Corals for starters?

Vpkjules · 09/19/2016, 12:18 PM

Hi!

Wondering what corals are good for starters.
We've slowly started to put in our first corals

Euphyllia (pinkish brown color and green with purple tips) so pretty!
Zoanthids (eagle eyes and radioactive dragon eye)
Ricordea florida green

We want to add blue discosoma and some more zoanthids.

Now here comes the question (finally

) : what other corals are not to hard to keep? Everything we seem to like turns out to be hard

we love everything colourful and preferably blue, purple, pink or yellow...

Can anybody help us out a bit?

Sk8r · 09/19/2016, 12:38 PM

Run carbon. ANd dose calcium as follows, with Salifert tests and Kent supplements for: alkalinity (s/b 8.3) calcium (s/b 420) and magnesium (Tech-M) (s/b 1350---and hold them at that, testing weekly. Without those, the hammer will die.

The carbon is to remove the coral spit from the zoas and discos, which spit into the water to discourage the hammer. Do not put the hammer within 5" of any other coral.

It is extra work to mix softies (zoas, discos, etc) and stonies (hammer.) You need to change out carbon at least monthly, and keep those levels where stated above by constant topoff (an autotopoff unit will save your sanity.) Once you get that established, and have an ATO, ask me about kalk, which makes dosing easier.

nuttyd · 09/19/2016, 12:44 PM

try a green bubble coral. They are easy in my opinion and quite fun to watch eat.

Sk8r · 09/19/2016, 01:13 PM

They are stony, prefer the bottom of the tank, and have a 6" reach, even straight up.

Vpkjules · 09/19/2016, 02:55 PM

Great, thx dor the info! Bubble corals are indeed awesome!
We have an ATO, thank god for that :-D

nuttyd · 09/19/2016, 03:07 PM

Yep agreed. They do have some reach. Mine has taken over a corner of the tank. Almost 12" in diameter and extends out 10" plus.

reef thief · 09/19/2016, 03:09 PM

Who's we exactly.....? Anyway acans are good starters. Watch where you place the corals that will spread quickly. They can dominate a part of the tank that you had plans for in the future.

BeachVacationer · 09/19/2016, 04:40 PM

+1 to acans! They are beautiful and hardy. I've had many swings in my parameters it looked great through it all. I don't manually feed mine, so it grows rather slowly. But I love the colors. I also like my sinularia soft coral, it's so different looking than other corals and its very delicate looking when the polyps are fully extended. It's hardy too and beautiful.

Bent · 09/20/2016, 06:33 AM

Most of mine are beginner corals I consider.

I do have a SPS frag that's growing and doing well, I have no idea the species though.

Other than that I have:
Favia bran
Acan brain
Torch
Hammer
Frogspawn
Sinularia
Devils hand
Rock anemone (not a coral but pretty hardy)
Zoas
Duncan

I think if I had to get more it would be
Deresa clam
Hippopus clam
Toad stool
Photosynthetic gorg
Monti cap
Chalice
Candy cane
Ricordias

Really I have no desire to get into super difficult corals, I just don't have the time.

mitchb · 09/20/2016, 10:58 AM

You could produce a colorful reef with zooanthids and mushrooms alone. It helps to have a good vendor in your area. I used to drive 100 miles to find corals, I don't know what's in your area, but it is worth the trip imo.

09/19/2016, 12:18 PM	#1
Vpkjules Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 52	Corals for starters? Hi! Wondering what corals are good for starters. We've slowly started to put in our first corals Euphyllia (pinkish brown color and green with purple tips) so pretty! Zoanthids (eagle eyes and radioactive dragon eye) Ricordea florida green We want to add blue discosoma and some more zoanthids. Now here comes the question (finally ) : what other corals are not to hard to keep? Everything we seem to like turns out to be hard we love everything colourful and preferably blue, purple, pink or yellow... Can anybody help us out a bit?

09/19/2016, 12:38 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Run carbon. ANd dose calcium as follows, with Salifert tests and Kent supplements for: alkalinity (s/b 8.3) calcium (s/b 420) and magnesium (Tech-M) (s/b 1350---and hold them at that, testing weekly. Without those, the hammer will die. The carbon is to remove the coral spit from the zoas and discos, which spit into the water to discourage the hammer. Do not put the hammer within 5" of any other coral. It is extra work to mix softies (zoas, discos, etc) and stonies (hammer.) You need to change out carbon at least monthly, and keep those levels where stated above by constant topoff (an autotopoff unit will save your sanity.) Once you get that established, and have an ATO, ask me about kalk, which makes dosing easier. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

09/19/2016, 01:13 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	They are stony, prefer the bottom of the tank, and have a 6" reach, even straight up. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

09/19/2016, 03:09 PM	#7
reef thief Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Republic of Chicago Posts: 225	Who's we exactly.....? Anyway acans are good starters. Watch where you place the corals that will spread quickly. They can dominate a part of the tank that you had plans for in the future. __________________ Sent from my Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System Current Tank Info: 120 G glass

09/20/2016, 06:33 AM	#9
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	Most of mine are beginner corals I consider. I do have a SPS frag that's growing and doing well, I have no idea the species though. Other than that I have: Favia bran Acan brain Torch Hammer Frogspawn Sinularia Devils hand Rock anemone (not a coral but pretty hardy) Zoas Duncan I think if I had to get more it would be Deresa clam Hippopus clam Toad stool Photosynthetic gorg Monti cap Chalice Candy cane Ricordias Really I have no desire to get into super difficult corals, I just don't have the time. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

09/19/2016, 12:44 PM	#3
nuttyd Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Coral Gables Posts: 520	try a green bubble coral. They are easy in my opinion and quite fun to watch eat.

09/19/2016, 02:55 PM	#5
Vpkjules Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 52	Great, thx dor the info! Bubble corals are indeed awesome! We have an ATO, thank god for that :-D

09/19/2016, 03:07 PM	#6
nuttyd Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Coral Gables Posts: 520	Yep agreed. They do have some reach. Mine has taken over a corner of the tank. Almost 12" in diameter and extends out 10" plus.

09/19/2016, 04:40 PM	#8
BeachVacationer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 546	+1 to acans! They are beautiful and hardy. I've had many swings in my parameters it looked great through it all. I don't manually feed mine, so it grows rather slowly. But I love the colors. I also like my sinularia soft coral, it's so different looking than other corals and its very delicate looking when the polyps are fully extended. It's hardy too and beautiful.

09/20/2016, 10:58 AM	#10
mitchb Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 55	You could produce a colorful reef with zooanthids and mushrooms alone. It helps to have a good vendor in your area. I used to drive 100 miles to find corals, I don't know what's in your area, but it is worth the trip imo. __________________ I guess I am an old-timer now. Recently back in the hobby. May 1998 Aquarium Frontiers TOTM for 240g SPS. One of Steve Tyree's original Reef Farmers. Volunteer Aquarist at Birch Aquarium at Scripps Last edited by mitchb; 09/20/2016 at 11:00 AM. Reason: Typo