Corals to avoid? - Mixed reef

TriGa22

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Planning a lagoon 25 gallon AIO mixed reef. Due to the limited size of a nano aquarium, coral selection is critical. What corals would you recommend in all three coral categories sps lps and soft also what control measures do you take to keep corals at bay. - for example you have a spreading coral that you keep on its own rock island so it doesn’t take over.

Trying to create a coral list of sps,lps, and softies but I am finding that many corals can takeover and spread. My biggest concern would be corals that begin popping up all over like Kenya tree and mushrooms.

Corals to avoid categories-
Avoid due to care requirements
Avoid due to spreading habits/takeover
Avoid due to nano limitations

For example -
Pocillipora was on my list as a beginner SPS but I am reading that it will release polyps and spread everywhere.

GSP,palythoas,mushrooms, etc are common soft corals that takeover

Encrusting chalice etc in the lps category
 
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TriGa22

TriGa22

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Any encrusting corals such as Cyphastrea will continue to expand and cover whatever they can.
I dont see a problem with Pocillopora...theyre not going to spawn and grow everywhere.
Interesting. If you search pocillopora spreading you’ll find many hits for it popping up all over.
 

chip shop

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Pick a list of corals you like/would hope to keep and research them,will give you a better way to plan your set up from the off knowing the coral your going to place where in your tank
 

DSEKULA

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This really depends on the goal of the tank. Some coral spread but can be held at bay by other coral for example I let zoas spread all over my sand bed. I have euphlia heavily placed mid tank that make a line the zoa don't cross, rock flower nems also make great barriers. If you like pocilipora just make sure the places you Don't want it to grow are covered with somthing else. I have a small colony in my tank and it can spread but any that enters my euphlia territory or falls into the zoa bed dies and I don't find it hard to trim back personally..
Now that being said I have 175gal and 2 gal reef tanks. The stocking mentality is very different for me. In a smaller tank I like to find coral where a small piece will resemble a smaller colony vs part of a large coral that got hacked off (basically no coral that needs to be more than 2" to show all the features of the coral). I have a mix of zoas and shrooms some leathers. Lps I did some trumpets, hammer coral, and button scolly, I did try some pocilipora but it didn't take well in the setup. I've also had a mini carpet nem but rock flowers would do well too.
Those are my ideas but your stock list should reflect what you like. imo there's nothing wrong with a coral popping up in other areas around the tank as long as it not creating a war with somthing else etc. I'd pick a few of your favorites and the build the list around things that work well with them either by cohabiting well or holding them at bay.
 

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