricordia Florida, goni, zoas, favia etc... under 200 to 250 par my estimate.

How old is the tank?

 

[tottiforever]

I've got torches in the middle, ricordia Florida, goni, zoas, favia etc... under 200 to 250 par my estimate.

How old is the tank?

Tank is around 4 months old. Beautiful pic, btw.

 

[tottiforever]

Euphyllia can handle any point in that tank and is my favorite LPS. Acans are good in all the areas below 150 par (they can take more but I like to keep them on my sand bed anyway). Duncan's are good for the lower area near the sanded. Zoas are fine anywhere in the tank. Nice mushrooms like ricordia or rodactus will do well in most of the tank (don't get trumpet or hairy they spread like weeds). Do note that the LPS will require somewhat stable alkalinity so start with softies first if you don't have a way to dose ca and alk set up yet.

Do not get any of the "beginner" softies. Examples include Xenia, Kenya tree, Green star polyps, trumpet mushroom, cheap palys (button polyps). They will eventually become invasive, take over your tank, and be virtually impossible to remove.

Gotcha. Thank you for the great advice. I do currently have a Kenya out of that list. The think has probably grown by 40% since I got it about 6 weeks ago. I’m keeping it on the sand for now.

I do also have a Neptune doser for calc and alk.

 

[Lavey29]

Tank is around 4 months old. Beautiful pic, btw.

Thank you, you were smart to let your tank develop biodiversity for some months before adding corals. I did the same thing. Just start slow and see how they do. I had ups and downs the first year but as I got close to a year the whole tank seemed to change and start to become much more predictable. Seem to have much better success with all types of coral now

 

[Reef Puncher]

I've got torches in the middle, ricordia Florida, goni, zoas, favia etc... under 200 to 250 par my estimate.

How old is the tank?

dang your tank is packed. the zoas dont get bothered or vice versa with torches and hammers? whast your par in center with zoa garden?

 

[TX_REEF]

Candy canes. Can't get enough of them.

 

[Lavey29]

dang your tank is packed. the zoas dont get bothered or vice versa with torches and hammers? whast your par in center with zoa garden?

Its on old thread but...

If 350 top, 250 middle and 125 bottom plus or minus a little depending on proximity to the lights. Tank is 3 years old now so much has changed. Donated some big colonies to start fresh again. Green torch is wicked. Corals figure their own space fights themselves.