When is enough coral enough?

[MarshallB]

Those of you with mature systems; Are you still adding new corals? If not when did you decide your tank was full?

Were you concerned with over crowding before the colonies matured? Once matured do you have any regrets with spacing?

 

[dwair]

Never enough coral! If you run out of room, means bigger tank time!

 

[Nano sapiens]

Those of you with mature systems; Are you still adding new corals? If not when did you decide your tank was full?

Were you concerned with over crowding before the colonies matured? Once matured do you have any regrets with spacing?

Small system of 13 years, but I still add a few corals occasionally more for my interest than anything else.

When corals are growing well, I think it's common that one would have some concerns (especially in a mixed reef if more aggressive coral is present). A couple choices I can think of are keeping only passive type coral, initially spacing corals far apart to buy time, slowing down growth (adjusting lighting schedule, feeding frequency, etc.), placing barriers in between corals , relocating (if possible) or just let the interaction proceed (which is what happens all the time on a natural reef).

IME, only occasionally have I had to resort to drastic measures and actually physically remove a coral completely from the system. Over time many corals will come to a tentative truce after initially doing battle or just grow around each other (avoidance behavior).

 

[Gtinnel]

Never enough coral! If you run out of room, means bigger tank time!

That was my opinion too, but my wife strongly disagrees with our way of thinking.

Seriously my wife told me to stop buying corals because there is no more room, so I had to show her all of the open glass space where I could place more magnetic frag racks. I really need a bigger tank or frag system.

 

[MarshallB]

Small system of 13 years, but I still add a few corals occasionally more for my interest than anything else.

When corals are growing well, I think it's common that one would have some concerns (especially in a mixed reef if more aggressive coral is present). A couple choices I can think of are keeping only passive type coral, initially spacing corals far apart to buy time, slowing down growth (adjusting lighting schedule, feeding frequency, etc.), placing barriers in between corals , relocating (if possible) or just let the interaction proceed (which is what happens all the time on a natural reef).

IME, only occasionally have I had to resort to drastic measures and actually physically remove a coral completely from the system. Over time many corals will come to a tentative truce after initially doing battle or just grow around each other (avoidance behavior).

Those are great points. The reason I asked this is because I have a bunch of small corals in a relatively new system, but I can imagine in a few years there wont be a lot of space if these grow out to colonies. It's pretty tempting to fill in space with new corals.

 

[Nano sapiens]

Those are great points. The reason I asked this is because I have a bunch of small corals in a relatively new system, but I can imagine in a few years there wont be a lot of space if these grow out to colonies. It's pretty tempting to fill in space with new corals.

Yes, it is! The difference is in how you would like your reef to look in the future; lots of smaller colonies (more common in the USA) or a few larger ones (more common in Europe).

 

[Trouble1375]

That was my opinion too, but my wife strongly disagrees with our way of thinking.

Seriously my wife told me to stop buying corals because there is no more room, so I had to show her all of the open glass space where I could place more magnetic frag racks. I really need a bigger tank or frag system.

My hubby told me to stop buying. System is just over 2 years old and I keep adding more frags. He said I’ll regret it when they start running into each other.

 

[Gtinnel]

My hubby told me to stop buying. System is just over 2 years old and I keep adding more frags. He said I’ll regret it when they start running into each other.

My system isn't even that old and I already have some corals starting to grow into each other. I think I placed my frags too close together. Plus I didn't realize how quick some encrusting corals grow.

 

[ScottB]

Not long after this photo I had to break up the reef structure. There was too much shading and it was impossible to keep sufficient flow.

The problem was of my own making. Too much rock, and I built the structure too tall. The whole front, lower to middle section was shaded out, leggy and without flesh.

So in my case the constraint had less to do with coral placement and more to do with my reef structure decisions.

 

[elorablue]

@Reefing_addiction

 

[Trouble1375]

My system isn't even that old and I already have some corals starting to grow into each other. I think I placed my frags too close together. Plus I didn't realize how quick some encrusting corals grow.

