Corals that can handle being moved a lot

[Jas6318]

Hi All,

Wondering if I can get some ideas on corals that would meet the following requirements:

1) I like to vacuum my sandbed along with my weekly water changes so all corals on the sand get moved
2) I don’t want to have to target feed the corals

I’m assuming leathers and morphs would be on the list but wondering what else would do ok with that. My lfs said Xenia is really hardy but I’ve since found out it doesn’t like to be moved so maybe not the best option.

I’ve not had great luck with zoas, hammers, torch, scolys and goniopora (I was actually target feeding them all), but wondering if it had more to do with flow being too low. They all got chocked with algae even though my tank didn’t seem to be overrun with it.

I’m thinking to stick with easy corals is probably my best bet so would love some advice and thoughts.

Thanks!

 

[liddojunior]

You don’t have enough flow. And could use sand shifting cuc

You shouldn’t need to be vac that much. You don’t let them aquarium season and become stable

Corals that’s can sit on the sand bed also don’t want to be moved. If you want hardly and sitting on the sand bed, favias are best bet.
Leathers are attacked to rock rubble are fine too

 

[homer1475]

No corals like to be moved, or will thrive with constant moving.

 

[Reefer Matt]

You can also mount the coral to a rock and don't move it instead of moving the coral all the time. Coral like stability.

 

[Jas6318]

You don’t have enough flow. And could use sand shifting cuc

You shouldn’t need to be vac that much. You don’t let them aquarium season and become stable

Corals that’s can sit on the sand bed also don’t want to be moved. If you want hardly and sitting on the sand bed, favias are best bet.
Leathers are attacked to rock rubble are fine too

Thanks for your reply. I do like favias so I will definitely look to get one!

I’ve increased the flow in my tank now so hopefully that’ll help them.

Re: vacuuming the sand bed, how often would you recommend doing it?

 

[Jas6318]

No corals like to be moved, or will thrive with constant moving.

Is that the case even if mounted on a rock? Can I move them then?

 

[Jas6318]

You can also mount the coral to a rock and don't move it instead of moving the coral all the time. Coral like stability.

I’ll be putting some corals on the main rock, but won’t have enough room on it for everything. I may need to get some more rock!

 

[Dburr1014]

Nassarius snails, fighting conch, ect will help you stir it up and keep it clean.
Less vacuuming for you.

 

[kbnh]

I’d say instead of vacuuming so often try just to stir up the sand where exposed around your corals, it’ll kick up detritus into the water column and leave your copepods behind or at least in the tank.

 

[Timfish]

I'll reiterate corals don't like being moved. I rarely use a gravel siphon to clean sand. More frequently I'll use a straw to siphon off the top layer or algae and detritus. The sand can be tossed and some new sand added. It can also be cleaned and returned. The first way I would clean it is swirl it in a bucket of aquarium water with maybe 2 or 3 times as much water as sand, dump the water and repeat several time then return the sand to the system. This preserves some of the beneficial biofilms and endoliths that might be on and in the sand but get rid of the cyano and algae and detritus. A more aggressive way to clean and sterilize the sand is after rinsing out the detritus soak the sand in H2O2 for a day or so. RInse it well again as the H2O2 will loosen up a lot of stuff and let dry a day or so. This works well if only a few cups have been siphoned off.

I would not use a filter sock to siphon the sand into then return the siphoned water to that system. I used to do that and recommend it but after understanding the role of DOC (carbon dosing) relased by algae that can cause issues for corals it doesn't seem like a good idea. Especially after siphoning sand out as that process seems like it will break up the alga on sand releasing even more of the DOC.

FWIW, feeding particulate foods to corals is really problematic as feeding is very species specific and it really should be left to those individuals with lots of experience with thier specific coral species. What one coral likes can be detrimental for another and there can be a "goldilocks" response to feeding where the amount to elicit an positive result and not have a negative impact can be very specific.

 

[Jas6318]

Nassarius snails, fighting conch, ect will help you stir it up and keep it clean.
Less vacuuming for you.

