What Can I Add?

vsecret

vsecret

Member
So i was looking at this forum and I had no idea it existed! My 55g has been up and running for 1.5 years now and I have had my share of ups and downs, but that all behind me now, I was wondering that types of corals I can have without special lighting?
I plan on upgrading my 55g to a 125 (maybe 180) at some point in the next 5 years, and when I do I want to get MH lighting, but until then - since I don't know what size I want to upgrade too I don't want to buy lighting that later will be too small.
So on that note, what kind of coral can I have in my 55g that doesn't need special lighting (T5, MH, ect)
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

Here is a picture Spanko submitted some time ago, it was so beautiful. It takes strong flow and lots of coral food to keep these gorgeous critters, and that means more frequent water changes, but oh so worth it. You may have to spot feed some, like the sun coral.
To add to the list:
Red Chili coral
Purple Sea Fans
Mushrooms
 
vsecret

vsecret

Member
Wow that is beautiful!
Can they be under T5's or MH lights when I upgrade? I would hate to start something like that only to be "stuck" in what I can have later on.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by vsecret
http:///forum/post/3274228
Wow that is beautiful!
Can they be under T5's or MH lights when I upgrade? I would hate to start something like that only to be "stuck" in what I can have later on.

If you want a mixture of light hungry coral and those, you will have to provide large overhangs and shallow caves. That’s what I do so I can have a nice variety. You have to plan your rockwork carfully.
Non-photosynthetic corals don’t like bright lights and will just stay closed up until dark, provided shade, a sun coral for example can be coaxed to show themselves during the day... Kept in bright light they land up with algae growing on them which chokes them to death.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Some NP corals can handle medium lighting, none are going to want to sit at the top of the tank under MH's though. I have a chili coral and a sun coral out in direct light w/ my MH's (they're at the bottom of the tank though) and they will open during the day, but it took me a long time to train them to do so.
Gorgonians and sea fans will be fine in any lighting as long as they're fed properly.
Like Flower said, create lots of ledges and over hangs.
 
mproctor4

mproctor4

Member
I also have traditional aquarium lighting and have coral envy. Our suncoral sits out in the open on the bottom and are open frequently when the lights are on. I'm sure for stronger lights they would close up though. I also have several mushrooms that do well and pulsing xenia. The xenia has not grown, but looks okay and it has been in there about 3 months. I also have green tip and pink tip frogspawn at the top of the tank that is doing great! It has doubled in size in the last couple of months. At first I had one of the frogspawn a few inches lower and it didn't do well. As soon as I moved it higher in the tank it took off. I started with a very small piece of both the frogspawn and xenia just to see how they would do. Don't think I will get anymore xenia just because they are maintaing but not thriving.
Just an FYI if you try suncoral---ours seem to be more sensative to the amount of water flow than to the amount of light. I moved my powerhead slightly and they stayed closed for a week. Within minutes of moving them a couple of inches to get less flow they were open in the middle of the day. I'm sure we are lucky but since day one, ours open up pretty much anytime we feed the tank, anytime of the day.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Originally Posted by gilbert
http:///forum/post/3280311
Just saying, colt isn't NP. It doesn't need lots of light, but it doesn't need to be spot-fed, either.
You are correct. That's a mistake on my part. I copied this from a list of "low lighting" requirement corals that I posted on another forum.
 
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