I tried to give them at least 4” of space around them. With exception of a few pieces they have all grown off their plugs and are starting to grow onto the rocks around them. It took me awhile to learn saltwater and I killed a good number of “bullet proof” corals during my first year and a battle over turning on the AC cost us a few pricey pieces. (meat coral, trachy, lobo, scoly, fungia plate and symphyllia) all within days of each other when the tank temp got up to 84. The AC is no longer a battle because he didn’t want to add a chiller.

 

[Cell]

It's never enough coral.

 

[MarshallB]

My hubby told me to stop buying. System is just over 2 years old and I keep adding more frags. He said I’ll regret it when they start running into each other.

Then you just frag some pieces off and trade it in for more!

The first corals I started off with were various frags of Zoas. I made a spot for a Zoa garden and placed the frags about 4 inches away from each other....

I wish more information was available from sellers and LFS about the growth rates of specific corals, I know thats a loaded question but even general guidance of fast or slow would be helpful. One type of zoa is growing 100x faster than the rest. In the year and a half its been set up I've had to trim the one colony that started off has 2 heads 3x now removing about 20 heads off of it at a time as it was growing out and choking the other zoas. All the other frags have maybe 9 heads each at this point.

 

[Trouble1375]

Then you just frag some pieces off and trade it in for more!

The first corals I started off with were various frags of Zoas. I made a spot for a Zoa garden and placed the frags about 4 inches away from each other....

I wish more information was available from sellers and LFS about the growth rates of specific corals, I know thats a loaded question but even general guidance of fast or slow would be helpful. One type of zoa is growing 100x faster than the rest. In the year and a half its been set up I've had to trim the one colony that started off has 2 heads 3x now removing about 20 heads off of it at a time as it was growing out and choking the other zoas. All the other frags have maybe 9 heads each at this point.

I noticed my Zoas were growing at different rates so they each have their own area. I’ve had my Rastas for about 3 months they’ve gone from 20 head to 40. I’ve had my Daisy Cutters for over a year and they’ve gone from 10 heads to 25 or so. My Pandora’s (not sure on identity) were hitch hiker (4 heads on the base of me candy cane and didn’t do anything for over a year. The candy cane never flourished and eventually it died and I cut back the skeleton about 2 months ago and now I have about 40 of them and the colors are amazing now. They were very drab pink initially.

 

[vic5hands]

Never enough coral! If you run out of room, means bigger tank time!

Still have tank walls

 

[MarshallB]

I noticed my Zoas were growing at different rates so they each have their own area. I’ve had my Rastas for about 3 months they’ve gone from 20 head to 40. I’ve had my Daisy Cutters for over a year and they’ve gone from 10 heads to 25 or so. My Pandora’s (not sure on identity) were hitch hiker (4 heads on the base of me candy cane and didn’t do anything for over a year. The candy cane never flourished and eventually it died and I cut back the skeleton about 2 months ago and now I have about 40 of them and the colors are amazing now. They were very drab pink initially.

Ha! The pandoras are the ones that I have to cut back constantly. I agree I love the colors on them. Each head seems to be a slightly different shade of color than the rest.

 

[BigSkyRich]

Very timely discussion. I thought 6 months ago I was "full", but many additions since....I kinda look at my tank as a work in progress. Some don't seem to do well and others flourish so I'm moving things around and then find new space. Always transitioning to other corals. Right now loving my Mushrooms and zoas. Yeah, a lot are encroaching on each othets. Think I'll just let them figure it out. Seriously looking at FOWLR cause I can't add any more fish. No vacancy sign in bright neon right now

 

[ZoWhat]

I think y'all need to go to 12-Step Group Therapy

 

[BigSkyRich]

I think y'all need to go to 12-Step Group Therapy

Powerless? Yes. But I can still handle it

 

[Yelltang75]

Those are great points. The reason I asked this is because I have a bunch of small corals in a relatively new system, but I can imagine in a few years there wont be a lot of space if these grow out to colonies. It's pretty tempting to fill in space with new corals.

Thanks for asking that question @MarshallB, I am in the same place, new tank and lots of coral buying happening! I’ve learned so much from this group already and think the magnetic racks are awesome, lots of room for more corals!