Planning for corals...

[gsjr]

Hi all, firstly thank you for the warm welcome to this amazing forum! It's helped me a long since starting my first saltwater aquarium in July of this year. Now I am planning my first coral purchase. It's definitely exciting but also I'm a little nervous as there's so much to take into account. So anyway I thought I would start a build thread to document my progress and so you all can advise as I go. To aid in advice, it may be helpful to know a few things about the tank first. My lighting is 2 T5's 24 watt white marine lights. I'm running a fluval 405 external filter and a tunze 9012 skimmer. My tank is quite deep so hopefully my lighting is ok. Anyone who has experience with T5's I would appreciate advice on that. Otherwise I am working on making a map of the corals I want and their placement in the tank and then I will post it. For now here is a current pic. if anyone has suggestions as to what corals you would recommend for me I would appreciate it.Thanks!!!

 

[blaxsun]

I'm not sure if you have access to a PAR meter (rent or borrow?), but this can help determine what your lighting levels are at various points on the rocks and will help narrow down which corals might be most suitable. Offhand, probably some softer corals like zoas, xenias and mushrooms on the lower rocks.

 

[gsjr]

I'm not sure if you have access to a PAR meter (rent or borrow?), but this can help determine what your lighting levels are at various points on the rocks and will help narrow down which corals might be most suitable. Offhand, probably some softer corals like zoas, xenias and mushrooms on the lower rocks.

OK Thanks, I will try and get hold of a PAR meter.

 

[kittenbritches]

I'd also recommend some zoas, as well as ricordea, a duncan, and maybe a leather coral.

Your aquascape looks great! How many gallons is your tank?

 

[gsjr]

I'd also recommend some zoas, as well as ricordea, a duncan, and maybe a leather coral.

Your aquascape looks great! How many gallons is your tank?

Tank is 50 gallons. I used caribsea life rock and live sand...aquascaping was super fun! Got some diatoms still but I think they are slowly disappearing..

 

[kittenbritches]

Tank is 50 gallons. I used caribsea life rock and live sand...aquascaping was super fun! Got some diatoms still but I think they are slowly disappearing..

Yeah -- your tank looks really clear! My diatoms turned into green film algae, and then cyanobacteria, which I'm in the process of getting rid of now.

I'm excited to see some corals in your tank!

 

[gsjr]

Yeah -- your tank looks really clear! My diatoms turned into green film algae, and then cyanobacteria, which I'm in the process of getting rid of now.

I'm excited to see some corals in your tank!

I'm also excited but a little nervous too ...I think I will start with zoa's on the rock in front as it's isolated. A little zoa garden... definitely looking at the other ones you mentioned. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

 

[gsjr]

Hi everyone! It's been awhile since I posted but everything is going well with the tank... As mentioned in my earlier post I wanted to start this thread to document the progression of my tank and get your advise along the way. So the last month's I have been researching various corals and mapping out my tank. Also making sure I have all I need for my first coral purchase. So here finally is a rough map of what I am imagining. Please advise on placement or choice. Hopefully you can see my writing. It's not the greatest pic...

 

[LegalReefer]

For your suggestions spot I'd say put a psammocora, leptoseris, or platygyra, but that's just my personal taste. Overall, planning and forethought looks fantastic, I think you've got intelligent placement! Do keep in mind that your corals will grow, some swift and some slow, with your palys, xenia, and GSP potentially posing a possible threat to some of your other, slower growing corals a few months or years down the line.

 

[gsjr]

Good point. Thanks!

 

[gsjr]

Exciting news!! My first corals arrived yesterday!! Here are some pics. I will eventually take them off the plugs and glue them onto the rock they are next to...