Anyone using artificial corals in there FOWLR?

[j tavares]

IMO and experience Oceanaquaria Has superior products just my two cents,also probally more reasonably priced!

 

[arkaeus]

jmccown, that's the best looking artificial coral I have ever seen. Might be the lighting but it looks very natural

 

[scoupland]

Living Color Enterprises (The Fish Tank Guys) has high quality artificial corals. They are pricey though. To clean them they can be bleached or pressure washed. I have a friend that bought two sets. When he pulled one out to clean it, he replaced it with a previously cleaned matching set.

 

[JBarnes]

Here's a picture of my 200 cube FOWLR. I've used these fake corals for 10 years now. I wash them occasionally but I use simple T5 lighting so I don't get much algae growth on them. My 200 was a reef but there was just too much money sitting there for me to feel comfortable going on vacation. Now I have a 30 gallon reef and the 200 FOWLR that is all automated. Jerry.

 

[CoralBeautyII]

I picked up a few more pieces the other day, from LFS, hopefully they will be safe in the long run, i always worry about leaching bad stuff. Their polyresin but painted on the surface, not soaked through the way instant reef is, which so far has been proven safe

 

[Mikeeal]

FWIW Oceanaquaria's corals can be found on ebay as well. I'm gonna be placing a fairly large order in a week or two so I'll be sure to post some pics then.

Nice looking tanks y'all!

 

[bxz]

it's just so unreal, allow me to say.

 

[vamaro]

They look good for those with triggers that need them.

 

[hossa81]

I really prefer the live rock and all the things that you can do with it, and triggers can't destroy live rock like they can do with aretificial. Also, fake can't get covered in corraline algae which i really like.

 

[AB1002]

Will good bacteria attach to fake coral like it will rock?
If not, do any of you keep rock in your sump?

 

[vamaro]

I use live rock just like any other tank. I attach some pieces of the artificial coral to the rock. I had my tank just love rock for years but it looked like the dead zone. Added a few pieces of artificial coral and it looks a lot better.

 

[bswasta]

Nice tanks! I lost all my coral due to a disease. . I am redoing with artificial coral, and a combination of live rock/ artificial rock. I was just sick about losing my reef. 6years of work. Gone.

 

[Jeff000]

Who makes the highest quality most realistic looking fakes?

I have spend copious amounts on real corals that I have lost, so I figure if I am going to go fake, I might as well go for the good stuff.

 

[gsiegel]

I got mine made at Living Color near ft lauderdale, FL
Not cheap but they look great
I had them customize inserts to look like pillars from a pier and a lobster trap.

 

[dom418]

While artificial coral add color to a fowlr system, to me they just stand out more than anything and are not for me. Coralline entrusted rock and hardy type coral are what I use. Mushrooms etc.

 

[gsiegel]

Here are my artificial corals - I also have live rock mixed in

 

[gsiegel]

sorry - now you wont get a kink in your neck trying to look at it. :wave:
Pillars built for each side of the tank to hide the overflows, a lobster trap constructed which is in the center of the tank, and a couple misc. pieces like a sea fan and a large brain coral. I had them use reds, yellows, browns, and no pastel colors when constructing them with the intent to look at least somewhat natural.
I think they did a great job with it IMO

 

[Jeff000]

I really like that.

 

[Dj80Rogue]

Your tank looks awesome!! How long have you had the inserts?

 

[Dj80Rogue]

Hey gsiegel,

I currently have 90 gal reef tank but I'm also thinking of switching to a bigger fish only with coral inserts from livingcolor. I was wondering how hard it is to clean and how often you have to do it. Also the process in which it's done? your tank looks great and that seems to be more the way I want to go.

Thanks you,

Dj