Yes I actually keep meaning to get some nassarius snails. I think that would stop me from feeling the need to clean so often. They’re pretty fun to watch too!

 

[Jas6318]

I’d say instead of vacuuming so often try just to stir up the sand where exposed around your corals, it’ll kick up detritus into the water column and leave your copepods behind or at least in the tank.

Ok that’s good advice. I’ll try that. What maybe a couple of times a week?

 

[Jas6318]

I'll reiterate corals don't like being moved. I rarely use a gravel siphon to clean sand. More frequently I'll use a straw to siphon off the top layer or algae and detritus. The sand can be tossed and some new sand added. It can also be cleaned and returned. The first way I would clean it is swirl it in a bucket of aquarium water with maybe 2 or 3 times as much water as sand, dump the water and repeat several time then return the sand to the system. This preserves some of the beneficial biofilms and endoliths that might be on and in the sand but get rid of the cyano and algae and detritus. A more aggressive way to clean and sterilize the sand is after rinsing out the detritus soak the sand in H2O2 for a day or so. RInse it well again as the H2O2 will loosen up a lot of stuff and let dry a day or so. This works well if only a few cups have been siphoned off.

I would not use a filter sock to siphon the sand into then return the siphoned water to that system. I used to do that and recommend it but after understanding the role of DOC (carbon dosing) relased by algae that can cause issues for corals it doesn't seem like a good idea. Especially after siphoning sand out as that process seems like it will break up the alga on sand releasing even more of the DOC.

FWIW, feeding particulate foods to corals is really problematic as feeding is very species specific and it really should be left to those individuals with lots of experience with thier specific coral species. What one coral likes can be detrimental for another and there can be a "goldilocks" response to feeding where the amount to elicit a positive result and not have a negative impact can be very specific.

Actually I don’t often use a gravel vac either as I’ve got a 20gal cube and found I lost too much water that way. I just get a bit of clear plastic tubing, siphon off the top layer (probably 1/2 inch of about a 1-1.5 inch sand bed) and rinse it with mixed salt water, then replace it. Is that a good way to do it? And if so, how often would you recommend?

 

[Timfish]

Actually I don’t often use a gravel vac either as I’ve got a 20gal cube and found I lost too much water that way. I just get a bit of clear plastic tubing, siphon off the top layer (probably 1/2 inch of about a 1-1.5 inch sand bed) and rinse it with mixed salt water, then replace it. Is that a good way to do it? And if so, how often would you recommend?

I clean sand the same way, check the video in hte link I posted. You might find using steel straws helpful. Whatever works for your situation is best. Most of the time when I clean sand with H2O2 it reduces the amount of algae that comes back. But sometimes it makes it worse and cleaning in aquarium water then reduces it. (My theory is it depends on the biology that's living in and around the sand particles and H2O2 can kill off stuff that's competing with algae for nutrients and space.)

 

[kbnh]

Ok that’s good advice. I’ll try that. What maybe a couple of times a week?

Maybe start once a week and see how it looks, adjust based on that

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Thanks for your reply. I do like favias so I will definitely look to get one!

I’ve increased the flow in my tank now so hopefully that’ll help them.

Re: vacuuming the sand bed, how often would you recommend doing it?

Never

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Is that the case even if mounted on a rock? Can I move them then?

No

 

[Jas6318]

I clean sand the same way, check the video in hte link I posted. You might find using steel straws helpful. Whatever works for your situation is best. Most of the time when I clean sand with H2O2 it reduces the amount of algae that comes back. But sometimes it makes it worse and cleaning in aquarium water then reduces it. (My theory is it depends on the biology that's living in and around the sand particles and H2O2 can kill off stuff that's competing with algae for nutrients and space.)

Thanks so much for the advice. That steel straw is amazing! Can you buy them online? I’m in Australia and don’t think I’ve seen them in my lfs.

 

[Jas6318]

Maybe start once a week and see how it looks, adjust based on that

Ok will do. Thanks!

 

[Jas6318]

Never

so just stir sand and cleanup crew is your suggestion?