What coral would you recommend for a beginner?

[Gordy69]

What coral would you recommend for a beginner?

 

[andrewey]

I'd start with a kenya tree or finger leather. Those are likely the easiest to care for, are pretty hardy, and are really interesting to watch in the water. Next would likely be many other softies including green star polyps, yellow polyps, discomas, and the rest of the leather family (toadstool, etc.). After that, I'd move on to zoanthids.

 

[Johniejumbo]

I like Duncan corals for beginners. They have a lot of tolerance for new reefer mistakes. Green star polyps are good too and so are Xenia’s

 

[Shnolby]

Following! Lots of great ideas here

 

[ReeferWarrant]

Keep in mind you will probably want to upgrade in the future. Certain corals mentioned above will grow to plague levels. Isolate them from other rock structures and when you’re comfortable trade/sell them. GSP, Xenia, mushrooms and some Palys are that way.

 

[ReeferWarrant]

If your tank isn’t too big and you’re religious with water changes. Most Zoas are a definite possibility. I have a colony of punk rockers I started with as my first and they have thrived.

 

[Gordy69]

I'd start with a kenya tree or finger leather. Those are likely the easiest to care for, are pretty hardy, and are really interesting to watch in the water. Next would likely be many other softies including green star polyps, yellow polyps, discomas, and the rest of the leather family (toadstool, etc.). After that, I'd move on to zoanthids.

Im using a marineland light that came with my tank I bought from petsmart. Should I buy a new light before buying corals?

 

[4tanks]

I started with Duncans they seem pretty bomb proof

 

[Zionas]

Following.

How mature of a tank do I need before moving on from only softies to simple LPS corals? Any leaps in equipment?

 

[4tanks]

Following.

How mature of a tank do I need before moving on from only softies to simple LPS corals? Any leaps in equipment?

I think I was between 2 to 3 moths before I added my first and it was lps duncan followed by some Leathers and xenia then more lps I don't think matters to much its sps that need more maturity

 

[NeptuneRjo]

Following.

How mature of a tank do I need before moving on from only softies to simple LPS corals? Any leaps in equipment?

You could honestly keep lps pretty easily right off the bat. Things like Duncan's and hammer corals are pretty hardy when it comes to parameters and lighting. For example I've kept a few hammers in lower lighting in a dirty tank with success and I've also kept them in a relatively clean tank with higher lighting with success.

 

[NeptuneRjo]

I started with some soft corals like florida ricordea mushrooms, zoanthids, and violet cespularia. If you want to try things like pulsing xenia or green star polyp keep in mind they spread like weeds once established so keep them isolated.

 

[Mark Bradley]

Supporting what’s already been said - I was advised, by my LFS, to start with Green Star Polyps, Xenia, Duncan’s and Leathers. All going great - the Xenia has to be regularly trimmed and is on its only ‘island’ too.

 

[Zionas]

Cool. Thanks for letting me know. The soft corals you mentioned, except Zoanthids, are some I have in mind. Basically Mushrooms and Leathers with a colony of isolated GSP, maybe Pulsing Xenia. Glad to know the simpler LPS corals can go in early. I’ll be keeping that in mind. Think I’ll start off with Hammer and Duncans.