Planning for corals - thoughts or advice anyone?

[Andreas' Reef]

Hi, Ive decided that my tank is ready for corals after a year of dealing with all kinds of algae. the tank is a biocube 32. I’m about to upgrade the lighting and add a skimmer. ive made a sketch of coral placement.

zone 1: Zoa garden - rastas, armour of god, utter chaos etc.

zone 2: something like cyphastrea (encrusting)

zone 3: I don’t really know, maybe more zoas? Suggestions?

zone 4: A really nice mushroom coral

zone 5: Something fast growing like Xenia or gsp to create depth I’m the background.

zone 6: Euphyllia garden - torches, frogspawn, hammer

zone 7: kenya tree? Suggestions please

zone 8: a nice acan

zone 9: discosoma mushrooms.

im open to suggestions or changes. thanks

 

[Homewrecker]

As much as we like to plan things out sometimes the shape or color of the corals will change that. This rough sketch is good but don't sweat it too much! Biocubes can grow really awesome corals

 

[Alexopora]

Hi, Ive decided that my tank is ready for corals after a year of dealing with all kinds of algae. the tank is a biocube 32. I’m about to upgrade the lighting and add a skimmer. ive made a sketch of coral placement.

zone 1: Zoa garden - rastas, armour of god, utter chaos etc.

zone 2: something like cyphastrea (encrusting)

zone 3: I don’t really know, maybe more zoas? Suggestions?

zone 4: A really nice mushroom coral

zone 5: Something fast growing like Xenia or gsp to create depth I’m the background.

zone 6: Euphyllia garden - torches, frogspawn, hammer

zone 7: kenya tree? Suggestions please

zone 8: a nice acan

zone 9: discosoma mushrooms.

im open to suggestions or changes. thanks

As for zone 2, cyphastreas need alot of flow. So just make sure your powerhead is providing enought for them. Also cyphastreas once stable and established grow very quickly and they are aggressive. Mine is waging a war with my Anacropora and clearly winning.

 

[JTP424]

Second the use of a Biocube!
Cool idea of planning it out. Maybe drop the kenya tree in zone 5? They can grow tall, don't want them to block anything
GSP can grow fast on anything it touches, might want to throw it on an island.
Love the enthusiasm. But as previously stated, have fun with the process, don't get frustrated when corals don't grow as you'd expect
Be willing to change placement, adjust flow, or build to how the tank seems to grow.
Look into plating montis, they can create some awesome heights/layers

 

[jabberwock]

I don't see a wavemaker. I think you will need one.

 

[kevgib67]

I would suggest both the gsp and zoas be on there own little islands. I’ve seen it both ways but in general you’ll want to keep the torches separate from the frogspawn and hammers. Here is a picture of my Biocube 32g to give you an idea. I hope it helps. Good luck.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

I don't see a wavemaker. I think you will need one.

I have a sicce xstream coming in the mail soon

 

[Andreas' Reef]

As much as we like to plan things out sometimes the shape or color of the corals will change that. This rough sketch is good but don't sweat it too much! Biocubes can grow really awesome corals

Yeah I agree! This sketch is more about where I’m placing the frags then where I want them to grow

 

[Andreas' Reef]

As for zone 2, cyphastreas need alot of flow. So just make sure your powerhead is providing enought for them. Also cyphastreas once stable and established grow very quickly and they are aggressive. Mine is waging a war with my Anacropora and clearly winning.

I might put the cyphastreas in 3 and have the zoas at 2. The power head is going to be in the top right of the tank

 

[Homewrecker]

Yeah I agree! This sketch is more about where I’m placing the frags then where I want them to grow

I will say, as much as we all like zoas try to isolate them as you've drawn. They're great until they're not lol Mine started to take over some rock and its all cemented together so I had to get creative with kalk