my first coral

got my coral this week, although it think its an alveapora which i hear is not a very hardy fish, contrary to what my lfs had said. we shall see what happens. any thoughts on some fairly hardy corals to add?

 

bustaslick, I'm looking forward to adding my first coral. How long had your tank been running before you added it? Oh, just noticed Dec 04. Do you think I have to wait that long?

 

Some people have been having better luck with those but most will die in the 1st year sorry. Coaster a good rule of thumb is that you can start adding coral when coraline aglae starts growing on the glass.

 

should I be adding calcium now to speed that up?

 

I always recommend to start your dosing of , whatever, before adding animals, so as to get a feel for the water chemistry. Good practice and you don't need to worry so much about ODing ;D Get that water nice and stable.

 

It is certainly a beautiful alveopora! Do the research and give it the best chance ;D Good luck! I really don't know much about them, so I am no help here! ;D

 

Coaster,
I think your coral needs a very nutrient rich environment. Most aquariusts are looking for pristene water conditions. This is why flower pot do not do well in most home aquariums. As Birdlady said, "do your research", preferably before you add corals or livestock to your tank. Get your water parameters stable. Good luck.
Scott

 

Hi bustaslick I found this article you may find interesting.


Animal Description:
The Flower Pot Coral is aptly named. The polyps of this coral look like tiny flowers. Unfortunately, this coral can be difficult to care for; so despite its stunning appearance, it may not be appropriate for every aquarium.

This record refers to the Flower Pot corals of the genus Goniopora. Goniopora sp. corals are very similar to less common Alveopora sp. corals which also have the same common names. While Goniopora sp. corals are very difficult to keep alive on a long term basis, Alveopora sp. are much easier. The most obvious difference is the number of tentacles at the end of each polyp. Goniopora sp. corals have 24 tentacles and Alveopora sp. corals have 12 tentacles.

Flower Pot Corals occur naturally in murky, dim waters. In an aquarium, it is generally good to have some turbidity. A low to moderate current should be provided. This has the added advantage of making the polyps of Flower Pot Corals appear to be blowing, as in a wind. Flower Pot Corals may act aggressively to other corals and should be placed at a good distance from other corals. They do not have sweeper tentacles but their normal tentacles can extend a surprising distance from the base to sting other corals. Although Clown Fish, in the absence of a host anemone, may adopt a Flower Pot Coral, this can sometimes harm the coral if the Clown Fish is too aggressive when swimming within the tentacles. It is important to keep the water quality high in an aquarium where Flower Pot Corals are kept. This is one of the more difficult species of corals to care for on a long term basis with most specimens not surviving more than 6 months in an aquarium. Reports of longer survival periods are often related to extremely large aquariums or mistaking Alveopora sp. for Goniopora sp. It is important to start with a healthy specimen, if you wish your Flower Pot Coral to have a better chance of thriving.

The Flower Pot Coral grows from a skeletal base. Tentacles protrude from this base, and at the tip of each is a structure similar in appearance to a flower. Tiny tentacles used for feeding grow from this flower-like structure. Flower Pot Corals are gray, silver-gray, green, or brown in color.

Flower Pot Corals are native to tropical regions of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Specific Care Information: Relative Care Ease: Difficult
There is some argument about the light requirements of the Flower Pot Coral. Although some people say these corals live in dim conditions, other people maintain that this coral needs bright lighting. Moderate light seems to be best as a compromise between photosynthetic feeding and feeding on suspended particulates .Actinic lighting seem to be best for viewing Flower Pot Corals with brighter coloring. Temperatures between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit (23 to 26 degrees Celsius) and a pH of 8.3 to 8.4 are acceptable to Flower Pot Corals. The specific gravity should remain between 1.023 and 1.025. Low to moderate water currents are required. Levels of trace elements, particularly calcium and strontium, should be checked regularly and replaced as needed. Keeping water at optimal quality is absolutely essential for a Flower Pot Coral. Many aquarists supplement their Flower Pot Corals by offering brine shrimp or micro-plankton from time to time but this can overload the coral and kill some of the polyps. Unhealthy Flower Pot Coral specimens should not be purchased; if the meaty areas of a polyp are damaged, the entire coral may die. Only purchase specimens that have open polyps showing no signs of injury.

Breeding and Propagation: Relative Breeding Ease: Difficult
There is currently no special breeding information in our databases for this animal. To submit breeding / propagation information that is specific to this animal please click here.

http://www.centralpets.com/animals/fish/saltwater_inverts/swi1701

 

thanks for the info fletch, I am going to do my best to see the coral flourish. kudos

 

here is some more good info
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/nftt/index.php