Coral suggestion for layout

[zoroi]

Hello,

I’ve had my aquarium for 34 days now, and I would really appreciate some help.

My Aquarium:
Tank Dimensions: 80x40x40 cm + external sump (~40L)
Lighting: 2x Spectra Knight V3
Return Pump: Dymax 1800L/h
Skimmer: 300 Ny do Brasil
Circulation Pump: HSBAO 4000L/h with controller
Current Livestock:
1 Clownfish
1 Firefish
11 Hermit Crabs
10 Snails
1 Astraea Snail
4 Zoanthids
1 Trumpet Coral
1 Torch Coral
1 Green Leather Coral


Feeding and Dosing Routine:
Fish Food: Tropical brand, once daily
Coral Food: Pellet coral food, twice a week
Fuel Additive: Twice a week
Fusion 1 and 2: Daily dosing for the past few days
Bacteria: Delta Fish and some Stability dosed in the last days


Parameters:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 2.5 ppm
Salinity: 1.0245
Temperature: 26°C (±0.5°C)
KH: 6.8
pH: 7.9
Magnesium (Mg): 1185 ppm
Calcium (Ca): 375 ppm
(These measurements were taken before the past 4 days of Fusion 1 and 2 dosing.)


My Questions
1. Coral Placement Suggestions
Here’s what I have in mind, but I’d love feedback and suggestions:

(I) Bottom left rock: A Zoanthid garden (worried about shaded areas and whether they’ll climb up the rock).
(II) Left plateau: A colorful Goniopora garden.
(III) Right plateau: A garden of colorful Torch corals (already have one there).
(IV) Middle plateau: An easy SPS coral (open to suggestions).
(V) Between the plateaus: I’m unsure. Currently, there’s a Trumpet coral on one side, but I’m not sure it’s the best spot. Suggestions welcome!
(VI) Right base rock: Open to ideas.
(VII) Center and back base rocks: Open to ideas.
(VIII) Isolated rock on the right: Reserved for a Zoanthid Watermelon colony that’s already there.
(IX) Substrate: A Leather coral in the corner and possibly some colorful corals.
*My preference is for vibrant, eye-catching LPS corals (focus on bold colors).

Photos of the Layout Attached:
yout:

 

[maroonclown65]

Those all look like good spots I would recommend isolating any zoas on one rock like you did trust me it's annoying removing zoas

 

[zoroi]

Is there a coral I could place on the next rock to block the growth of the zoanthus in that direction?

 

[maroonclown65]

The rock next to your current zoas on the right side? I mean gsp or xenia but that's only assumimg they can grow faster, I would personally separate them even further, ive had zoas and palys jump to another rock when there 3 inches apart don't ask me how maybe it's budding? But long term they will grow out and invade on other corals turf unless you isolate the rock with them on it

 

[Poseidon03]

Is there a coral I could place on the next rock to block the growth of the zoanthus in that direction?

My recommendation is acan lords. You can build a wall with them. The zoas and acan lords won't hurt each other and I've personally never seen an acan be overgrown by one. There is a chance they can grow around them tho. Zoas can take over.

What color of sps are you looking for? You can do anything from branching cyphastrea, birds nest, montipora digitata, stylo, and anacropora to get started with sps.

I see you have greens and a little orange. Hammers and torches can be green/gold/black/blue. I'd recommend some rainbow acans which can bring in any color. One of the best things I can recommend for a tank to look great from a distance is contrasting colors next to each other.

Other good corals to look into are chalices, lobos, trachy, and scolys for the bottom of the tank.

 

[Solo McReefer]

Zoas can take over.

The OP

Is a long long away from that happening

 

[Solo McReefer]

Layout suggestions:

Mount your zoas down low on the rocks

Mount your encrusing corals halfway up the rocks, cephastreas, gonis, montiporas, leptos, etc

Mount your acros up on the top

If I were you. I would not be worrying about zoas over running your tank. That's a good problem to have. And it is 2 years away for you, if it happens at all


If you really want to contain zoas, any corals, one can put then bio media. I have zoas that are going in a different tank on Fritz Bio Domes. Like this

 

[zoroi]

Are you sugestion like this (in yellow)? A wall of acan lord?

