What are your first 5 corals?

[ebranger]

Okay, so let’s assume you‘ve spent a lot of time cycling a Redsea Reefer 250 (with two Red Sea LED 90s) and making sure your system is stable (or as stable as a beginner can get). You’ve got fish in your tank and spent months with lights off, to avoid widespread algae growth. You’re now ready to take your first steps into corals.

Your end goal is a mixed coral tank. Maybe a few softies (you have a love of zoas and the colors they offer, but want to avoid GSPs/Xenia and other softies that will eventually dominate the tank). Largely LPS, but willing to try some of the simpler, less demanding SPS.

And while money isn’t unlimited, you don’t want to just start with the cheapest coral out there, only to eventually wish you could get rid of it and replace it with something else.

What are the first 5 corals you introduce to your tank?

 

[Bribo12]

I’d say a duncan, hammer. 1-2 zoa strains, and a toadstool

 

[Neros503]

duncans, hammers, zoas, leptoseris, are all good ones to start with

 

[Rmckoy]

First for me ....

Candy cane frag ,
Torch frag
A meat coral ( donut )
And a ritteri anemone

 

[Rmckoy]

First for me ....

Candy cane frag ,
Torch frag
A meat coral ( donut )
And a ritteri anemone

these were my first from years ago ..
If I knew more about them at the time I wouldn’t recommend a anemone in a new tank
.

 

[blstravler]

Okay, so let’s assume you‘ve spent a lot of time cycling a Redsea Reefer 250 (with two Red Sea LED 90s) and making sure your system is stable (or as stable as a beginner can get). You’ve got fish in your tank and spent months with lights off, to avoid widespread algae growth. You’re now ready to take your first steps into corals.

Your end goal is a mixed coral tank. Maybe a few softies (you have a love of zoas and the colors they offer, but want to avoid GSPs/Xenia and other softies that will eventually dominate the tank). Largely LPS, but willing to try some of the simpler, less demanding SPS.

And while money isn’t unlimited, you don’t want to just start with the cheapest coral out there, only to eventually wish you could get rid of it and replace it with something else.

What are the first 5 corals you introduce to your tank?

Have you had your lights on at all?

I’d start with something inexpensive that you won’t be upset if it doesn’t make it. You could even start with a small Digi. Digi’s are easy growers and can be a good cheap indicator that things are good and it’s time to move on to more fancy corals of any type.

 

[PAreefer710]

My first five were two frags of neon green hammers, orange lepto, and two frags of zoas. Have all still except the hammers sold them off.

 

[ebranger]

Have you had your lights on at all?

I’d start with something inexpensive that you won’t be upset if it doesn’t make it. You could even start with a small Digi. Digi’s are easy growers and can be a good cheap indicator that things are good and it’s time to move on to more fancy corals of any type.

Have not yet had the lights on. I’m more trying to figure out what suggestions are, so I can do some research and figure out what would be the best fit for when I get to that point. Of course, I would plan on having lights on for a while before introducing corals, as I’m sure the lights will alter the tank parameters and need some time for additional stabilization after the lights are on.

 

[Auquanut]

I would start with:
1. Rasta zoas. Hardy, cheap and in my opinion, very nice looking. (I'd keep them on their own island)
2. Duncan. Again, pretty hardy, fairly fast growers, and I love the way they sway in the current.
3. Acans. You can get some pretty attractive ones without breaking the bank.
4. Stylophora SPS. Very hardy for SPS and add some brilliant colors.
5. Montipora digitata. Very forgiving, grows fairly quickly under the right conditions, and I just really like the branching growth pattern.

Whatever you decide, I would add the first one and wait awhile to see how it does. As each coral seems to do well, add another until you are confident that the tank has the biodiversity to handle more advanced corals.

 

[blstravler]

Have not yet had the lights on. I’m more trying to figure out what suggestions are, so I can do some research and figure out what would be the best fit for when I get to that point. Of course, I would plan on having lights on for a while before introducing corals, as I’m sure the lights will alter the tank parameters and need some time for additional stabilization after the lights are on.

I would strongly suggest turning your lights on and renting a PAR meter so you know what PAR you have in your tank - this is a huge key to where you place any coral.

 

[ebranger]

I would strongly suggest turning your lights on and renting a PAR meter so you know what PAR you have in your tank - this is a huge key to where you place any coral.

Yes, that is on the agenda, for sure. I’m an over planner. I plan on having pics of front and sides of the tank that I can write PAR readings on so I can know exactly what the readings are in all areas and use the pictures to actually remember what they are. Is Bulk Reef Supply the best place to rent a meter from?

