Coral Suggestions

[_FishFreak_724]

Hello. I have set up a 12 gallon reef system about 5 months ago and it is fully cycled. It has 5 lbs of liverock and thas all. I do not plan on keeping any fish, just corals, and am looking for someone to help me out and get ideas for corals to purchase. I am looking for some rather easy corals to take care of and dont want to spend over 20$$ a coral. Please help me out as i am new to reefs and wou8ld like to see how i do w/ this nano, and if well, i upgrade larger. Thanks to all in advance !!!
- Franco

 

[_FishFreak_724]

Anyone ???

 

[Elorian]

Mushroom corals (corralimorpharians) are a good beginners coral. $20/coral might be a little tough though, unless you're buying single polyps, but $30-40 should get you a nice rock with several attached.

Another thought would be some montipora Digitata (assuming you have powercompact lighting, which should be sufficient), or orange montipora Capricornis. These will both eventually outgrow the tank and need to be fragged, but its pretty easy to do. With these, you may need to add calcium/alk supplements, but in 12gal it shouldn't get too expensive. Just buy small frags and let them grow in.

There are many other options, but these should be a good place to start.

HTH and good luck!

 

[_FishFreak_724]

^^^ Ok , Ill check out the Montiora. I was orginally looking into mushrooms, but i just havent found anything nice, everything i see is ugly [well in my opinion] and expensive. Who wants to spend 50$ - 60$ on some ugly brown mushroom coral ????

 

[Elorian]

No doubt. For that much scratch they'd better be colorful. Also, FYI, I've had better luck with the orange m. Digitata than the purple under PCs.

 

[dendro982]

If you find the source of frags, it will be $8-11 a piece. Classifieds, frag sites, or ask here, at forums.

If you have more, than 3W/gal, these will work:
White xenia:

Same - in dirty water, green star polyps on the top, neon-green candycane - at the bottom:

red mushrooms, could be neon green, violet -subject of availability, and single mushroom is cheaper, than the full colony:

If your light has actinic component - Ochtodes macroalgae, or blue bush, or purple bush:

Neon-green candycane:

Hairy mushroom - but this will grow big:


In 6g tank:


You also can make the big open brain the center piece, likes light:

again, subject of availability: each of these cost me $10, how have another for $5. All sold damaged, but in a few months restored, except Trachyphillia. Green - scolymia, tan - cynarina, brown - not uniteresting. Shown in 4g container.

Find the source, and choose, what you like and the budget will bear.
Good luck!

 

[lancer99]

Franco,
You might also try hooking up with your local marine aquarium society. I did this and got some real bargains - frags of softies for $1, and better yet, for free!

-R

 

[Ritten]

I have had some good luck finding cheap corals under pets in the local www.craigslist.com

 

[_FishFreak_724]

Thank You !!

Lancer99 : How would i go about finding this, Im in Hammonton, New Jersey. Like where do i look ???