Getting coral, What lighting to get??
- Thread starter zero1870
- Start date
hot883
Active Member
Originally Posted by zero1870
I'm going to get some coral for my tank
. I know I need lighting, but there is so many choices. My question; is there any recommendations on what to get. Also, what coral would be good for my clown fish to host? Also, also, do i have to "feed" the coral, if so with what?
Ok, maybe some research needs to be done first. How old is the tank? Not flaming you, but from the questions asked it would lead me to believe that you have little experience.
Which is a good thing because you are asking questions first. Different corals need different light. So.... really depends on what you are wanting as an end result. Clowns typically host anemones not corals. there are exceptions, but do some more research on what you want.
I'm going to get some coral for my tank
Ok, maybe some research needs to be done first. How old is the tank? Not flaming you, but from the questions asked it would lead me to believe that you have little experience.
Which is a good thing because you are asking questions first. Different corals need different light. So.... really depends on what you are wanting as an end result. Clowns typically host anemones not corals. there are exceptions, but do some more research on what you want.
mudplayerx
Active Member
As Hot said, clowns prefer to host in anemones, which need an established tank with very intense lighting. If you have the money, I would ge metal halide lighting.
mudplayerx
Active Member
Originally Posted by zero1870
my tank 75g is 2.5 months old. a good amount of purple algea and i have just installed a protein skimmer and a good sized clean up crew. i have 3 fish all doing very well and 2 inverts, a cleaner shrimp and a starfish (veg). what else do i need to do to set up for a coral tank?
You'll need good water flow depending on what types of corals. Small polyp stony corals need very intense water flow 25x or greater the volume of the tank flowing per hour. Softy corals can do with less, but still need about 20-25x.
You will also need to research the lighting requirements of your corals. The majority of corals need powerful lighting. This is the most expensive aspect of the hobby, totally dwarfing all other pricetags in some cases.
Water parameters become very important once corals go in. Daily or once every other day testing is not overkill. Putting off water changes due to busy schedules even by a cople of days can lead to closed polyps. If you get corals that require spot-feeding, this can become very tedious. A good variety of fresh seafood from the grocery store is best for corals that require meaty foods.
my tank 75g is 2.5 months old. a good amount of purple algea and i have just installed a protein skimmer and a good sized clean up crew. i have 3 fish all doing very well and 2 inverts, a cleaner shrimp and a starfish (veg). what else do i need to do to set up for a coral tank?
You'll need good water flow depending on what types of corals. Small polyp stony corals need very intense water flow 25x or greater the volume of the tank flowing per hour. Softy corals can do with less, but still need about 20-25x.
You will also need to research the lighting requirements of your corals. The majority of corals need powerful lighting. This is the most expensive aspect of the hobby, totally dwarfing all other pricetags in some cases.
Water parameters become very important once corals go in. Daily or once every other day testing is not overkill. Putting off water changes due to busy schedules even by a cople of days can lead to closed polyps. If you get corals that require spot-feeding, this can become very tedious. A good variety of fresh seafood from the grocery store is best for corals that require meaty foods.