coral surpise!

puffermama

puffermama

Member
my husband has a 55gal...he is out of town and i want to surprise him by adding some corals to his tank...what are some good/hearty corals to get? i am taking care of the tank so i need something that i cant easily kill <img src="graemlins//eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" /> he already has a few and i hope i dont kill them while he is gone <img src="graemlins//dead.gif" border="0" alt="[dead]" /> any suggestions.... or should i just not add anything <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" /> i am new at this so please dont be harsh with your answers :( just asking for help...thats why i am here <img src="graemlins//angel.gif" border="0" alt="[angel]" />
 
galina

galina

Member
How about some more information? :) How long has the tank been set up? What kind of lighting do you have on it? What corals do you currently have in the tank? How much live rock do you have?
Galina
 
puffermama

puffermama

Member
he has to right lighting i do know that and the water was just tested and it is fine... as far as the corals i have no idea what they are... could not tell you even if my life depended on it... i do know he has 1 mushroom and i think he wants more.... also the tank has been set up since oct :)
 
galina

galina

Member
There is no such thing as the "just right lighting" when it comes to a reef tank. There are so many variables, such as what you want to keep, whether you have Power Compact, Metal Halide, or VHO.. if your husband knows what he's doing and he already has some corals I would get him a colony of mushrooms. They do good under just about any lighting... and if yours is strong enough to sustain other corals, I'm sure the shrooms would do fine under it.
Galina
 
puffermama

puffermama

Member
thanks galina i think i will get him a colony of mushrooms... oh,i remember him saying that his lights are vho... thanks again :D
 
wrassecal

wrassecal

Active Member
A colt coral would be OK too if he doesn't already have one. They don't need too strong of light and you can put it kind of low in tank, see how it responds over 24 hrs and move it up a little at a time if it's not happy. I don't have the strongest greatest lights and my colt loves being near the bottom. Also, talk to the lfs about it, the one he usually goes to. :)
 
puffermama

puffermama

Member
thanks for everybodys advice.... i am really worried and i hope if i have any problems that i can come here and get help without being ridiculed :rolleyes: if anything dies that he already has in there i will be devastated :( if something dies that i put in... well he will never no that it was even in there... <img src="graemlins//yeahright.gif" border="0" alt="[yeahright]" /> how often should i test the water while he is gone <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />
 
galina

galina

Member
I would test the water every other day. Though sometimes when i'm worried about a fishy or something I test daily out of paranoia. Make sure to top off evaporated water, also. I find that I lose about a gallon a day so I just top it off to a certain point in the aquarium and wipe the salt on the glass above the water back in. How long is your husband gone? Be sure not to overfeed. Infact, I would feed spraingly. Fish can go for about a week without food.. more then that actually... so they'll be just fine if you don't give them second helpings. You don't want to cause bad water by accidently overfeeding.. which seems to happen alot from stories I've heard. :rolleyes:
Galina
 
puffermama

puffermama

Member
galina, he will be gone for 2 or 3 weeks... i will be a nervous wreck by the time he gets back <img src="graemlins//urrr.gif" border="0" alt="[urrr]" /> thanks again for all of your help :D
 
galina

galina

Member
I would suggest picking up a good book on saltwater and doing a quick review of water chemistry.. your husband probably has a book or two on saltwater. It's not too hard to take care of an established tank.. as long as things don't go wrong. Your going to want to remember to top off evaporated water.. mentioned that above. I remember when I had someone taking care of my tank. When I mesured the hyposalinity when I got back it was at 1.35! <img src="graemlins//urrr.gif" border="0" alt="[urrr]" /> Had to slowly lower it done. Everything survived luckily. :)
Galina
 
lordofthereef

lordofthereef

Member
i was just thinking here. why don't you just get him a gift certificate to a good coral shop? then at least he can get what he wants. i just say that because, i don't like people messing with my stuff while i'm gone. i remember when i went on vacation last year for instance. i had my parents come over to take care of my stuff. when i came home, i had a chocolate chip star in my tank! i think we all know how well they are in a reef! ;)
 
jumpfrog

jumpfrog

Active Member
You might just ask him the next time you talk about what he was planning on putting in next, then you can't go wrong with your selection. If your husband is anything like me, he's always thinking about what to do next.
Good Luck!
 
twoods71

twoods71

Active Member
Man if I went away and came back and seen my wife added a few corals I would be so happy I wouldnt be able to see straight.
I think it is a great idea you have for a surprise. I think I would go with some shrooms and maybe some polyps also. Both are usually resonably priced and relativly hardy.
My suggestion would be to wait until the day before he is to return to purchase them.
Dont forget to acclimate.
Good Luck
 
predator

predator

Active Member
Puffermama, I got a colt you can get for his tank. Just call me when you get off. I'll be home all night.
 
richard rendos

richard rendos

Active Member
Get him a gift certificate. I hate when my wife buys something without me "approving" it. I would shoot her if she ever bought another star polyp. It is nice that you want to contribute, but if it is "his" tank, let him chose the corals that go in it. Or buy him a nice Reef book. That way you two can learn more about reef keeping and browse through pics and make a wish list together. Then the next time he goes out of town you can make a more educated guess as to what to buy him.
Just a thought.
 
queen angel

queen angel

New Member
PUFFER...take the colt and run, I am sure he will have no problem with a suprise like that. I think it is a great idea to have a suprise for him when he gets home, I know that my boyfriend likes suprises for his tank no matter what shape or size!! :D
 
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