 

[SaltISlife]

Long story... but i started reefing with a 27g hex i had at 14 in storage.. im 35 now btw. I started reefing 3 years ago.. pulled that tank out resealed it ect. Everyone said i needed a sump a skimmer. A hex wouldnt work.. blah blah.

Well ive been doing fresh water for 20 years. I just filled my tabk with sand. Water. Used a hydrometer lol.. and dumped 1 gallon of vebeficial bacteria in the tank.. 3 days later i put in 6 corals.

I had two acropora. One was a bluish no name. The other a bonsai. The other corals were a purple torch. A purple hammer. A bubble coral. And some zoanthids.

3 years later i have a 135g 6ft tank. With 10,000$ invested. And i still have ALL my beggining corals i got. My bubble is bigger than both my hands spread out. My to4ch has split dozens of times and ive sold all of em. My hammer same thing. And th3 bonsai for some reason just wants to encrust lol its taken over a dinner plate sized rock.

Soo yea

 

[blstravler]

Yes, that is on the agenda, for sure. I’m an over planner. I plan on having pics of front and sides of the tank that I can write PAR readings on so I can know exactly what the readings are in all areas and use the pictures to actually remember what they are. Is Bulk Reef Supply the best place to rent a meter from?

I thought I read they stopped renting them. Most LFS will rent them - some reefers on R2R do as well.

 

[SaltISlife]

none of th3 local stores in northern va have par meters.. none of them even know what their par is. I do know one guy locally who has one and loves to use it.. he said hed come over and check my tanks for free lol

 

[ebranger]

I would start with:
1. Rasta zoas. Hardy, cheap and in my opinion, very nice looking. (I'd keep them on their own island)
2. Duncan. Again, pretty hardy, fairly fast growers, and I love the way they sway in the current.
3. Acans. You can get some pretty attractive ones without breaking the bank.
4. Stylophora SPS. Very hardy for SPS and add some brilliant colors.
5. Montipora digitata. Very forgiving, grows fairly quickly under the right conditions, and I just really like the branching growth pattern.

Whatever you decide, I would add the first one and wait awhile to see how it does. As each coral seems to do well, add another until you are confident that the tank has the biodiversity to handle more advanced corals.

That sounds like a great combo, actually. Couple of questions. Stylophora versus birds nest? Advantages and/or disadvantages? And this might be a dumb question, but what what‘s the best way to distinguish between plating montis, which I want to avoid, and branching?

 

[ebranger]

It seems they still rent them, but can’t say for sure, as I haven’t yet tried...https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aquarium-lighting/par-meter-rental.html

 

[ebranger]

none of th3 local stores in northern va have par meters.. none of them even know what their par is. I do know one guy locally who has one and loves to use it.. he said hed come over and check my tanks for free lol

Ha! Where in northern VA? I’m in Columbia, Md. I’d pay him to come take some readings for me.

 

[SaltISlife]

Hes in woodbridge va

 

[Auquanut]

That sounds like a great combo, actually. Couple of questions. Stylophora versus birds nest? Advantages and/or disadvantages? And this might be a dumb question, but what what‘s the best way to distinguish between plating montis, which I want to avoid, and branching?

Stylo VS birdsnest? I have both and they each have their own appeal. Stylo has thicker, knob like branches and tends to grow more vertically in my tank. It also has a more vibrant color. Birdsnest grows quickly with denser, thinner branches and a more muted, varied color pattern. I will say that when I had an Alk malfunction a few years ago, the birdsnest had some die off where the stylo was unaffected.

I'm not much of an expert on monti's, but montipora capricornus is a plating coral that grows quickly and shadows everything under it. I've removed far more than I currently have. Monitpora setosa has a really vivid color, and tends to grow in more of a bush like pattern. Montipora digitata tends to grow pretty quickly and seems to grow more vertically with more of a tree like appearance. There are some encrusting varieties that are just amazing, but can take up a lot of real-estate.

Of course each coral has it's own requirements. You'll want to do your research. I'll let the more knowledgeable coral folks go into more detail.

 

[SaltISlife]

There is also pocillipora.. its hard to tell the diff between them sometimes. I have a pink styolophora thats grown so thick on its base its like an acro.. its as big as my hand. And behind it i have a pocillipora thats grapefruit sized.. and grows tiny thin branchs.. but grows into a ba shape.. theyre so weak they brake if i just barely grab the coral