Beginning corals

[jbadd99]

I'm getting ready to ramp up my FO tank into a full blown reef. I've looked a couple "beginner" corals, but I'm interested to hear you're experiences at what was "easy" and what was not...

Here's a few I'd like to start with...

Candy cane of some kind
Frogspawn or Hammer
GBTA

Incidentally, anyone having any of the above for donation please feel free to PM me :thumbs:

 

[jennm]

Candy cane was the first coral I ever bought as a hobbyist. Easy care.

Frogspawn/Euphyllia are pretty easy too.

BTA - not overly difficult but they can and will move around until they find a spot that suits them, which may not suit you

Jenn

 

[budsreef]

If you want an anemone and your tank is stable which by now yours should be, then get it first and let it find its spot. It helps if you put it where it can put its foot into a well protected hole then it will be hard to get it to move. I really believe foot protection is the most important thing it needs. It can and will reach out more than 12 inches to get to light and flow as long as its foot is in a good spot.

Other than that the other corals you mentioned are good ones to start with as well as leathers and other lps and softies.

 

[raisedonnintendo]

I'll hook you up on a bunch of freebie softies can only donate a small frogspwan off that list though. But if your not picky on size and kinds of freebies ya dude I'm pretty sure we can set you up with a bunch o small frags give them 4 months n you'll have a garden. I just ask you pass the love along n if you don't like softies try to retur a little of what you can my friend. I head up to canton on Sundays to head to my meeting with the man upstairs. Then to the mother n law about a block from jenns or to that shooting range what's it called again. High caliber I think???

 

[ivegotcrabs]

make sure to do your research before buying anemones and coral or you will lose alot of money and kill beautiful animals in the process

anemones are not hard to care for but they are not easy at the same time
but they are awesome to look at in your tank once they are happy
good luck getting the reef started and keep us posted

if you have any questions feel free to post or send me a pm and i will help you where i can

 

[raisedonnintendo]

IVEgotCRABS;613752 wrote: make sure to do your research before buying anemones and coral or you will lose alot of money and kill beautiful animals in the process

anemones are not hard to care for but they are not easy at the same time
but they are awesome to look at in your tank once they are happy
good luck getting the reef started and keep us posted

if you have any questions feel free to post or send me a pm and i will help you where i can

Good pointers we need more folks like yourself willing to lend a hand.

 

[jbadd99]

RaisedOnNintendo;613745 wrote: I'll hook you up on a bunch of freebie softies can only donate a small frogspwan off that list though. But if your not picky on size and kinds of freebies ya dude I'm pretty sure we can set you up with a bunch o small frags give them 4 months n you'll have a garden. I just ask you pass the love along n if you don't like softies try to retur a little of what you can my friend. I head up to canton on Sundays to head to my meeting with the man upstairs. Then to the mother n law about a block from jenns or to that shooting range what's it called again. High caliber I think???

Sweet! I certainly would appreciate it! It doesn't matter how big the frags are, I'm growing</em> a reef, not stocking it full grown . A nominal donation is not of the question either, I just don't have an over abundance of cash, my wife and I being in the public service industry.

Sundays are good, as it's one of my two off days, and I'm willing to meet anywhere, but anywhere in Cherokee Co. is especially easy for me since I know most of it like the back of my hand.

Right now the only thing I have in my tank is a tree sponge.

 

[rsjoiner]

I can hook you up with a few different frags. I will PM you with details of what i have and location to meet.

Raymond

 

[thanh386]

to be honest, chalice and acan are fairly easy. I've had more success wit them than xenia.

 

[jeffmuse]

Thanh386;613878 wrote: to be honest, chalice and acan are fairly easy. I've had more success wit them than xenia.

I have heard that Xenia do poorly without sufficient nitrates in the water... if your tank is new or has very clean water, they tend to not do well.

 

[sharkbait]

I would honestly start out with soft corals and go from there. I would lean on the side of caution with LPS and I would highly suggest no SPS at first. Softies are quite easy to keep and once you get the hang of those then grab some LPS and learn and expand from there.

 

[jef4y]

I have a large frag of Candycane which is from my first ever coral (which grows like MAD). You can have that. I also have some plain ole birdsnest which you can have as well.

 

[raisedonnintendo]

Jeff you been holding out on us huh. Where the goods my friend

 

[jbadd99]

A BIG thank you to RaisedOnNintendo and rsjoiner!

I was able to add a few small items to my tank to test my coral keeping abilities at no charge. Hopefully I wont kill anything and it will all grow large enough for me to "pay it forward"

Jeff, I haven't forgotten about you, I've just been limited on time this week and had to keep it close to home.

 

[jef4y]

jbadd99;616411 wrote: Jeff, I haven't forgotten about you, I've just been limited on time this week and had to keep it close to home.

Haven't forgotten about you either. I was going to try and make a trip North yesterday, but got caught up in a few things.

This next weekend I may be hitting up some LFS in your direction, and perhaps a visit to Bud's house. I will keep you posted.

BTW, every time I change the water I break off yet another piece of birdsnest, so I've got a frag of fuzzy green and the rainbow colored stuff for you. LOL..

Edit:

RaisedOnNintendo;614078 wrote: Jeff you been holding out on us huh. Where the goods my friend

I put them up for sale a couple of times but the Torch/Candy Canes aren't that popular down here I guess... It's a Zoanthid & Chalice kinda area haha..

 

[gnashty]

jbadd - I have a few frags for you if you get out my way. Alot of people have been helping me lately so I need to pay it forward. Gotta keep those reef gods happy..lol

 

[jbadd99]

I huge thank you goes to Jeff for a couple pieces that my wife is really going to love...

I recognized him immediatley from his avatar pic - it's a dead ringer :lol2:


Gnashty - I might make it out your way in a week or so. If you're tank move hadn't been on such busy days for me, I would have made it out to help you move them.

Thus far I have aquired:

GSP
2 small Frogspawn frags
1 pink/green birdsnest
1 brown birdsnest
Yellow polyps
Brown button polyps
Green polyps
a Candycane/Torch
Pulsing Xenia
Cabbage leather
Kenya tree
Alien eye chalice
Unidentified chalice
Unidentified frag - possibly an acan or another torch
A green finger leather (If I can ever find it again - it broke off the frag disc and I haven't been able to find it since)

You guys are GREAT!!

I'll have to pay it forward one day for sure!:thumbs:

 

[Jaycen B.]

Want some orange Montipora digitata? Very tough sps. 2 frags on plugs with encrusted base. LMK

 

[jbadd99]

Jaycen B.;618804 wrote: Want some orange Montipora digitata? Very tough sps. 2 frags on plugs with encrusted base. LMK

Why not? I won't be able to make it out that way until sometime after next week or so.