Beginner Coral help (Pic update Page 4)

Discussion in 'LPS Corals' started by NYGiants, May 16, 2013.

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  1. reefer Bob

    reefer Bob Montipora Digitata

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    I agree. You really don't wanna flush your money away with bubble & torches just to find out your tanks not ready. You don't wanna know how much cash most of us have probably wasted cause of poor decisions. Of course this was mostly before 3reef lol.
     
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  3. PghSteeler

    PghSteeler Tassled File Fish

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    Start easy and work the way up. You would be nuts to start with difficult acros as a first coral but that does not mean you cant add some easier corals from the get go. Some even add corals BEFORE fish!

    I started with xenia when I only had a T8 light. Once I upgraded lighting I then added some ricordea, some jasmine polyp, and a couple acans. That was within a couple months of the tanks cycle being completed.
     
  4. oldfishkeeper

    oldfishkeeper Giant Squid

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    I would think to start with a couple "hardy" corals would be fine with your parameters. I have found hairy mushrooms to be quite hardy and I've seen a couple super colorful ones in people's tanks on here. Green star polyps are colorful and flow in water movement and they are also pretty hardy. I haven't had a lot of luck with ricordeas - mine wouldn't stay put. Xenia is very cool - I would stay away from brown though because they grow pretty quickly and brown is just not colorful to me - I really like the lighter/whitish variety. I would just pick two hardy ones and get them small as your first additions and see how they fare. HTH

    I agree about waiting on the other types (bubble, hammer, torch) until your tank is a little more mature.
     
  5. Vizzle1717

    Vizzle1717 Coral Banded Shrimp

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    mushrooms and zoas/GSPs or else you run a huge risk of throwing all that coral money down the drain and doing serious long term damage to your system
     
  6. Daniel072

    Daniel072 Giant Squid

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    Don't start with corals you don't like. If you plan on keeping an sps dominant tank, don't start throwing mushrooms, zoas and gsp in there unless you want them. Let the tank run for a bit and make sure everything gets settled in. After a couple of months, if ca, alk, mag, no3, etc....are stable, try your hand at corals.
     
  7. NYGiants

    NYGiants Coral Banded Shrimp

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    Thinking about picking up 1 bullseye rhodactis... Would that be alright as a starter?
     
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  9. Daniel072

    Daniel072 Giant Squid

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    Rhodactis are pretty hardy but can be confusing. I have seen them shrivel up and disappear without any explanation. Same with most mushrooms. If you like the coral, get it and try it. If it melts, it's money down the drain though.
     
  10. NYGiants

    NYGiants Coral Banded Shrimp

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    I honestly saw some amazing rhodactis and would love to have one... Think I'll try and find one this Saturday... Only way to learn is by trying I guess, so why not give it a shot with one and see how it goes...

    After all... I do have all you guys for help ;)
     
  11. pgoodsell

    pgoodsell Horrid Stonefish

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    Just make sure what kind it is. The yuma's are more finicky and don't like a lot of light. The Florida ones can adapt to about any lighting and are a little hardier.
     
  12. Vizzle1717

    Vizzle1717 Coral Banded Shrimp

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    We are talking Rhodactis mushrooms here, not Ricordia ;)