Suggestions getting into corals

[margieinaz]

Hi everyone,
I'm brand new to the hobby, and setting up a 55gal tank.

I stocked it with about 60lbs of live rock and 40lbs live sand. Originally, it was going to be a FOWLR tank, but every time I go to the LFS, the corals catch my eye, LOL.
Yesterday I purchased a pair of clowns, 5 turbo snails and 10 tiny hermit crabs - my first inhabitants into the tank other than the LR and LS.
I've been testing the water at home, and it was looking good. I brought a sample in with me yesterday and everything looked good from their testing too. The only problem I had was my alkalinity was 4.00. The LFS guy said that it may have been from some bad RO water purchased at my local Water & Ice store, since I haven't used any tap water, and only added in pre-mixed salt water, or the first tank fill from the W&I store that I mixed myself. So I'm planing on doing another 20% water change today.

Anyway, when I was talking with the guy yesterday, I asked him about corals. He said that some of the soft corals weren't too difficult and that I could probably get my feet wet with those if I wanted. I've been reading on here, and on a few other sites, and I'm thinking of taking the plunge. But I don't want to go too fast.

Do you think this is a good idea? Or am I just asking for trouble?
Are there any good threads you can point me to with a "how-to" flavor that I can read through? Anything to avoid? What should I watch out for?

Since I haven't purchased any fish other than the clowns so far, I can keep with reef-safe fish.
Are corals like fish, in that you should only add one or two at a time?

Are there any good books you'd recommend I read before venturing into this?

What coral species should I start with if I decide to give it a go? Is there a limit or suggestion on the amounts of corals in a tank, like there is for fish? What impact do they have on your bioload?
Any other pointers?

Oh, and I have a 55gal tank, 48" long, 16" high. A protein skimmer on it, two Koralia #2 powerheads, and a Koralia nano powerhead, and a uv filter with a Rio 1700 180/gal powerhead. I have this light kit: AQUARIUM LIGHT 48" REEF ODYSSEA 260WT POWER COMPACT - eBay (item 360080004949 end time Aug-23-08 08:00:00 PDT)

The hard corals don't appeal to me as much as the soft corals do. I like the wavy motion of the soft corals in the water...

Thanks!!!!

-Margie

[MTips18]

for corals check on there light needs and water flow needs try to get corals with the light need that your light can provide and there are tons of books but i would get on that lists coral type with needs and care lists you can keep tons of corals as long as you can provide for them start with some easy mushrooms green star pylops and go from there understand what you are doing before you buy

[PackLeader]

Originally Posted by MTips18

for corals check on there light needs and water flow needs try to get corals with the light need that your light can provide and there are tons of books but i would get on that lists coral type with needs and care lists you can keep tons of corals as long as you can provide for them start with some easy mushrooms green star pylops and go from there understand what you are doing before you buy

Good advise. It really all depends on what you want to do with your lights. Lighting systems make the coral world go round. If its something you really want to get into, check on a T5/Metal Halide combo. You could keep just about anything under a system like that.
I have some Green star buttons and green star polyps, they are incredibley easy.

[rmelvin23]

Mushrooms are very easy and do not require strong lighting.

[GuitarMan89]

i bought a yellow leather, my first coral, great look, no problems what so ever. Zoas are great too. Xenia, toadstool, polyps are all great beginner choices. If you want to go lps, bubbles, fox corals and brains are all great choices.

[cuttingras]

Welcome to 3reef!

has your tank cycled yet? I wouldn't add corals or anymore fish until it has and then I''d wait for about 6 months, so you get everything, Ca,Mg, pH, KH, Nitrate/nitrite/ammonia/phosphates, what am I missing, Iodine, strontium, ummm all the other things you are supposed to test for when you set up a reef tank. How bout some pics! Those lights are ok for soft corals and fish. While your tank is cycling(the next 4-6 weeks), instead of putting stuff in, take your time and read about it. There are plenty of threads on here that should be able to answer a lot of your questions

[margieinaz]

Thanks everyone.
I believe it has cycled. I tested the water every day and I did see an ammonia spike, as well as nitrite and nitrate.
I added a raw shrimp at the beginning, as well as the live rock and live sand. I got the rock and sand from someone getting out of the hobby, it was in their tank and fully cured. I've been doing water changes twice a week for the last two weeks.
Here's a photo of the tank this afternoon, too much glare, I'll try to get a better one tonight.

instead of putting stuff in, take your time and read about it.

Yep, that's why I'm asking...
As long as I'm waiting, I figured I can educate myself more, read, and plan.


Thanks again,
Margie

[Bogie]

Do I see a plastic coral in there?

[margieinaz]

Originally Posted by Bogie

Do I see a plastic coral in there?

Yes. I know... It's coming out soon. I just wanted some color in there because it looked so bland w/o fish or anything...

[cuttingras]

other than the fake coral it looks really good!