Is Goniopora hard to keep?

[DotAlbo]

I have a 6 month old tank and i'm thinking of keeping Goniopora but i have done some research and it seems like a hard coral to keep. CAn anyone tell me if i can keep them and some tips will be great.

thanks.

[Brewman12er]

depends on lighting..


my suggestion is to read alot of feed/keeping info on this web http://www.goniopora.org/

i made the mistake of buyin one not realizing what it was. it was by chance i came across that webby and found out how to feed him and keep him happy :+).. he was my first coral since i came back to reefing, def would not suggest it to a true "newbie" to reefing. imo better off with green star polps or mushrooms.

you can do it. if you stay up with it, just like anything else in a hobby.

how i feed mine is with a rather large syringe i make a mix of food that has mysis/cylco/copods. i turn off my pumps and coat the goni with the mix. i typicaly leave the pumps off for 5-10 min. he will retrack his tenticals when he gets what he wants.

word of advise. put him in a low flow area and not to close to the lighting.

[Sk8r]

It is a hard coral. There will be many gonioporas you will have a chance at. Give you tank about a year, and be sure you have firm control over your mg. calcium, alk balance. You don't say how large your tank is. But you will need that chemical stability---may need a kalk drip. First thing is to stabilize your salinity with an autotopoff unit; then go to alk/cal stabilization via kalk drip or calcium reactor: the more delicate corals don't like peaks and valleys: they want their favorite chemicals whenever they want them, no shortages, no blips. The same way an autotopoff tops off by the teaspoon, the kalk drip adds calcium/alkalinity by the teaspoon. And if you have those two systems, and no more peaks and valleys, and the right lighting (moderate) and flow (moderate) you're good to go with that coral.

Brewman, our posts crossed: congrats on hitting the ground running with that one...one of the crankiest corals; and evidently you've studied hard on that one. It's very, very hard to start with, for sure: the chances of a water/chemical-accident are real high in your first year and if it's still going for you, you're doing very, very well!

[DotAlbo]

thanks for the advice guys, really appreciate it, i think i will pass this time and get easier corals. will come back to it when i am more experienced

[DotAlbo]

Sorry, one more question, what is the most important testing i should do to my water? I have test kit for PH, NH3/4, NO2, NO3, salinity, calcium and Alk. what else should i watch out? thanks,

[mg426]

IMO there is absolutly no margain for error when trying to keep this coral. It can be done, but it is one of the most difficult types that one will encounter.

[FOSELONE]

flower pots & elegance corals for me...no luck

[Sk8r]

Basically, re water---
1. use ro/di
2. dose to maintain 8.3-9.3 alkalinity. Kent dkh Buffer is good---there are others too.
3. dose to maintain 420-430 calcium. Kent turbo Calcium pilled form is good. likewise other choices.
4. dose *if necessary* to maintain 3x the magnesium reading as calcium: ie, if 420 calcium, then 1260 magnesium
DO NOT DOSE ANYTHING YOU dOn"T TesT for....

Now the secret cheat: if you first set the levels by hand dosing, then top off with 2 teaspoons kalk powder per gallon in your autotopoff reservoir, the levels will stay where you set them until the magnesium runs out, without your needing to dose daily. Kalk powder (Mrs. Wages Pickling lime is what I use.) It should be lidded, it should be dispensed by a topoff system, and you need to test weekly to be sure your levels are staying. That's called dripping kalk. If you want to know more about that system, kalk, kalkwasser, or kalkwater is what to look for. It's extremely easy to DIY. A lid on your topoff bucket and a decent topoff system are the heart of it all. It's a lot cheaper than additives. If you are going down the road to stony corals or clams, this is one of the safest, simplest, easiest ways to supplement calcium and alk simultaneously. But be sure to ask questions while setting something like this up. Recommended: a topoff reservoir of at least 5 gallons. With a lid. And a good, number-based, standard scale set of tests, for alk, cal, mg.

[mg426]

Very well stated Sk8r. I agree Again that it can be done. BUT it is still going to be HARD !!!!!!!

[DotAlbo]

thank you guys and sk8r u are the best!