 

[Poseidon03]

Are you sugestion like this (in yellow)? A wall of acan lord?

Yeah, that is what I was meaning. You can also mix acans in with zoas too. You could also do a hammer and frogspawn combo to keep them back.

@Solo McReefer I agree it is a while away, but why not be proactive rather than reactive?

 

[zoroi]

Good points, tks!

I what do you think about put some zoanthus on the shadow part, it is a problem? Look, the rock on the bottom have a part that could not have lightning

Another point is put palythoa chaos with this zoas, it is a good idea? Play chaos have a excelente color to contrast

 

[zoroi]

And some suggestions about what cut in the other spaces with no circles? In special to not destroy or be destroyed by the others corals (in special the torch’s on the right)

I have some difficulty to find strong red corals, some options?

 

[zoroi]

Can I place a BBT anemone (if it chooses to stay there) between the torch garden and the easy SPS? Or would that not be a good idea?

 

[Psyduck]

Can I place a BBT anemone (if it chooses to stay there) between the torch garden and the easy SPS? Or would that not be a good idea?

You dont get to choose where you place anemone, they choose where they want to be

By the way, since everyone else gave you good suggestions, I will tell you this. Slow down. Your tank is too new. If you start putting more corals and especially anemone, you will be selling all your equipment pretty soon. Also, raise your parameters to 8-9dkh, 420-450ca, 1350-1500mg. And I am afraid your CUC will starve to death soon.

 

[zoroi]

You dont get to choose where you place anemone, they choose where they want to be

By the way, since everyone else gave you good suggestions, I will tell you this. Slow down. Your tank is too new. If you start putting more corals and especially anemone, you will be selling all your equipment pretty soon. Also, raise your parameters to 8-9dkh, 420-450ca, 1350-1500mg. And I am afraid your CUC will starve to death soon.

Good point! I will not add all of these at the same time. I’m starting with the easier ones first, like some torches and maybe gonioporas. I’m thinking about adding the anemone now for the clownfish.

I’ve improved my parameters, and today they are:
KH: 8.1
Ca: 400
Mg: TBD

Also, the brown algae arrived this week, so the CUC already has plenty of food.

 

[Psyduck]

Good point! I will not add all of these at the same time. I’m starting with the easier ones first, like some torches and maybe gonioporas. I’m thinking about adding the anemone now for the clownfish.

I’ve improved my parameters, and today they are:
KH: 8.1
Ca: 400
Mg: TBD

Also, the brown algae arrived this week, so the CUC already has plenty of food.

Good luck to you and happy reefing! And as you add more corals, you will know what works best for you and your tank mates but a solid plan for now!

 

[Solo McReefer]

The anemone will walk

And sting your other corals

You can try and guide where they stay with powerheads

But it's a crapshoot

And that's if it doesn't walk into a powerhead, getting chopped up, and filling your system with toxins

 

[zoroi]

I’m thinking of placing a chalice at the top of the rock where the trumpet coral is today (moving the trumpet to another spot). Do you think it’s a good idea? How can I control the chalice to ensure it stays only on that rock and doesn’t spread over to the gonioporas on the left, the SPS on the right, or the acan on the rock below?

 

[zoroi]

Other doubt, can I put palythoa chaos and palythoa stratosphere together with my zoas?

 

[Solo McReefer]

Stratospheres are pricy, good luck

Utter chaos grow fast. These will outcompete a lot of slower growing zoas

 

[zoroi]

I’m thinking of placing a chalice at the top of the rock where the trumpet coral is today (moving the trumpet to another spot). Do you think it’s a good idea? How can I control the chalice to ensure it stays only on that rock and doesn’t spread over to the gonioporas on the left, the SPS on the right, or the acan on the rock below?

And about the chalice, it’s a good idea put on that rock? I would like place a coral colorful to that that rock, some options?