Which Corals For My Future Reef Tank?

[Gramma20]

Hi everyone. I’m going to be setting up a 20 gallon long reef tank. The light will be a Mars Aqua 165w (middle of tank), Mars Aqua 300w (higher above the tank), or Current USA LED 24-36 inch. Which of these would be best for growing corals? Can I have duncan, frogspawn, hammer, or torch corals? Which soft corals would be good and not too expensive? Are zoanthids an option? Thanks in advance.

 

[ndrwater]

I think either would work, but my go to guy is, as always, @saltyfilmfolks

 

[Gramma20]

Hi, do you mean the lights?

 

[A Toadstool Leather]

I would start with soft corals until you are comfortable keeping params stable. Stony corals are hardy but keeping alk, ca, and mg levels right becomes harder when they grow. Good softies include leathers, mushrooms, zoas, and palys.

Your lights should be good for beginner corals but im not sure about more advanced ones such as sps.

 

[Gramma20]

The Mars Aqua 300w can’t grow sps? Which lights can grow sps? If they are more than $200 then I will probably just have lps and soft corals.

 

[Mrx7899]

Mars Aqua 300w will grow sps just fine

 

[A Toadstool Leather]

The Mars Aqua 300w can’t grow sps? Which lights can grow sps? If they are more than $200 then I will probably just have lps and soft corals.

I just was not sure. Based on other responses they will grow them well.

 

[Mrx7899]

viparspectra are a better light and only a couple more dollars.

 

[lapin]

Hi everyone. I’m going to be setting up a 20 gallon long reef tank. The light will be a Mars Aqua 165w (middle of tank), Mars Aqua 300w (higher above the tank), or Current USA LED 24-36 inch. Which of these would be best for growing corals?

I would go with a Viparspectra 300w dimable. I think they are a good light and you can grow anything in a 20 gallon long tank . The Mars Aqua 300w would be fine too. I think you could also get away with the 2 brnads in a 165w model in a 20 gallon tank if you placed it higher over the tank. I have one over my 20g fuge and it bleeds over so I had to wrap black around my reactor to keep it from growing algae.

Can I have duncan, frogspawn, hammer, or torch corals? Which soft corals would be good and not too expensive? Are zoanthids an option? Thanks in advance.

Duncan, frogspawn, hammer, and torch corals are good choices provided you have good random flow.
I will opt out of recommending any zoas since I'm not a fan and dont have any.

 

[Gramma20]

I will have a Fluval Aquaclear 50 or 70 and a 170 gph powerhead and a 200 gph powerhead. Is it enough for my tank?

 

[lapin]

I cant answer that. I have never had one of those style power heads in a reef tank. Only fresh water. 370/20=18x turnover. I think for softies you want about 30x to 40x turnover. They need water blowing thru them for a number of reasons. In more than 1 direction. Sort of back and forth.
If you dont see the coral blowing around a bit, you might need something that you can point like this.
https://www.marinedepot.com/JBJ_Oce...Powerheads-JBJ_Lighting-JB6311-FIPHFF-vi.html

 

[lapin]

I will have a Fluval Aquaclear 50 or 70 and a 170 gph powerhead and a 200 gph powerhead. Is it enough for my tank?

Here is an example of a torch in my tank and the flow it gets

 

[Gramma20]

Isn’t the filter also included in total gph?

 

[lapin]

Yes it is.

 

[Gramma20]

With the Fluval Aquaclear 50 that would be 28.5x turnover. Fluval Aquaclear 70 is 300 gph so 33.5x turnover. Is that enough? Can I have the filter and powerheads on one end of the tank?

 

[lapin]

It might work. The flow from each device can bounce off the glass at a different spot. You will have to play with pointing them. If they rotate back and forth automaticly that's even better.

 

[Gramma20]

Would it be better to have 2 200 gph powerheads or 1 400 gph powerhead? What about wave makers?

 

[lapin]

Wave makers are great.
Generally the more places water enters the tank the more random mixed flow you will get. 2 can be better than 1

 

[Gramma20]

Is a 530 gph wavemaker too much?

 

[lapin]

It will be fine if you do not point it at the sand. It will need to be pointed length wise.