Starter Corals?

Got myself a 20 gallon high tank that is setup. Other than some Anthelias I am looking for some very basic starter corals with little care needed. For now I am using a 15W Flourescent 50/50 Actinic bulb. So the amount of light needs to be very low light. My lfs and my research has recommended leathers, anthelias, zoas. What do you think? are their any others for my setup?

 

im not sure that I would go with the leathers for starting out... they are very hardy but usually need supplements for the best quality... the zoas are a sure thing though! Very easy to maintain and some kinds grow rather quickly! Anthelias, xenias, and kenya trees are all going to be very comparable in hardiness and growth so definitely beginners corals! And also try looking into some mushrooms or ricordeas!!

 

i can really grow all of those even with such crappy lighting?

 

yep you can, dendrophylia are non photosynthetic,and the blue palm coral is also so you have quite a variety.

 

whats dendrophylia and blue palm corals? Links?
Sry, new reef keeper right here....

 

so what would you suggest? I am just sort of mind boggled that i can have such ****ty lighting and even grow something such as these.........

 

I recommend you stay away from anthelia. This stuff is invasive and will quickly overtake the tank.

 

well ive been keeping freshwater planted tanks for a few years, just a few months ventured into saltwater now, tanks been setup and established (starting to grow some micro algae on the rock) have yet to purchase my cleanup crew... but fairly limited knowledge on my research for reef information. My problem is that there is so many different species of zoas, leathers, etc. that some seem to have different requirements than others... I want to make sure that i spend my money wisely and preferably inexpensively..

 

if i did purchase some, how do you go about pruning corals?? just cutting them stems off?

 

with this one... you have to peel it back... but once this grows on a rock, it will, forever, grow on that rock and it will spread to another rock before you know it (I'm serious, not being figurative)... then you'll have to nuke it.


I have some on a piece of plastic (easy to peel off). I literally throw a soft ball sized amount away every 2 months or so.

Feel free to try it... but you'll eventually wish you hadn't