Need some suggestions for inevitable future upgrade

Bolivian Ram · 08/05/2013, 05:26 PM

My 30 gallon tank so far is doing great. It's about 2.5 years old now. As well, my corals are growing and eventually they will outgrow the tank maybe by the end of the year or so. I've been contemplating upgrading to a 60 gallon cube by the end of the year. Since I don't want to upgrade further after this and I'm not interested in fragging, I need to know if my coral will be able to reach max size in the 60 gallon tank or not.

My current corals are:

Zoanthids
Green Star Polyps
Plate Coral
Birdnest Coral
Elegance Coral
Hammer Coral
Toadstool Coral

If they cannot fit long term in the 60 gallon cube can you guys suggest a tank size which will accommodate their eventual max size?

jerpa · 08/05/2013, 05:32 PM

You will have to frag. Many corals don't have a max size worth considering with respect to our tanks. An elegance alone can take up half a 90. A birdsnest can grow to the size of a basketball in a few years. I've seen branching hammers this size as well. Given time a single montipora would have no trouble filling it. Zoas and polyps will simply spread until they have nowhere to spread to anymore, but can be managed by placing them on rocks separate from the main structure.

Andyf30 · 08/05/2013, 06:41 PM

Max size is essentially irrelevant for coral. They grow until they can't fit, and then grow again until they can't fit in another direction.Then again, I have a 60 cube (ironically there are a few bolivian rams in there) and it is pretty spacious.

08/05/2013, 05:26 PM	#1
Bolivian Ram Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 128	Need some suggestions for inevitable future upgrade My 30 gallon tank so far is doing great. It's about 2.5 years old now. As well, my corals are growing and eventually they will outgrow the tank maybe by the end of the year or so. I've been contemplating upgrading to a 60 gallon cube by the end of the year. Since I don't want to upgrade further after this and I'm not interested in fragging, I need to know if my coral will be able to reach max size in the 60 gallon tank or not. My current corals are: Zoanthids Green Star Polyps Plate Coral Birdnest Coral Elegance Coral Hammer Coral Toadstool Coral If they cannot fit long term in the 60 gallon cube can you guys suggest a tank size which will accommodate their eventual max size?

08/05/2013, 05:32 PM	#2
jerpa Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 2,174	You will have to frag. Many corals don't have a max size worth considering with respect to our tanks. An elegance alone can take up half a 90. A birdsnest can grow to the size of a basketball in a few years. I've seen branching hammers this size as well. Given time a single montipora would have no trouble filling it. Zoas and polyps will simply spread until they have nowhere to spread to anymore, but can be managed by placing them on rocks separate from the main structure. __________________ Jer Current Tank Info: 40b basement sump, 40b refugium, 30g frag

08/05/2013, 06:41 PM	#3
Andyf30 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Maine and Florida Posts: 675	Max size is essentially irrelevant for coral. They grow until they can't fit, and then grow again until they can't fit in another direction.Then again, I have a 60 cube (ironically there are a few bolivian rams in there) and it is pretty spacious. __________________ Nothing but a FW tank owner now :/