Coral Help please.

PRC

PRC

Stop Quoting Me!
Ok, so I'm closing in on the end of my cycle for my tank. I've got my fish picked out (3 green Chromis) to start. Probably just keep those guys for awhile. So now it's on to corals. Really just starting to investigate corals, I've ben consumed with all of the mechanical stuff and fish. So I would like some suggestions on a nice easy to care for coral, I don't want anything dying because I screwed up. I've started looking at zoanthids quite a bit. Here are some that I've looked at that I've really liked so far. Maybe this will give you some ideas.

1. Gobstoppers.
2. Superman Monti
3. Purple Monti
4. Frogspawn
5. Bubble coral (looks good in pics anyway)

I need/want something with some really good color, but again easy to care for.

24" Deep tank. Plenty of rock to place them shallow or deep in the tank.

Here are my lights.
(2) 150W Metal Halides
(2) 96W PC's
Moonlights (which I've recently found out from Biff are for my viewing pleasure only)

Lastly, does the same hold true for corals...don't add more than one at a time?
 
Montis are not good starter corals. They are SPS corals and require very established tanks, stable water parameters and excellent lighting. I would recommend not trying SPS corals until you are able to successfully keep easier corals first.

Zoanthids, frogspawn and bubble corals would all be excellent starter corals.
 
Dont forget torches,mushrooms.Acans,blastos.Leathers.
Just start with some soft corals.and stay away from kenya weeds.
 
And these are all relatively easy to care for? and can you get a few at a time or just one? Due to bioload on tank.
 
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The blue stripe, the hairy, the green stripe, the reds....there are SO many to choose from! Here are a few of mine:

texture008.jpg


fuzzymushroom.jpg


greenstripe.jpg
 
Hey PRC, how is your lighting? That will have a big impact on which corals you should choose. I see that you want to try some SPS. They are so much fun, but as Biff said, you should wait until your water has been stable for a long tim. I would wait for 6 months before adding a monti, and for a year before adding an acro. A red monti cap is a great starting SPS. They grow fast and the scrolling formations are wonderful to watch unfold.

Awesome photos Andysgirl.
 
Bifferwine said:
Montis are not good starter corals. They are SPS corals and require very established tanks, stable water parameters and excellent lighting. I would recommend not trying SPS corals until you are able to successfully keep easier corals first.
Click to expand...

That won't help either. Me thinks - when it comes to SPS -either you get lucky and they thrive - or you get unlucky (me) and they all die within 48hrs. :grumble:

Previous coral care is no indicator of success when you venture into SPS. I've been at it almost 3yrs and I've killed 3 SPS frags already. :frustrat:

Screw it! SPS sucks! Only weirdos keep SPS in their tanks. SPS are ugly and they smell bad!! I hate SPS corals!! Their mothers wear combat boots and their fathers are all truck drivers!! SPS are thieves and child molesters!! :grumble:
 
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Navarchus said:
Hey PRC, how is your lighting? QUOTE]

(2) 150W MH
(2) 96W 10k PC's (I'm going to swap these for 14k when it's time for a bulb change)
(4) moonlights.

From a layman's perspective, I chose these lights because of the fine folks at Liveing Reefs. I can tell you that they are bright, very bright. I no longer have turn my light on in my office. I just use the aquarium lights to work.

Nobody has answered my other question though....When choosing corals, can I but 3 , 4 or 5 at a time, or do I need to only buy one and let the aquarium adjust to it?
Click to expand...
 
PRC said:
Nobody has answered my other question though....When choosing corals, can I but 3 , 4 or 5 at a time, or do I need to only buy one and let the aquarium adjust to it?
Click to expand...

There is no bioload with corals - so stock it up as you like.

Just be sure it's stable and will support the corals you choose.
 
Bifferwine said:
Montis are not good starter corals. They are SPS corals and require very established tanks, stable water parameters and excellent lighting. I would recommend not trying SPS corals until you are able to successfully keep easier corals first.

Zoanthids, frogspawn and bubble corals would all be excellent starter corals.
Click to expand...

ONE PLUS

New tanks and newbies will have problems and your tank's water parms will jump and down on the graph --this will cause all but the hardiest corals to die. Did you know that SPS and many LPS corals will start dying when phosphates reach 0.25 ppm? Try some Mushrooms.
 
What color are the 150w MH bulbs?

Why do I ask?

Because your PC lights are 10k. Typically, your MH lights will provide the "white" lighting and the PC lights will do the blue spectrum (actinics)

You might consider replacing the PC bulbs with Actinic or 460nm bulbs if your MH light is 10K or 12k in color.

As an example, my 29g frag tank has a 14K 175w MH light and 2 PC 65W bulbs. The PC bulbs are actinic and 460nm color. It's a little blue and I should probably replace the 14k MH with a 12k to provide a bit more "white" light, but I'm too poor at the moment.
 
I would suggest start with soft corals only. Zoas, muchrooms, leathers, etc. Stay away from any hard corals till your system is mature and stable.
Take a look at this thread I started on corals that are endangered. The majority are SPS and LPS hard corals.
https://www.livingreefs.com/enjoy-em-while-you-can-t24201.html
Rcpilot said:
That won't help either. Me thinks - when it comes to SPS -either you get lucky and they thrive - or you get unlucky (me) and they all die within 48hrs.
Click to expand...
Luck has nothing to do with it. :bounce:
 
Luck has EVERYTHING to do with it. :mrgreen:

All the hogwash about keeping strict water parameters and good lighting is a myth.

It's all luck I tell ya!! :mrgreen:
 
My PC's are 10k blue actinics....going to change them to 14k at next bulb change. Yeah, definitely planning on starting with the easier to care for stuff. Some small frags, mushrooms..etc. Definitely value everyone's advice. Just taking it slow and steady.

I'm a planner by nature, so I have to think about things before I make a purchase. That's why so many questions.
 

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