I am going to start adding coral to tank but want advice first..

scottnlisa

scottnlisa

Member
Hi. Right now I have a 125g FOWLR. My lighting is VHO 2 48" Actinic "03 and 2 48" Actinic White. i want to start with a very simple, easy to take care of coral. I just bought a bucket of Instant Ocean so I will also need advice on what additives to buy for the coral until I can buy Instant Ocean Reef salt.
I looked at the coral chart and I am thinking that green button polyps. What I need to know is about feeding, what would be a great starter coral, placement in the tank, what tools will I need etc.
I am just gathering info before buying so I have all my ducks in a row.
 
the bro

the bro

Member
Any LPS or leather coral make great starter corals "zoa's- button polys", palys , shrooms, etc. They are all very hardy and not easily killed, best of yall they will thrive without even being fed "although it does help". They dont require much light are pretty much maintance free and a good choice for starter coral.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by scottnlisa
http:///forum/post/3291844
Hi. Right now I have a 125g FOWLR. My lighting is VHO 2 48" Actinic "03 and 2 48" Actinic White. i want to start with a very simple, easy to take care of coral. I just bought a bucket of Instant Ocean so I will also need advice on what additives to buy for the coral until I can buy Instant Ocean Reef salt.
I looked at the coral chart and I am thinking that green button polyps. What I need to know is about feeding, what would be a great starter coral, placement in the tank, what tools will I need etc.
I am just gathering info before buying so I have all my ducks in a row.

Yes buy Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. Instant ocean makes sea salt and reef crystals...so be sure to get the reef crystals. Congratulations on the new lights and new decision on corals.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
I use Instant Ocean salt in all my tanks and my readings and my corals are fine....I have bought some reef crystals recently, but have not noticed any difference
Start with some shrooms and zoas....you don't have to feed them....the tank will....
DO NOT start adding additives.....regular water changes will keep your parameters in check (usually)
 
scottnlisa

scottnlisa

Member
Originally Posted by The Bro
http:///forum/post/3291899
Any LPS or leather coral make great starter corals "zoa's- button polys", palys , shrooms, etc. They are all very hardy and not easily killed, best of yall they will thrive without even being fed "although it does help". They dont require much light are pretty much maintance free and a good choice for starter coral.

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3291928
I use Instant Ocean salt in all my tanks and my readings and my corals are fine....I have bought some reef crystals recently, but have not noticed any difference
Start with some shrooms and zoas....you don't have to feed them....the tank will....
DO NOT start adding additives.....regular water changes will keep your parameters in check (usually)
Thanks for the info. Can you provide me actual names or pictures so I can start researching. Thanks
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
WAIT! You have a FOWLR, which usually includes non-reef safe fish, so I have to ask, what do you have in this tank as far as fish and inverts already?
As far as beginner corals:
Xenia
Anthelia
ANY button polyp (greens are usually the most common)
Colt Coral, Tea Tree, Taro, Cauliflower Coral, (basically all the same thing and people confuse the names)
Mushrooms (there are a million varieties, colors, they're all equally easy to care for)
Zoanthids (again, millions of varieties)
You could also try some leathers, like a Toadstool (not a yellow, these are much harder) or Cabbage
Once these are working well, you can venture into Favia (favites), CandyCanes, Trumpets, Ricordia Mushrooms and some more leathers or designer zoanthids, etc.
Most beginner corals do not need to be fed, especially if they're in a tank with fish, they'll get fed.
Don't add anything, weekly water changes is fine. I used IO for a long time before switching, you should be fine.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

Originally Posted by BW256S_SRT4
http:///forum/post/3292167
Sorry dont mean to jack your thread. So i dont have to put Cal, Iodine, or any of that stuff in all the time?

