Top 10

[Up2no6ood]

Actually it's funny that I've had this conversation a couple time just this week. But when it comes to selecting what goes in my relatively small personal display, (30x30) I am far more interested in structure than color.

Believe it or not. Those subtle nuances like orange tips and red polyps etc, all but disappear after you've taken your fifth or sixth step back. From 5-10 feet away, what you really see once the colonies have matured a bit, are the shapes they have become. The way they have filled in the negative space and how they have accepted the environment.

It's for this reason that I choose to put structure over color always. Now of course I'm not putting profoundly unique brown acros there. I'm not that much of a purest. I like the super pretty stuff just as much as anyone. But this being my fifth or sixth full fledged sps reef, I’ve come to appreciate the important part structure plays when deciding what to mount in my personal display. These shapes will ultimately define your mature reef far more than contrasting tips or polyps.




If I had to keep just 10 in there right now. These guys would stay. But ask me again in another year or so and my answer will be different I’m sure. I mean that's what it's all about for me. I wouldn't call this a top ten of personal favorites either, Rather the perfect balance of just 10 acros, for how I'd like a mature reef tank to look.

In no particular order


Sanjay's Lep con beard
PC superman
Atl blue clover
Pink panther
Thundercats
Tubs real deal Echinata
Battle stag
Hellflower milli
BC Points Efflo
Skinny love

So when are you releasing the battlecorals top 10 frag pack?

 

[hart24601]

I always like interesting growth forms. After all we all rock at keeping coral so many have cool colors when they grow out, but cool shapes rule when colonies get big!

 

[Aquaph8]

So when are you releasing the battlecorals top 10 frag pack?

I have a feeling that pack is impossible to make

 

[Battlecorals]

I have a feeling that pack is impossible to make

mostly true, because of that darn hellflower. I have been looking at a dormant frag in my dt for almost three years now. This is one coral that really does hate me


Seriously, almost three year old frag right here. Was one of the first to go in . lol

 

[Chris Adams]

What I want to know BC is where is that blue humilis you used to have for sale? I was waiting and waiting for that to come back up and now it is not even on your revised site(boooo). To me (the structure)has some real eye appeal. If you had a piece of that available I am sure I would finally click buy on that cart I am always filling and changing ha ha ha

Your site makes my eye pop out.. me and my daughter do the Homer S looking at your site

 

[Aquaph8]

mostly true, because of that darn hellflower. I have been looking at a dormant frag in my dt for almost three years now. This is one coral that really does hate me


Seriously, almost three year old frag right here. Was one of the first to go in . lol

That reminds me of my SWOTR frag, thing just stares at me. You didn't mention the pink panther, does that mean theres a chance I may get a frag of that bad boy someday?

What I want to know BC is where is that blue humilis you used to have for sale? I was waiting and waiting for that to come back up and now it is not even on your revised site(boooo). To me (the structure)has some real eye appeal. If you had a piece of that available I am sure I would finally click buy on that cart I am always filling and changing ha ha ha

Your site makes my eye pop out.. me and my daughter do the Homer S looking at your site

You talking about fly me to the blue moon?

 

[Gondore]

mostly true, because of that darn hellflower. I have been looking at a dormant frag in my dt for almost three years now. This is one coral that really does hate me


Seriously, almost three year old frag right here. Was one of the first to go in . lol

Wow that is crazy for three years. Have you ever tried nicking the ends of an sps to stimulate growth? It has worked pretty well for me in the past.

 

[Chris Adams]

You talking about fly me to the blue moon?

Yes I believe that was the 1.

 

[Aquaph8]

Yes I believe that was the 1.

Its on there right next to the firecracker table under the Battlecorals category

 

[Chris Adams]

Its on there right next to the firecracker table under the Battlecorals category

Thanks.. was looking for old pic or similar.. Thanks a lot! Guess I have to work on that cart

 

[Heiki]

Wanne see more pics of you're tank ^^

 

[Aquaph8]

Thanks.. was looking for old pic or similar.. Thanks a lot! Guess I have to work on that cart

No problem Chris, I knew I saw it on there somewhere.

 

[Battlecorals]

What I want to know BC is where is that blue humilis you used to have for sale? I was waiting and waiting for that to come back up and now it is not even on your revised site(boooo). To me (the structure)has some real eye appeal. If you had a piece of that available I am sure I would finally click buy on that cart I am always filling and changing ha ha ha

Your site makes my eye pop out.. me and my daughter do the Homer S looking at your site

You're kidding! it's the Fly me to the Blue Moon Humilis, Named after flyyyguy, An old reefer friend iIused to trade with, and its always available!

 

[Battlecorals]

Wow that is crazy for three years. Have you ever tried nicking the ends of an sps to stimulate growth? It has worked pretty well for me in the past.

No, only because if I touch it it get even madder would probably rt. the next day lol been real tempted though. It's not even a slow grower. Just one i have struggled to make happy for years.

 

[cthedaytrader]

Don't Nick the Hellflower!

Mine fell off the rocks and was there for less than a day, when I saw it I glued it back to its spot and rtn within a day or two, and that was after it had already been happy and started to encrust. One of my biggest and saddest losses I have endured given how rare it is and it seems nobody else has it.

 

[Battlecorals]

Adam I really like your comment about structure. Above is my first tank and I learned a lot about sps placement from it. My second time around I have put a lot more thought into my aquascaping and how it would effect my sps placement.

That's exactly what i am talking about. Once you see at least one sps tank mature you really get an idea of what to expect as they grow up. Tank looks great! Notice how any subtle coloration variations all but disappear from that distance. The shapes make the reef! thanks for sharing

 

[larcat]

FWIW I cannot reccomend this coral enough. Really cool growth form, and has been a fast grower for us while retaining color. About 6-8 months, it has gone from a small (for Adam) frag to about baseball+ sized. Like Joe the Coral, puts most of its effort into branching rather than encrusting. Can't believe it isn't more popular.

This coral has almost made me want to try Jaundice.....

You're kidding! it's the Fly me to the Blue Moon Humilis, Named after flyyyguy, An old reefer friend iIused to trade with, and its always available!

 

[larcat]

Another one in this category, actually, is the Blood Red Milli.... Crazy bright in our tank now. I thought it was going to die from bleaching for about 6 months after I put it in our tank, but in the last 2 months it has gone healthy. BRIGHT pink structure with truly crimson polyps. Thing outshines Red Planet color wise easily.... Lots of Adam's cheap corals are both uncommon and gorgeous.

FWIW I cannot reccomend this coral enough. Really cool growth form, and has been a fast grower for us while retaining color. About 6-8 months, it has gone from a small (for Adam) frag to about baseball+ sized. Like Joe the Coral, puts most of its effort into branching rather than encrusting. Can't believe it isn't more popular.

This coral has almost made me want to try Jaundice.....

 

[CoralNerd]

Another one in this category, actually, is the Blood Red Milli.... Crazy bright in our tank now. I thought it was going to die from bleaching for about 6 months after I put it in our tank, but in the last 2 months it has gone healthy. BRIGHT pink structure with truly crimson polyps. Thing outshines Red Planet color wise easily.... Lots of Adam's cheap corals are both uncommon and gorgeous.

What type of lighting do you provide the Blood Red Milli?

 

[larcat]

~280-320 PAR with *super* even spread (lots of units turned pretty far down) Radion Pro....

What type of lighting do you provide the Blood Red Milli?