Shady Area Coral Choices

[jonboyb]

My tank is almost to full capacity now and there is one area that really bugs me. Towards the back of my LR stack there is a large gap that just looks wrong. While it doesn't get much light, it's certainly not dark or "cave-like", just shaded a bit (especially from the MH, the actinic hits it a little bit). It's a fairly large area and is on the side of the tank viewable when you walk by. I've put zoa and mushroom rocks back there but there's not really enough light to bring out the color but they survive and propogate just fine. Zoas and most shrooms are just too small to fill the void without being on a big chuck of LR to begin with.

I also do not want a labor intensive coral such as sun corals and similar direct fed corals. Xenia/kenya tree is out too as I don't want something that can spread out of control. I've been thinking of throwing something like frogspawn or hammer coral back there to see how it does. Any other ideas (leathers)? I'm not looking for something that will thrive and propogate in that area, just survive and fill the space.

 

[purplegorilla]

Try a Toadstool or some other Leather. They can survive pretty well in just about any lighting and won't get out of control that fast.

 

[jeff_mcphail]

Jon I've got a couple leathers that might suit you. I'll be home this afternoon and evening if you want to come take a look.

 

[jonboyb]

Thanks Jeff but I have in-laws at the house this week. I wish I had just listened to you months ago when you were selling off so much stuff and bought those Duncan's. They would have been awesome in this location and with enough feedings probably survived the lower light just fine.

As I have gotten my morning coffee and thinking a bit more clearly, I'm actually toying with the Sun Corals and such. Really my best shot at significant color in the dim area. It's easliy accessible too so target feeding won't be that awful.

 

[jonboyb]

I have a fairly large chalice in another of my shady areas. Ironically Jeff gave me a broken chunk of it back in Dec. and now it's about 3" diameter and pretty nice. I have always shyed away from chalices thinking they are difficult and slow growing but this one dang near grows like a monti cap. It's not the extreme coloration of some I've seen though. Just a jade green center with pinkish/white rim. It started as a MAYBE 1" piece with 2 eyes and now has 10-12 I guess.

 

[schwaggs]

How about a sponge? Red or yellow tree sponge or ball sponge...

 

[acroholic]

ares;341192 wrote: sounds like somebody needs a chalice give it about 3 decades and should fill the spot perfect.

Come on....bit of an exaggeration don't you think? I'd think maybe 5 years tops.
Dave

 

[soarin']

Frogspawn might do alright there -- I have one in a nano that has been surviving just fine off an 8w pc light for a while (but I put in more than that, and it does like more light).

I have found that my florida ricordeas often seem to want to crawl off into shady areas (or maybe they are getting pushed) -- it's really kind of odd.