What corals should a total noob start out with first?

[percula]

120g

2x250w MH 10k, 2x96w pc actinic

2 x 140w VHO 10k, actinic - not yet in use

 

My tank seems to be about done cycling. A few macro and coraline algaes are running wild, worms and pods are everywhere, and the cleaner pack seems to be happily running about.

 

I'm not even sure where I want to go with this tank but in general, I'm more interested in corals than fish.

 

What I'd like to have is a little guidance about which corals might be the best to start with as I begin the learning process. Also, anyone have a particularly good source of where I can get info on specific corals (that I'm hoping people name here).

 

I am in no hurry; just want a plan.

 

Thanks much!

Matt

[HowardofNOVA]

Welcome Matt!

Sounds like your completed your cycling process, Lighting looks good and you seem to have some PATIENCE which will come in handy for sure! So good going so far!

As you might have figured out so far, which way you go, the choices are numerous and none of them will be right or wrong, just different. Whether you go SPS (Not recommended for a Noob, but doable!) or anything else, here are a few suggestions.

First, I know you said your more interested in corals, but a couple of good maintenance species to keep algae, critters, etc in check for your 120g setup.

Cleaners:

Depending on the depth of your sandbed, 10-30 Nassarius Snails for starters, constantly turning over gravel/sand bed.

10-20 Dwarf Hermit Crabs, (IMO in this order #1 Red Tipped Legs, Red Legs and Blue Legs)

1 Sallie Lightfoot Crab

1-3 Blue Neon Striped Hermit Crabs

3 Chestnut Snails, love the color and their great on the glass

10-20 Cerith Snails

5-10 Margarita Snails

1 Court Jester or Randfordi Goby, constantly cleaning sand and beautiful fish

1-2 Tangs, alot of choices here for picking at algae, but Yellow or Powder Blue/Brown are very popular

 

This should take care of basic maintenance and give your tank some "movement"

 

Corals, choices are endless, but...

Mushrooms: remember, they can spread quickly in your tank!

Zooanthids "Zoos" Numerous colors, so according to your "PLAN", choose a type/color that your working for?

LPS: Ricordias, Frogspawn, Plates, Acans, etc. Candy Canes fall in this category, but seem for some, hardy to keep going!

Leathers: Devil Hand, Sarcophytons, Sinularia's (Yellow, Green, Pulsing, etc) Can help you with these when your ready? Xenias and Capenellas are two popular items, but can quickly take over your tank if not careful!

 

Wish you luck, but remember to keep it simple and have fun!!

Howard

[gastone]

Here is a good source for info/care regarding corals: http://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Corals-Sele...7068&sr=8-1

 

and another: http://www.amazon.com/Corals-World-Vol-Sli...7122&sr=1-5

 

I agree with Howard. Start with softies/LPS. For the time being avoid SPS, clams, anemones, non-photosynthetic corals. I'd wait for the tank to mature/stabilize before I tried any of these (at least 6 months - 1 year IMO).

 

Avoid nepthea/capnella/kenya tree like the plague, even if someone is giving it away (and they will).

 

Good luck.

 

Garrett.

[zotzer]

Avoid nepthea/capnella/kenya tree like the plague, even if someone is giving it away (and they will).

 

 

HEY! I resemble that remark! LOL (frankly, I've just been flushing it down the toilet as of late )

 

There are some easy SPS that you can play with, to see how it does in your tank. Many monti digis (I have two that grow in spite of the youth of my tank) are agreeable. I also got a small bali slimer frag from Lanman which grows gangbusters. Just stick with easy specimies if you go this way.

 

One issue with the "easier" keepers like leathers and many LPS, is that they aren't necessarily "easy" on your other tank inhabitants. Just give everything lots of room, and remember to have fun!!

 

Tracy

[jason the filter freak]

120 is an awesome "newb, noob, etc." tank. Wish I had started out that large, if you're in the area in the future I could give you a mush room or two if my fragging goes right

[rsarvis]

I have some fairly easy newbie corals, monti digi frags, green mushrooms, yellow polyps, kenya/xenia (plague corals to some...). I'm in Annandale, let me know if you'd like some, I can give you some for free. They all grow fairly quickly and are not hard to keep.

