Best coral for beginners?

[meganbrownmkrb]

Hi! I'm only approx 4 months into this. I have a 29 gal biocube with 2 clownfish, a fireshrimp and a couple snails and hermits.

Just curious what is the best coral for beginners and what would be a good choice considering what I have in the tank.

Here's a picture:

[downbeach]

Here is an article worth a read. Keeping in mind that some of these species are somewhat invasive, i.e. Kenya Tree, but are pretty hardy.

http://successfulreefkeeping.com/lea...coral-choices/

[meganbrownmkrb]

Thank you so much! Great article.

[Scorpius]

What's best for beginners is to get some quality alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium tests and then make sure everything is within range before purchasing corals.

[CafeReef]

My tank is almost 6 months old now. I started with a small zoa frag, it has done fairly well, I lose heads, gain heads, lose heads, gain heads it's interesting. I have a Kenya Tree also that has grown like mad. I really like it and my LFS takes the branches it drops in store credit from me. Green Star Polyp (GSP) is also a great option for something very hardy, it can grow wild too. I bought a frag and glued it to the back wall of my tank (I basically have a 21 biocube) this way it will grow like grass on the back wall.

I would recommend testing your Alk, mag and Calcium levels to see where your at for corals. if you could hit 9-10 on Alk and close to 400 on Calc and your magnesium levels around 1200 or so you will be in fantastic shape.

[GilliganReef]

Easiest coral I would say would be Green Star Polyp, but most people would recommended against it since they are nuisance. What kind of tank you going for LPS or Softie? That would be the best place to start to figure out which way you are moving towards to figure out which coral to start with.

Softies I would start with Zoas or Mushroms.
LPS I would start with Frogspawn or Duncans.

[anthonys51]

yes soft corals are easy to take care of , but in a year your tank will look very crowded. but they are the least demanding. i would start with a few zoa and Kenya tree, or gsp. i really like the gsp/ but i put them on my sand trim when they try to run
see if those will grow in your tank, and if they do. maybe if you wanted to get into lps, a hammer or Duncan would be good starters, like the person above stated.

[meganbrownmkrb]

I'm really liking the look of Xenia and from what I have read, clowns love to host it. Is this one hard for beginners? Oan, I am also liking the frogspawn.

Going Thursday to the LFS to get the water tested and whatever is needed to get our water right for coral.

[bmackcw]

Frogspawn is cool. Zoas are beautiful and easy. Mushrooms grow fast, and ricordias are especially cool. Get one Kenya tree and you'll have a forest in six months. Green star polyps do grow super fast but I wish I never got them. Just my experience...

[TangingOut]

Originally Posted by meganbrownmkrb

I'm really liking the look of Xenia and from what I have read, clowns love to host it. Is this one hard for beginners? Oan, I am also liking the frogspawn.

Going Thursday to the LFS to get the water tested and whatever is needed to get our water right for coral.

LFS is a good source to check your test results against, but I wouldn't use them for my only source of testing. I'd say buy test kits before corals or livestock for that matter. Once parameters are within range and stable, then knock yourself out.

[WaReefer458]

Frogspawns, zoas, hammer, torch, and mushrooms are a good start. I'd stay away from the xenia, I still have ptsd from how bad those spread. You have to remote the rock and scrub it with a wire brush to fully rid your tank of it when it starts spreading. Also if you get into corals of any kind they are going to want more flow so invest in a power head.

[TattedUpFishGuy]

Pulsing xenia is a beautiful coral but yes they spread like crazy. I seen a post yesterday from a member who had nothing but xenia it looked pretty awesome. I bought a small piece of xenia with three little branches on it six months back and it's multiplied X10 but I like the look so far. I have zoas that are doing great. Kenya tree and mushrooms as well. My favorite is the Duncan coral and it's doing excellent. All of these corals I have are easy for beginners. Good luck

[meganbrownmkrb]

Thanks so much for all the feedback. I will most definitely look into getting my own test kit. The more I look at Kenya tree, it's starting to grow on me. I will more than likely start off with just one coral, though.
I am LOVING the whole process, yet it stresses me out a little because I feel like I put so much time into it and worry that I may do something wrong. Lol guess I may be hooked. ;-)

[meganbrownmkrb]

I was told by LFS this afternoon we were good to go!!! So we got hammer coral! Just put it in and wanted to share a picture.

