Corals for a beginner

Tang tank · 03/28/2011, 06:50 PM

I would like to start adding some corals to my tank. What would be some that will add bright color and fair well under (4) T5 bulbs (2 are white and 2 are blue) and (8) LED moonlights. I like the corals that flow with the current in the tanks of my LFS. My pH is 8.2, ammonia 0ppm, nitrites 0ppm, nitrates 8ppm.

joem1cha3l · 03/28/2011, 06:52 PM

zoos, mushrooms, frogspawn, xenia just to name a few

thegrun · 03/28/2011, 06:54 PM

Look here for easy corals:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/cor...5-Easy-Corals/
This web site gives more detailed information on a broad range of corals:
http://www.peteducation.com/category.cfm?c=16+2157

ramtmac · 03/28/2011, 07:26 PM

Green star polyp
ricordia
most soft corals

iamwrasseman · 03/28/2011, 07:40 PM

zoas ,shrooms and frogspawns for my suggestion and please stay away from xenia unless you want a tank full of it .

AmberL · 03/29/2011, 07:06 AM

I have 4 T5s as well and a set of LEDs. I just purchased my first corals - a green star polyp and a daisy coral. They both flow in the water and the polyp has great green color. The daisy coral is a reddish color with a bright green center on each "daisy".

Sugar Magnolia · 03/29/2011, 07:08 AM

The problem with mushrooms, xenia, star polyps, clove polyps, is that they all have the potential to become very invasive. All of them should be isolated from the main rockwork to make them easy to maintain.

HanoverFist · 03/29/2011, 08:45 AM

I'd stick with ricordea and zoas for softies, acans and blastos for lps.

All are relatively cheap and have high survivability - and won't become invasive.

Those are what I started with and been going well. Just moved up to a Hammer and Frogspawn.

gweston · 03/29/2011, 10:55 AM

I love how Xenia look. But they can be a pest unless you keep a tight leash on them. Kenya trees are nice too, but they can spread a bit. Though they are FAR less aggressive.

Frogspawn, hammer, ricordia, mushrooms are great starter softy corals. Polyps are ok too. Zoas may be hit or miss. I had a bunch when I started my new tank. They lived for 6 months, then melted away for no apparent reason. I am steering clear of Zoas for a while. I'll take another shot down the line after I get my larger system with frag tank set up.

duncantse · 03/29/2011, 11:01 AM

+1 on Mushrooms.

bruno87 · 03/29/2011, 11:10 AM

Green star polyps, mushrooms, rics.

Mylilreef · 03/29/2011, 03:06 PM

I would say stay away from Kenya Trees. I put one in my 55g it got to be about 5" tall and then started dropping off branches (new Kenya Trees) I've finally learned what to look for before they drop and have been throwing them in my quarantine for now. now there is over 2 dozen 2-3" trees down there, and when i rescaped my rock a couple weeks ago found at least another 1/2 dozen more babies that I have missed. Had i known that going in, it never would have made it into my tank.

03/28/2011, 06:50 PM	#1
Tang tank Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Suwanee, GA Posts: 71	Corals for a beginner I would like to start adding some corals to my tank. What would be some that will add bright color and fair well under (4) T5 bulbs (2 are white and 2 are blue) and (8) LED moonlights. I like the corals that flow with the current in the tanks of my LFS. My pH is 8.2, ammonia 0ppm, nitrites 0ppm, nitrates 8ppm.

03/28/2011, 06:52 PM	#2
joem1cha3l Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,158	zoos, mushrooms, frogspawn, xenia just to name a few __________________ IM10G Nano - MP10, AI Nano, RKL

03/28/2011, 07:40 PM	#5
iamwrasseman Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: syracuse Posts: 7,003	zoas ,shrooms and frogspawns for my suggestion and please stay away from xenia unless you want a tank full of it . __________________ This hobby certainly can put you in some weird positions ! Dave Current Tank Info: 40 freshwater,25saltwater 2000 gallons ,enough tanks for an army ?

03/29/2011, 07:06 AM	#6
AmberL Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 205	I have 4 T5s as well and a set of LEDs. I just purchased my first corals - a green star polyp and a daisy coral. They both flow in the water and the polyp has great green color. The daisy coral is a reddish color with a bright green center on each "daisy". __________________ ~Amber Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef tank; 2 clowns; Midas blenny; diamond goby; CUC; sand sifting star fish; torch; green star polyps; green plate; brain coral; finger leather; cleaner shrimp; porcelain crab; daisy coral

03/29/2011, 07:08 AM	#7
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	The problem with mushrooms, xenia, star polyps, clove polyps, is that they all have the potential to become very invasive. All of them should be isolated from the main rockwork to make them easy to maintain. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

03/28/2011, 06:54 PM	#3
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Look here for easy corals: http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/cor...5-Easy-Corals/ This web site gives more detailed information on a broad range of corals: http://www.peteducation.com/category.cfm?c=16+2157

03/28/2011, 07:26 PM	#4
ramtmac Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 407	Green star polyp ricordia most soft corals

03/29/2011, 08:45 AM	#8
HanoverFist Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Phoenix, Az Posts: 626	I'd stick with ricordea and zoas for softies, acans and blastos for lps. All are relatively cheap and have high survivability - and won't become invasive. Those are what I started with and been going well. Just moved up to a Hammer and Frogspawn.

03/29/2011, 10:55 AM	#9
gweston Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Gardner, MA Posts: 961	I love how Xenia look. But they can be a pest unless you keep a tight leash on them. Kenya trees are nice too, but they can spread a bit. Though they are FAR less aggressive. Frogspawn, hammer, ricordia, mushrooms are great starter softy corals. Polyps are ok too. Zoas may be hit or miss. I had a bunch when I started my new tank. They lived for 6 months, then melted away for no apparent reason. I am steering clear of Zoas for a while. I'll take another shot down the line after I get my larger system with frag tank set up.

03/29/2011, 11:01 AM	#10
duncantse Fish Advisor Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 1,604	+1 on Mushrooms.

03/29/2011, 11:10 AM	#11
bruno87 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: bay area Posts: 34	Green star polyps, mushrooms, rics.

03/29/2011, 03:06 PM	#12
Mylilreef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 304	I would say stay away from Kenya Trees. I put one in my 55g it got to be about 5" tall and then started dropping off branches (new Kenya Trees) I've finally learned what to look for before they drop and have been throwing them in my quarantine for now. now there is over 2 dozen 2-3" trees down there, and when i rescaped my rock a couple weeks ago found at least another 1/2 dozen more babies that I have missed. Had i known that going in, it never would have made it into my tank. __________________ -Cory Current Tank Info: 55g mixed reef (upgrading to 150g Tall), 30g Long w/softies(soon to be a sump for the 150g), 20g Tall mixed, 5g w/softies, 10g quarantine that somehow turned into another softy tank

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