 

120g

2x250w MH 10k, 2x96w pc actinic

2 x 140w VHO 10k, actinic - not yet in use

 

My tank seems to be about done cycling. A few macro and coraline algaes are running wild, worms and pods are everywhere, and the cleaner pack seems to be happily running about.

 

I'm not even sure where I want to go with this tank but in general, I'm more interested in corals than fish.

 

What I'd like to have is a little guidance about which corals might be the best to start with as I begin the learning process. Also, anyone have a particularly good source of where I can get info on specific corals (that I'm hoping people name here).

 

I am in no hurry; just want a plan.

 

Thanks much!

Matt

[percula]

Thanks for the advice all! I think I still need to hold off a bit (nitrates still a bit high) but I may hit a few of you up in the future on those nice offers. Quick pic to show the current state below. Still a few rock formations left to build; not to mention the whole sump is not quite going (only using canister filter atm). I'm in DIY heaven/H-E-double hocky sticks. Fun stuff indeed!

 

 

Currently holding:

44 Turbo Snail, 12 Med Blue Leg Hermits, 12 Scarlet Reef Hermits, 4 Emerald Crab, 6 Nerite Snails, 6 Cerith Snails 2 Star Snail and a bevy of LR hitch-hikers.

Edited December 7, 2007 by percula

[zotzer]

Beautiful tank!!!

 

Did I read that right? 44 Turbo snails???!!!!

 

Tracy

[lletellier]

looks like you are off to a good start, I really like the rockwork

[percula]

 

gastone - thanks for the book links; wife was actually relieved to have a reasonable x-mas request. She didn't like my "big wad of cash for corals" gift idea.

 

yes, 44 turbo snails. I got most of them in a clean-up crew package (http://reeftopia.com/Reeftopiaspecials.html). The crew is eating up all my beautiful coraline algae so it's a love/hate relationship at the moment -- though I'm loving the emerald crabs. The coraline now appears to be spreading on to the base rock so I suppose things are still in good shape.

 

So.... hard .... to .... stay .... patient!

 

 

Rainfordi Goby and first coral planned for January after I get the sump/refugium/skimmer all going.

[gastone]

I always make my girlfriend buy me reef stuff for Christmas/b-days. Borneman's book is good, however my mastiff my trying to read it one day, got frustrated (darn latin) and ate it instead. I now have bits and pieces of it (literally).

[HowardofNOVA]

Alot of cleaners, possibly not alot of food (waste) for them yet, drop some food in for them occasionally, especially with the crabs or you will see your snails going bye bye soon!!

[wreck]

Looks great. What type of filtration are you running? I would recommend getting a sump/refugium as soon as you can. Then you'll be able to put the heater in it and probably lose a couple of the powerheads once you get a good return flow going. Keep up the good work. If you want some baby Tomato clowns I still have plenty available.

Wreck

[percula]

I've started throwing in some dried food just to make sure I don't lose too much. One of the crabs seems to have bit it already although that particular one never appeared to acclimate well - the other 3 crabs and the rest of the pack appear quite active.

 

Current filtration is only a cannister filter with large amounts of floss and carbon. 55g sump is almost ready to go on-line and includes a slow-flow 10g refugium (I already have handfulls of cheato, sea lettuce, and dragon something ready to drop in -- should I include LS and LR?) and a modified ASM skimmer (recirc). I'll post pics once I get the plumbing finished. I will no doubt really want some advice on how to improve it.

 

Glass drilling has proved to be not overly difficult but I did make a few mistakes-- over-tightened the bulkhead on the 10g's overflow. It produced a 1.5" crack (bulkhead down to seam) an hour later but, since the 10g sits inside the 55g sump, this is really no big deal. The glass is so thin compared to the 55g, I'm not surprised-- hindsight says it was a good idea to practice first.

 

I have noticed that the backside of a drill-through tends to chip away that edge (i.e. it breaks off a little before the bit goes all the way through). Anyone know the trick around this? Do you tape the backside or something?

 

Thanks all,

Matt

[gastone]

Taping the backside works pretty good.

 

G.