Corals for starters?

[Vpkjules]

Hi!

Wondering what corals are good for starters.
We've slowly started to put in our first corals :dance:
Euphyllia (pinkish brown color and green with purple tips) so pretty!
Zoanthids (eagle eyes and radioactive dragon eye)
Ricordea florida green

We want to add blue discosoma and some more zoanthids.

Now here comes the question (finally :lolspin : what other corals are not to hard to keep? Everything we seem to like turns out to be hard we love everything colourful and preferably blue, purple, pink or yellow...

Can anybody help us out a bit?

 

[Sk8r]

Run carbon. ANd dose calcium as follows, with Salifert tests and Kent supplements for: alkalinity (s/b 8.3) calcium (s/b 420) and magnesium (Tech-M) (s/b 1350---and hold them at that, testing weekly. Without those, the hammer will die.

The carbon is to remove the coral spit from the zoas and discos, which spit into the water to discourage the hammer. Do not put the hammer within 5" of any other coral.

It is extra work to mix softies (zoas, discos, etc) and stonies (hammer.) You need to change out carbon at least monthly, and keep those levels where stated above by constant topoff (an autotopoff unit will save your sanity.) Once you get that established, and have an ATO, ask me about kalk, which makes dosing easier.

 

[nuttyd]

try a green bubble coral. They are easy in my opinion and quite fun to watch eat.

 

[Sk8r]

They are stony, prefer the bottom of the tank, and have a 6" reach, even straight up.

 

[Vpkjules]

Great, thx dor the info! Bubble corals are indeed awesome!
We have an ATO, thank god for that :-D

 

[nuttyd]

Yep agreed. They do have some reach. Mine has taken over a corner of the tank. Almost 12" in diameter and extends out 10" plus.

 

[reef thief]

Who's we exactly.....? Anyway acans are good starters. Watch where you place the corals that will spread quickly. They can dominate a part of the tank that you had plans for in the future.

 

[BeachVacationer]

+1 to acans! They are beautiful and hardy. I've had many swings in my parameters it looked great through it all. I don't manually feed mine, so it grows rather slowly. But I love the colors. I also like my sinularia soft coral, it's so different looking than other corals and its very delicate looking when the polyps are fully extended. It's hardy too and beautiful.

 

[Bent]

Most of mine are beginner corals I consider.

I do have a SPS frag that's growing and doing well, I have no idea the species though.

Other than that I have:
Favia bran
Acan brain
Torch
Hammer
Frogspawn
Sinularia
Devils hand
Rock anemone (not a coral but pretty hardy)
Zoas
Duncan

I think if I had to get more it would be
Deresa clam
Hippopus clam
Toad stool
Photosynthetic gorg
Monti cap
Chalice
Candy cane
Ricordias


Really I have no desire to get into super difficult corals, I just don't have the time.

 

[mitchb]

You could produce a colorful reef with zooanthids and mushrooms alone. It helps to have a good vendor in your area. I used to drive 100 miles to find corals, I don't know what's in your area, but it is worth the trip imo.