Where do corals go when they die?

[SandJ]

Sooner or later every reef keeper will have the unfortunate experience of loosing a stoney coral.

So what happens to the skeleton from yours when they die?
Tossed into the trash?
Do they stay in the tank?
Turned into home decor?
Tucked away in a cardboard box graveyard as a reminder of your mistakes?

 

[potatocouch]

Heaven seems to be the only legit answer to your question

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

So I may win dork of the year award for this, but your gonna think I’m nuts. I put them in empty prescription bottles. Pharmacist will give you like ten or 15 bottles just for med management. (Lol no I am not on tons of meds I’m on just one).

I am kinda creative but I kinda treat all my coral like the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. I will put Acros in the bottles, (yes I have to break them up) then lps that fit, in bottles. The rest lol I use these super cheap Rubbermaid thingies. Then in my garden, I plant them in the ground, and some I have built and used Lincoln logs as my pyramids. Others I have found little stone rabbits or bears etc: and this represents what they will become in their new life.

I’m a huge geek when it comes to ancient Egypt. It just rained really bad, and some of my head stones floated away. But they are in my garden somewhere still. But once it looks pretty again. I’ll post pics. It’s kinda fun and dorky but hey they were my lovely pets at one point.

 

[HB AL]

Put most of them in pots of plants.

 

[SandJ]

Heaven seems to be the only legit answer to your question

Well, obviously, that is where their souls go. But I am wondering about their little skeletons left here on earth

 

[Wiskey]

I used to put them in my CA reactor to give life to future stonies! Now I have a mostly softie tank so it's less of an issue.

Whiskey

 

[ritter6788]

One day scientists will dig up my back yard and swear there once existed a reef in east texas.

 

[Dsnakes]

Out of my poor lost souls... a few stayed in the tank, and the rest are in my rubble rock box on the shelf

 

[Sallstrom]

We use them in our calcium reactors. Recycling

/ David

 

[Cherub]

mine are still in the tank, i just toss them to the sand behind the rocks

 

[pharazon]

Hello,

So I may win dork of the year award for this, but your gonna think I’m nuts. I put them in empty prescription bottles. Pharmacist will give you like ten or 15 bottles just for med management. (Lol no I am not on tons of meds I’m on just one).

I am kinda creative but I kinda treat all my coral like the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. I will put Acros in the bottles, (yes I have to break them up) then lps that fit, in bottles. The rest lol I use these super cheap Rubbermaid thingies. Then in my garden, I plant them in the ground, and some I have built and used Lincoln logs as my pyramids. Others I have found little stone rabbits or bears etc: and this represents what they will become in their new life.

I’m a huge geek when it comes to ancient Egypt. It just rained really bad, and some of my head stones floated away. But they are in my garden somewhere still. But once it looks pretty again. I’ll post pics. It’s kinda fun and dorky but hey they were my lovely pets at one point.

I love everything about this.

 

[reef lover]

Mine become frag plugs for the xenia..lol

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Where do bad corals go when they die?
They don't go to reef heaven where the angel fish fly
They go down to the reactor of fire and fry
Won't see 'em again till the growth of July…

Sorry, Nirvana fan. Couldn't help myself.

 

[jayala12]

That big ocean in the sky where there is no off parameters. Just endless sunshine and perfect water flow. [emoji1362]..... and ice cream [emoji510]

 

[NS Mike D]

mine are still in the tank, i just toss them to the sand behind the rocks

same here. I have a mandarin so the rubble pile behind the rocks adds hiding places for the pods

 

[andrewkw]

I might just have a box or 2 of coral skeletons in my closet. One day I'd like to do something with them I just don't know what..

 

[Killamanjaro]

One day scientists will dig up my back yard and swear there once existed a reef in east texas.

Best answer!

 

[AdamNC]

Depends on the size. If it’s a colony, it gets bleached and placed on a mantle. If it’s just a stick or a frag, then I scrap the frag off the plug and bleach the plug for reuse later.

 

[Waters]

Right in the trash

 

[declanisadog]

depends on my mood. Usually sump, but if I’m angry, they get thrown out the back door.