[tc2007]

You can try Green Star Polyps on a small rock separate from your main rock work so it does not take over. Xenias are going to be a hit or miss.

[broadwave]

Originally Posted by meganbrownmkrb

I'm really liking the look of Xenia and from what I have read, clowns love to host it. Is this one hard for beginners? Oan, I am also liking the frogspawn.

Going Thursday to the LFS to get the water tested and whatever is needed to get our water right for coral.

If you do get Xenia, get the Red Sea White/Pink variety. You can place it on your back wall and they will grow up the wall, a really, really cool effect. Xenia will also help to filter your water of nutrients, which is why they can become invasive in some tanks. Just be sure to pull that big rock structure away from the wall so they will not grow on your rock. Another benefit to having them grow on your wall is you can easily remove / prune them with a razor blade should they get out of control.

When I first got into this hobby many, many years ago, there was a local LFS that had the Red Sea Xenia growing up the back wall of their display tank. It was mesmerizing.

But to answer your question, for beginner corals, most softies (except NPS ones) and LPS will do fine. And as Scorpius said get some quality Calcium, Alk and Magnesium test kits. Also, Test regularly until you learn what you tank needs and be consistent with water changes, +/- 20% a month and you will have a thriving reef in no time.

Good luck! Looking forward to seeing this progress.

HTH

[TattedUpFishGuy]

Looking good!

[meganbrownmkrb]

So, I have another question and then I'll stop bugging you all so much! ;-)
Is it completely necessary to glue the coral to the rock? I have mine in a decent size hole on the live rock. It feels stable there, however I have had to straighten it back up twice. A couple hermit crabs and my fireshrimp have been on it. Could this be the cause?
Should I do something differently?
Do they prefer the sand? It is no longer on a base.

[meganbrownmkrb]

Also, we have had the fireshrimp for going on 2 months now and he has been cool. But as soon as I put my hand in that tank yesterday he acted as if he was ready to go off on me! LOL All of sudden he is not shy anymore and seems very territorial. Is that normal?

[meganbrownmkrb]

Here is a picture to try and show you how I have it placed in the hole:



And here is a picture of Mr. Flame (our fireshrimp) daring me to put my hand back in there. Ha!!!

[meganbrownmkrb]

Just wanted to update so I can keep track of the growth in the tank and the new items added.

Today, I believe I ****ed my hammer coral off (which has been doing AWESOME) because I moved it and it definitely stung my hand.

I also moved some rock around and bought three new corals (hairy mushroom, neon green candy cane, and a Kenya tree).

I am still not completely sure on the placement of everything and also bought a new rock to add into the equation, so I will update when that gets put in as well.

Any suggestions on the placement of my hammer and candy cane coral???

[Dkuhlmann]

Start everything off in the sand, then you can move them to the areas the particular corals prefer.. The hammer will always want the sand, it like med light and low flow. The Kenya tree will eventually like moderate to heavy flow and med to high light, warning on the Kenya tree is they will shed not only their skin so on those days they'll look sick but they will drop branches. You can glue the drops off on pieces of lr rubble or on frag discs.

Green candy cane will be in the middle of the spectrum med light and low to med flow. The mushrooms like pretty much anything.

One thing to remember is NEVER glue a coral where you want it as soon as you put it in your tank. Never glue them in place until you have found a spot they are happiest in.

Hope this helps

[meganbrownmkrb]

Thank you....that helps a ton!!!! Will be putting the candy cane in the sand tonight. I don't like the frag things they are all glued on, but I'd much rather leave them on those instead of trying to pry them off. I just don't really like the idea of gluing them for some reason.

I was told at the LFS today that they have some kind of putty type stuff I can use instead, but I will try that after I start them off in the sand and then find a spot good for them.

[blando233]

Originally Posted by dkuhlmann

start everything off in the sand, then you can move them to the areas the particular corals prefer.. The hammer will always want the sand, it like med light and low flow. The kenya tree will eventually like moderate to heavy flow and med to high light, warning on the kenya tree is they will shed not only their skin so on those days they'll look sick but they will drop branches. You can glue the drops off on pieces of lr rubble or on frag discs.

Green candy cane will be in the middle of the spectrum med light and low to med flow. The mushrooms like pretty much anything.

One thing to remember is never glue a coral where you want it as soon as you put it in your tank. Never glue them in place until you have found a spot they are happiest in.

Hope this helps

+1

[Scorpius]

Start low and slow.