old dead coral question

firewill65 · 06/21/2011, 05:01 PM

A friend gave me a nice coral skeleton which I though would look nice in my display tank. Part of it I had to glue back on with water weld. My question is once the tank is established will this piece of coral help with filtration? Also, is there anything I can get to grow on it? Purple Coraline? I figure in a year I won't be able to see the spot where it was glued together. Any ideas or opinions are welcome. Below is a pic..... Thank you!

firewill65 · 06/21/2011, 05:03 PM

Also...the sand in the picture is shown just how it fell when I put it in the tank. Am I suppose to rake it and smooth/even it out or does it look better the way it is? Thanks!

WaterKeeper · 06/21/2011, 05:09 PM

Hi Will,

The dead coral will act as base rock and coralline will grow on it over time if you add some real live rock. You can arrange the sand with any look that pleases you as long as the bed has some deep spots.

firewill65 · 06/21/2011, 05:17 PM

are there any type of encrusting corals that would grow on this? Either way I like the way it looks in the tank...it if turns puprle that will look even better! Thanks!

milesofreefs · 06/21/2011, 05:22 PM

you can grow anything on it. they use plate coral and brain coral skeletons to grow zoas on all the time, just let some coralline build up on it and start placing corals on it or around it. something would grow nicely on it id lay it down and make it a bridge from island to island and stick some zoas on it.

crvz · 06/21/2011, 07:30 PM

indeed, anything should grow on it. If you just want it covered in something, look for an encrusting montipora species.

tyler3276 · 06/21/2011, 08:49 PM

green star polyps would look cool on it

firewill65 · 06/21/2011, 09:04 PM

sounds good. Is there any way of telling what kind of coral it was at one time?

MandM · 06/21/2011, 09:50 PM

Make sure your base rocks are sitting solidly on the bottom of the tank and not on top of sand. Otherwise, as the aragonite dissolves, the rocks will shift and can break the glass.

jon99 · 06/21/2011, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MandM

Make sure your base rocks are sitting solidly on the bottom of the tank and not on top of sand. Otherwise, as the aragonite dissolves, the rocks will shift and can break the glass.

Agreed, but why would aragonite dissolve??

firewill65 · 06/22/2011, 04:39 AM

I know what was meant...I think maybe the word shift fits better. Anyhow, I built my pillars on an acrylic base and drilled the rock which has a fiberglass rod going through. Even the skeleton coral has a rod going inside it. I should be good as I want some sand sifting friends.

pentrix2 · 06/22/2011, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MandM

Make sure your base rocks are sitting solidly on the bottom of the tank and not on top of sand. Otherwise, as the aragonite dissolves, the rocks will shift and can break the glass.

oh shoot, i didn't know that. when i get home I better push my rocks to the bottom.

Pen

06/21/2011, 05:01 PM	#1
firewill65 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pembroke Pines, Florida Posts: 746	old dead coral question A friend gave me a nice coral skeleton which I though would look nice in my display tank. Part of it I had to glue back on with water weld. My question is once the tank is established will this piece of coral help with filtration? Also, is there anything I can get to grow on it? Purple Coraline? I figure in a year I won't be able to see the spot where it was glued together. Any ideas or opinions are welcome. Below is a pic..... Thank you!

06/21/2011, 05:09 PM	#3
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	Hi Will, The dead coral will act as base rock and coralline will grow on it over time if you add some real live rock. You can arrange the sand with any look that pleases you as long as the bed has some deep spots. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

06/21/2011, 05:22 PM	#5
milesofreefs Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 692	you can grow anything on it. they use plate coral and brain coral skeletons to grow zoas on all the time, just let some coralline build up on it and start placing corals on it or around it. something would grow nicely on it id lay it down and make it a bridge from island to island and stick some zoas on it. __________________ water and electricity... whats your hobby consist of?

06/21/2011, 07:30 PM	#6
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	indeed, anything should grow on it. If you just want it covered in something, look for an encrusting montipora species. __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

06/21/2011, 08:49 PM	#7
tyler3276 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: rock hill sc Posts: 142	green star polyps would look cool on it __________________ 125g reef tank fish- blue tang, yellow tang, black ora clown, orange clown, foxface, coral beauty, Vlamingi Tang Current Tank Info: 125 gallon mixed reef tank

06/21/2011, 05:03 PM	#2
firewill65 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pembroke Pines, Florida Posts: 746	Also...the sand in the picture is shown just how it fell when I put it in the tank. Am I suppose to rake it and smooth/even it out or does it look better the way it is? Thanks!

06/21/2011, 05:17 PM	#4
firewill65 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pembroke Pines, Florida Posts: 746	are there any type of encrusting corals that would grow on this? Either way I like the way it looks in the tank...it if turns puprle that will look even better! Thanks!

06/21/2011, 09:04 PM	#8
firewill65 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pembroke Pines, Florida Posts: 746	sounds good. Is there any way of telling what kind of coral it was at one time?

06/21/2011, 09:50 PM	#9
MandM sick yet brilliant Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Sacramento Posts: 1,497	Make sure your base rocks are sitting solidly on the bottom of the tank and not on top of sand. Otherwise, as the aragonite dissolves, the rocks will shift and can break the glass. __________________ Sheila I was emo when emo wasn't cool If your not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate. Current Tank Info: 120g, 8g

06/22/2011, 04:39 AM	#11
firewill65 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pembroke Pines, Florida Posts: 746	I know what was meant...I think maybe the word shift fits better. Anyhow, I built my pillars on an acrylic base and drilled the rock which has a fiberglass rod going through. Even the skeleton coral has a rod going inside it. I should be good as I want some sand sifting friends.

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