How do you get your tanks so beautiful?

[ScubaSkeets]

Hi folks!
As I'm filling up my tank (4 gallons down, 116 to go!)
Was wondering how you guys get your reef tank so beautiful and full of coral? Obviously, there are a lot of variables, but do you get mostly frags and wait for them to grow, or do you get larger, mature coral, for "instant satisfaction"? I assume a mixture of both, but setting aside water quality, care and feeding, lighting, etc., doesn't it take "forever" for frags to grow into a what your reef tank is "supposed" to look like?
Thanks!
Ed

 

[ReefRusty]

Rome wasn't built in a day, it's a hobby with time and patience. And enjoy the process.

 

[Homebrewer]

Hi folks!
As I'm filling up my tank (4 gallons down, 116 to go!)
Was wondering how you guys get your reef tank so beautiful and full of coral? Obviously, there are a lot of variables, but do you get mostly frags and wait for them to grow, or do you get larger, mature coral, for "instant satisfaction"? I assume a mixture of both, but setting aside water quality, care and feeding, lighting, etc., doesn't it take "forever" for frags to grow into a what your reef tank is "supposed" to look like?
Thanks!
Ed

You nailed it when you said there are a lot of variables, but stable water chemistry is key. Lighting is probably a close second to chemistry, but matters a lot for the “look” you are talking about.

As far as frags vs colonies, it’s frags for me every time. Part of the fun is watching and getting these things to grow, they are cheaper, and assuming you buy from a reputable source, frags are often “farmed” from generations-old specimens while wild colonies are, well, from the wild.

If you’re looking for instant gratification, you’re in the wrong hobby! Slow and steady will get you there. Good luck!

 

[redeyejedi]

Hi folks!
As I'm filling up my tank (4 gallons down, 116 to go!)
Was wondering how you guys get your reef tank so beautiful and full of coral? Obviously, there are a lot of variables, but do you get mostly frags and wait for them to grow, or do you get larger, mature coral, for "instant satisfaction"? I assume a mixture of both, but setting aside water quality, care and feeding, lighting, etc., doesn't it take "forever" for frags to grow into a what your reef tank is "supposed" to look like?
Thanks!
Ed

I prefer to get frags and watch them grow into a colony. My first coral was a green torch which only had one polyp 4 years ago. Now it has 20 heads. So ive cut it and placed it all over my tank.

 

[Carl C]

I prefer to get frags and watch them grow into a colony. My first coral was a green torch which only had one polyp 4 years ago. Now it has 20 heads. So ive cut it and placed it all over my tank.

That’s cool I’m finally doing some of that too

 

[kenchilada]

Money

 

[vetteguy53081]

You plan
You budget
You envision
Then slowly add coral periodically

 

[Hydrored]

Time, stability, flow, lighting

upgraded in May 2020 and the sps has really just started taking off the last month for me. I did try out different lighting over that period but finally found lights I love. Just takes time.

 

[Devaji]

You plan
You budget
You envision
Then slowly add coral periodically

what he means to say is:
you plan
you budget...then it goes out the window...

then you envision more money

and slowly add coral...
lol

remember this is a hobby have fun with it and reef with in your budget go slow be study. you will have some set back we all do but get good habits from the get go I think that helps.

 

[ZoWhat]

Beautiful reef tanks start with a $3,000 DSLR camera with a Macro lens

.... then Photoshop


.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

As others have said: Time, Stability and a whole lot of Patience.

 

[ScottR]

I’ve found that frags grow in better than colonies do. I like that the frags will grow around a rock and reach upward.

 

[HB AL]

35 years of trial and error.

 

[fishhead1973]

Hi folks!
As I'm filling up my tank (4 gallons down, 116 to go!)
Was wondering how you guys get your reef tank so beautiful and full of coral? Obviously, there are a lot of variables, but do you get mostly frags and wait for them to grow, or do you get larger, mature coral, for "instant satisfaction"? I assume a mixture of both, but setting aside water quality, care and feeding, lighting, etc., doesn't it take "forever" for frags to grow into a what your reef tank is "supposed" to look like?
Thanks!
Ed

Frags cheap u get to watch the grow it takes time and patience

 

[X-37B]

Start with a plan and stick to it.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

Vaseline on the camera lens ...

Buy cheap frags at the beginning because odds are you are going to kill a few frags until you get the hang of it.

Most of the tanks that I consider good, have a variety of modest sized colonies in close proximity, which is hard to do and needs to be grown into, to attain that look.

Be prepared for your tastes to change as you become more experienced.

Dennis

 

[Brandon3152134]

Time and patience. You have to want to learn about this and spend time understanding and working with your tank. You can do this for cheap. Or you can buy the best of the best equipment. But if you dont care to take the time and wait for it to come togther you will fail.

 

[Cory]

Honestly i think the key is simple. Provide everything that is needed for what you want to keep.

Water changes can do that. So can dosing.

 

[Paul B]

All of my corals grew from frags many years ago or tiny broken pieces from the bottom of dealers tanks that I asked them to throw in.

 

[stanleo]

I prefer larger coral colonies but the frags that I have added that have taken off did not take as long as you think to become mature looking colonies. My hammer that I got at a ping pong ball size with 3 little heads is now larger than a solfball with ten heads 15 months later. And my red cap monti has tripled in size in just a few months. Time flies when you're having fun.