Pico tank coral stocking

[Alphawolfxz3]

I’ve got this 2 gallon pico tank set up and stocked but the top of the rock work looks a little bare. Is there a good coral to keep in a pico tank that likes medium to high par reading and high flow?

 

[rizkisofani]

Pico tank in night mode

 

[Alphawolfxz3]

Pico tank in night mode

It won’t let me watch it

 

[danieyella]

Some species of zoa do really well in med/high or even very high par. Many of the photosynthetic gorgonians would do well there. What about some clove polyps? They do well in a wide variety of lighting

 

[Sharkbait19]

I’m thinking something in the xeniidae family, like a GSP or pulsing Xenia, if you’re okay with the large amount of spreading

 

[Alphawolfxz3]

Some species of zoa do really well in med/high or even very high par. Many of the photosynthetic gorgonians would do well there. What about some clove polyps? They do well in a wide variety of lighting

I was thinking about the polyps

 

[Alphawolfxz3]

I’m thinking something in the xeniidae family, like a GSP or pulsing Xenia, if you’re okay with the large amount of spreading

From what I understand Xenia only grows up and not down right?

 

[Sharkbait19]

From what I understand Xenia only grows up and not down right?

I'm not sure about that. They really just spread horizontally by repropagation. If you have something like a crab in there it would help it spread.

 

[Alphawolfxz3]

Some species of zoa do really well in med/high or even very high par. Many of the photosynthetic gorgonians would do well there. What about some clove polyps? They do well in a wide variety of lighting

I'm not sure about that. They really just spread horizontally by repropagation. If you have something like a crab in there it would help it spread.

Ahhh okay

 

[Auto-pilot]

Idk about GSP, Or xenias. They can explode and taken over a tank. With such a small tank you might want to avoid those corals. Have you considered an sps coral??

 

[Alphawolfxz3]

Idk about GSP, Or xenias. They can explode and taken over a tank. With such a small tank you might want to avoid those corals. Have you considered an sps coral??

I have. But I don’t know if they could handle the water quality

 

[Sharkbait19]

This is my Xenia just to give an idea on how they grow. They cover the rock they’re on so would fill your scape out nicely. Just don’t let it overgrow. They’re easy to Frag though.

Additionally, they break off polyps which then attach to a base. Then, they grow a new head.

There are tons of slower growing polyp corals too if you’re concerned about rapid growth. I’ve never found it to be a huge problem though, so long as it’s kept under control.

 

[Alphawolfxz3]

This is my Xenia just to give an idea on how they grow. They cover the rock they’re on so would fill your scape out nicely. Just don’t let it overgrow. They’re easy to Frag though.

Additionally, they break off polyps which then attach to a base. Then, they grow a new head.

There are tons of slower growing polyp corals too if you’re concerned about rapid growth. I’ve never found it to be a huge problem though, so long as it’s kept under control.

That and my no3 is very low so nothing grows very fast in that tank

 

[Sharkbait19]

That and my no3 is very low so nothing grows very fast in that tank

That’s probably for the better, so a Xenia may be a good coral for you, so long that there are some nutrients to keep it alive.

 

[Alphawolfxz3]

That’s probably for the better, so a Xenia may be a good coral for you, so long that there are some nutrients to keep it alive.

Ya. That’s what I’m trying to figure out how to do with the pico tank. Because every time I test I have like 0 no3 and 0 Phosphates

 

[Sharkbait19]

Ya. That’s what I’m trying to figure out how to do with the pico tank. Because every time I test I have like 0 no3 and 0 Phosphates

Huh. I guess that could be an issue. You could throw some food in there to decompose or dose some ammonia.

 

[Alphawolfxz3]

Huh. I guess that could be an issue. You could throw some food in there to decompose or dose some ammonia.

Would dosing strait ammonia be okay? Because I have some from when I cycled the tank. And I have been trying to grow some food in there to decompose but I notice only my phosphates will only go up and not my nitrites.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Would dosing strait ammonia be okay? Because I have some from when I cycled the tank. And I have been trying to grow some food in there to decompose but I notice only my phosphates will only go up and not my nitrites.

Dose ammonia and possible more bacteria to kickstart the nitrogen cycle. Consider many places for the bacteria to live. Continue to dose ammonia to keep the population stable. Without a fish, there wouldn't really be anything to feed the nitrifying bacteria.

 

[Alphawolfxz3]

Dose ammonia and possible more bacteria to kickstart the nitrogen cycle. Consider many places for the bacteria to live. Continue to dose ammonia to keep the population stable. Without a fish, there wouldn't really be anything to feed the nitrifying bacteria.

Ya I could see that. But the bacteria population should be big still. I will slowly dose ammonia into the tank. How much should I dose?

 

[JBKReef]

Xenia grows in every direction, and when it has no where else to grow it will detach and grow in the sand, filter, glass