Coral Question

[shyfish]

I have been looking at the pictures of everyones tanks.
I noticed lots of coral touching each other. I also noticed bubble coral very close and nearby. These are the ones that look the best!
I have always been told my coral can't touch each other, everything needs to stay two to four inches apart, and that bubble coral becomes long tendrils at night stinging and killing all coral it contacts.
My tank looks

[hr]
compared to the pictures I am seeing, so can anyone tell me if I can stock my corals close without harm? I have been afraid to purchase bubble coral.
Because I gotta say these pictures are breathtaking, and I am sure the pictures don't do them justice on how good they look in true life.

 

[saltymarine]

I would always err on the side of caution when it comes to corals and placing them in close proximity to other stinging corals. You will figure out what works and what doesn't. Again this is one of those questions that really has no real right answer.

 

[subielover]

Some sting, others can be right on top of each other. You have to research the corals that you are talking about specifically.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Some sting. Some overgrow other corals as a defence. Some even use chemical warfare. You just have to research every purchase to learn where to put your new coral so it doesn't harm one another.
Here's a tip, if you are keeping a whole bunch of corals that use chemical warefare as a way to compete for space, run a lot of carbon in your sump. That should cut down on the amount of toxin in the water.

 

[saltn00b]

agreeing with the above.
start off placing corals further apart and learn how they react as they grow and get closer to each other.
all of the euphyllia family corals can touch each other (except possibly torches).
this includes your anchor hammer, branching hammers, frogspawns, octo frogspawns etc.

 

[doc308]

Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
http:///forum/post/2941589
Some sting. Some overgrow other corals as a defence. Some even use chemical warfare. You just have to research every purchase to learn where to put your new coral so it doesn't harm one another.
Here's a tip, if you are keeping a whole bunch of corals that use chemical warefare as a way to compete for space, run a lot of carbon in your sump. That should cut down on the amount of toxin in the water.
that's a great idea! thanks!

 

[snakeblitz33]

lol, your welcome.
Though, you have to know which corals use chemical warfare before you haphazardly run carbon. lol!

 

[snakeblitz33]

Oh, and by the way, the only way carbon and phosbuster media is effective is by passing water directly through it. Putting it in nylon mesh isn't that effective. It's better to wrap carbon in blue and white bonded filter media and rubberband it, then put it in direct water flow.
The easiest way to make phosbusting media effective is by a phosphate reactor that fluidizes the media.
Anyways, that's just how to handle chemical warfare. The stinging cells (nematocysts) - you just got to place them away from other corals. Galaxea and torch corals and Bubble corals I think all have really long reaching stinging cells. So be careful with that.

 

[shyfish]

Hi,
I don't have a sump. I use a canister filter. I can run carbon through it, and I have in the past to get rid of toxins before.
Every coral has a defence. This is why I asked the question I did.
I wonder how long those beautiful corals had been up and going touching each other like that. I didn't see any dead edges which is what happens when they touch or get to close.
I have a Galaxia that was doing great as long as it could sting my lettuse coral. After I moved my lettuse coral out of its reach, never even touched the Galaxia. Now the Galaxia is showing stress (small areas no longer are opening) The lettuse coral is doing great now!
The galaxia has nothing to kill so its unhappy?? Is the lettuse coral now in a water flow that lets it get even with the Galaxia?? I am going crazy.
At least I have my blue mushrooms to comfort me. They don't seem to bother anything. I will try the carbon and hope the lettuse doesn't get depressed because it can't get even with the Galaxia anymore.