NEVER add something you don't test for first..Iodine becomes poison if it gets too high. AFTER you test and find something low, then use an additive if you must, however a good water change should bring everything back up to the right levels.
 
bw256s_srt4

bw256s_srt4

Member
Ok cool, thanks. Tank has only been up and running for 4 weeks now. So i will test for the iodine and other stuff this weekend.
 
scottnlisa

scottnlisa

Member
Originally Posted by The Bro
http:///forum/post/3291899
Any LPS or leather coral make great starter corals "zoa's- button polys", palys , shrooms, etc. They are all very hardy and not easily killed, best of yall they will thrive without even being fed "although it does help". They dont require much light are pretty much maintance free and a good choice for starter coral.
What do you feed them?
 
scottnlisa

scottnlisa

Member
Originally Posted by BTLDreef
http:///forum/post/3291946
WAIT! You have a FOWLR, which usually includes non-reef safe fish, so I have to ask, what do you have in this tank as far as fish and inverts already?
As far as beginner corals:
Xenia
Anthelia
ANY button polyp (greens are usually the most common)
Colt Coral, Tea Tree, Taro, Cauliflower Coral, (basically all the same thing and people confuse the names)
Mushrooms (there are a million varieties, colors, they're all equally easy to care for)
Zoanthids (again, millions of varieties)
You could also try some leathers, like a Toadstool (not a yellow, these are much harder) or Cabbage
Once these are working well, you can venture into Favia (favites), CandyCanes, Trumpets, Ricordia Mushrooms and some more leathers or designer zoanthids, etc.
Most beginner corals do not need to be fed, especially if they're in a tank with fish, they'll get fed.
Don't add anything, weekly water changes is fine. I used IO for a long time before switching, you should be fine.
Stock wise I have : Yellow Tang, Blue Hippo Tang, 6-line wrasse, 5 blue-green chromis's, lawnmower blenny, 2 clowns, Royal gamma basset, 7 turbo snails, cleaner shrimp and 1 ermalrd crab.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Originally Posted by scottnlisa
http:///forum/post/3292306
Stock wise I have : Yellow Tang, Blue Hippo Tang, 6-line wrasse, 5 blue-green chromis's, lawnmower blenny, 2 clowns, Royal gamma basset, 7 turbo snails, cleaner shrimp and 1 ermalrd crab.
Excellent, all reef safe. Just keep your eye on the crab, some will pick at corals, some leave them alone. I've had some good and bad emerald crabs...
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by scottnlisa
http:///forum/post/3292703
Is 175# of rock enough for a reef tank also?
The average is 1-2lbs per G....so it should be okay....after you get it in and get it all set up....you may decide to add some....I did...LOL
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by scottnlisa
http:///forum/post/3292907
Do I acclimate coral like I do fish? How do I attach coral to my rock?
I always temp acclimate it, and then I bag acclimate it for a little while.....It may also be a good idea depending on the coral to dip it in a lugold iodine dip......
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

Originally Posted by scottnlisa
http:///forum/post/3292907
Do I acclimate coral like I do fish? How do I attach coral to my rock?

Everyone has their own way..this is mine. I put the coral in a separate container and using a turkey baster I remove some water from the corals and replace that amount with my tank water ..every 15 to 20 minutes for one to two hours depending on the type of critter.
I also use lugols coral dip, just before I add it to the tank…but not on brain corals..I have mostly soft corals so check before you dip, I killed my brain.
Crazy glue GEL...be sure it is where you want it to stay. Glob a bunch on there and put it in place and hold for about 20 seconds.
 
scottnlisa

scottnlisa

Member

Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3292912

Everyone has their own way..this is mine. I put the coral in a separate container and using a turkey baster I remove some water from the corals and replace that amount with my tank water ..every 15 to 20 minutes for one to two hours depending on the type of critter.
I also use lugols coral dip, just before I add it to the tank…but not on brain corals..I have mostly soft corals so check before you dip, I killed my brain.
Crazy glue GEL...be sure it is where you want it to stay. Glob a bunch on there and put it in place and hold for about 20 seconds.
Crazy glue gel to glue the coral to the rock? will the glue harden under water? What does the coral dip do?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by scottnlisa
http:///forum/post/3292960
Crazy glue gel to glue the coral to the rock? will the glue harden under water? What does the coral dip do?
Crazy glue never works for me....IDK why....it seems to work for other people....LOL
You don't want to put it on the actual coral....put it on the rock or plug the coral comes on....I use Holdfast epoxy stick.......it seems to work for me
Lugols will "hopefully" kill any bug that may be on the coral....I know you can dip zoas, and leathers, I just don't know about everything else
 
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