Sudarshanv
Member
I have just gotten into reef keeping..i have a couple of mushrooms and want to buy a torch coral...wanted to know if it is something for beginners like myself.
are torch corals for beginners
- Thread starter Sudarshanv
- Start date
Confooseld
New member
Re: are torch corals for beginners
Not really sorry.
Not really sorry.
lessans
New member
I don't like to refer to corals as beginner or experienced corals, but rather how much maintenance they require because you can be a beginner to reefs, but that doesn't mean you don't have the capability to care for more needy corals. Let's just say if you can maintain good lighting, flow, and sufficient levels of Calcium and Magnesium, then you'd probably be ok taking care of it. They aren't that hard of a challenge provided you have stable tank parameters. Unfortunately, I can't say I've had a good experience of keeping my torch coral for one reason: My Kent salt's alkalinity was extremely low. Because Kent salt had a very very low alkalinity I was facing an uphill battle once I put the first water change replacement water into my tank. I started using the salt back in January and although everything seemed normal in my tank the salt mix also lacked sufficient amounts of Magnesium. All of these salt factors have led my torch coral to start receding. It's still receding now even though I've switched salts and stablized my tank parameters. My advice to you is make sure your waterchange replacement water has stable parameters before you put it in your tank and make sure you're using a reliable salt mix. I switched from Kent to Tropic Marin Pro Reef; TMP's parameters are superb. I truly hope my torch recovers, but if it doesn't then I'm just going to get another. I feel that I wasn't given a good chance to care for my first LPS. Good luck with your endeavor and happy reefkeeping.
Sudarshanv
Member
thanks to all of you...I went out yesterday and bought one of these corals......I will keep these point in mind...I am using teh instant ocean salt and for additives, I only use Coral-vite and phytoplex...i do feed my fish brine shrimp...other than this, I use nothing additionally...
Sudarshanv
Member
I have the green tips....i was actually worried I may have to target feed them..i have kept them on the sandy bottom away from any other coral...is that fine...i read that placing them on a flat rock can hurt the tentacles...
ACBlinky
Premium Member
With stony corals it's important to keep tabs on your calcium, alkalinity and magnesium levels and use additives as needed to maintain them -- try to keep Ca over 400, Mg around 1250ppm and alk between 2.5-4meq/L. My torch grows fairly quickly under 5 x 96W PC lighting with medium flow, and LOVES to eat. They're beautiful corals, hope yours does well
blange3
Brewer and Reefer
I second ACBlinky's opinion! I monitor those 3 parameters in addition to the usual PH, temp, and SG. Don't neglect waterchanges!
I target feed twice a week. It makes a difference in growth and long term health. You can keep LPS without feeding, but are they really thriving? As someone posted a while back, they have mouths for a reason!
I target feed twice a week. It makes a difference in growth and long term health. You can keep LPS without feeding, but are they really thriving? As someone posted a while back, they have mouths for a reason!
r00onmac
DVM in training
ive never been able to feed mine...it just doesnt like food. it ate raw table shrimp once, never touches mysis, CE, etc...
as far as easy goes: it was 2 heads when i got it,,, it split into 7 without feeding or anything but my MH light,,, then 4 died when i "burned" them by accident but it is recovering quickly and im hoping itll start splitting again soon...
as far as easy goes: it was 2 heads when i got it,,, it split into 7 without feeding or anything but my MH light,,, then 4 died when i "burned" them by accident but it is recovering quickly and im hoping itll start splitting again soon...
smp
New member
The first coral I ever had.
I bought a complete system from a guy with way too many fish in it (something like ten fish, one an angel, another a tang) in a 29 gallon tank!
The torch was so tiny and it never really opened, so much so that I didn't even know what it was. Months later (it survived) I figured out what it was and I had my tank SORT of in order. I was still a total newb .. it only started to grow and thrive when I started to maintain my alkalinity and calcium levels.
I found mine pretty hardy. If you want yours to thrive, not just scrape by, please monitor your calcium and alkalinity. Read the articles in the chemistry forum by Randy Holmes Farley to get an idea of why those levels are important and how to properly maintain them.
I bought a complete system from a guy with way too many fish in it (something like ten fish, one an angel, another a tang) in a 29 gallon tank!
The torch was so tiny and it never really opened, so much so that I didn't even know what it was. Months later (it survived) I figured out what it was and I had my tank SORT of in order. I was still a total newb .. it only started to grow and thrive when I started to maintain my alkalinity and calcium levels.
I found mine pretty hardy. If you want yours to thrive, not just scrape by, please monitor your calcium and alkalinity. Read the articles in the chemistry forum by Randy Holmes Farley to get an idea of why those levels are important and how to properly maintain them.
Sudarshanv
Member
Thanks a lot for the info; extremely valuable; I ve now got the key parameters tp monitor in addition to the regular monitoring/maintenance...
! Make sure to test regularly to keep optimum levels.Similar threads
