benray4fun
New member
Hi, I'm currently ready for my first lps coral and I'd like to know which corals you guys most prize and which ones to avoid. I don't know much about'm so I have to ask..."thanks for any input".
LPS to have or avoid
- Thread starter benray4fun
- Start date
Drewcipher
Premium Member
Well, I would avoid elegance coral as they have something wrong with them that causes very poor survival rates in our tanks. They are really nice if you get a healthy one, but that is very rare. Also, avoid galaxia, unless you can place it far away from other corals. They have huge stinger tentacles and even a small one can reach a foot away and hurt other corals.
Start with euphyllia and go from there. Frogspawn, hammer, torch. They are all pretty hardy and look great.
Start with euphyllia and go from there. Frogspawn, hammer, torch. They are all pretty hardy and look great.
Drewcipher
Premium Member
Sorry, I forgot to point out that you should also get a book or two on corals to get some more info on the needs of these animals. Eric Borneman has a good one.
benray4fun
New member
I agree with the torch, that one is beautiful to the eyes and I don't know anyting about'm yet...lmao Can't say anything about the other two as i know nothing about'm yet...thanks!
Already considerd books, but nothing like other members experiences...
Already considerd books, but nothing like other members experiences...
All Delight
New member
Hammer walls are nice
Frog and hammer can touch without a problem: makes placement easier.
You're arriving in the area of must-do-tests: alkalinity and calcium must be handled with additives, and I recommend testing daily until you've got a clear picture of what your particular tank does: no two are alike. My 52g, as an example, once it settled out of its initial wildness, evaporates a steady 1 gallon a day, wants 2 tsp of buffer a day [I add that to the topoff water for the 5 day period it lasts] and takes 2 tsp of calcium a day: I hand-add. This keeps it at 420 ca, 9 alk, 8.3 ph, 80 temp, 1.025 salinity, and everything stays happy. If you stay in those parameters you'll have no trouble with lps.
Check them after dark with a flashlight: things like candycane [another easy one] open up with tentacles. Brain, likewise. Stay away from plate for a while: it's touchy. Avoid the elegance: prone to a disease I wouldn't want in my tank. Torch is 'hot' and should not touch anything else, but has a short reach. Galaxia is fun, but has foot long sweepers and has to be put near a corner where current will carry its sweepers away from its neighbors. Hammer and frog come in many color and shape variants, and can get huge. Bubble coral likes lower light, and has 6 inch sweepers, but is a hardly, fastgrowing coral. it comes in pearl and plain and several colors. Fox is touchier: wait for stability before you risk that one. There are also the brains of various types: scolymia, etc---a little touchier. And the pagodas and turbinarias I believe also come under lps: avoid them until your tank ages a bit, watch your alkalinity like a hawk, and then be careful in placement so detritus doesn't settle and stay in the cup.
You're arriving in the area of must-do-tests: alkalinity and calcium must be handled with additives, and I recommend testing daily until you've got a clear picture of what your particular tank does: no two are alike. My 52g, as an example, once it settled out of its initial wildness, evaporates a steady 1 gallon a day, wants 2 tsp of buffer a day [I add that to the topoff water for the 5 day period it lasts] and takes 2 tsp of calcium a day: I hand-add. This keeps it at 420 ca, 9 alk, 8.3 ph, 80 temp, 1.025 salinity, and everything stays happy. If you stay in those parameters you'll have no trouble with lps.
Check them after dark with a flashlight: things like candycane [another easy one] open up with tentacles. Brain, likewise. Stay away from plate for a while: it's touchy. Avoid the elegance: prone to a disease I wouldn't want in my tank. Torch is 'hot' and should not touch anything else, but has a short reach. Galaxia is fun, but has foot long sweepers and has to be put near a corner where current will carry its sweepers away from its neighbors. Hammer and frog come in many color and shape variants, and can get huge. Bubble coral likes lower light, and has 6 inch sweepers, but is a hardly, fastgrowing coral. it comes in pearl and plain and several colors. Fox is touchier: wait for stability before you risk that one. There are also the brains of various types: scolymia, etc---a little touchier. And the pagodas and turbinarias I believe also come under lps: avoid them until your tank ages a bit, watch your alkalinity like a hawk, and then be careful in placement so detritus doesn't settle and stay in the cup.
The_Taz_Devil
New member
Excellent advise Sk8r.......
It really depends on what LPS you have. I'm convinced that some LPS can suck up calcium and alkalinity faster than some SPS corals. For example candy canes and euphyllias both of which lay down massive skeletal structure and can grow very rapidly. However others such as Acans and Micros do not lay down us much skeletal structure and use less. Best thing to do is like Sk8r mentioned test on a daily basis untill you know what the uptake is...then you can cut back your testing and just adjust your suppliments as your demands change.
LionfishFinatic
New member
WOW great advice you guys! i have also been looking into LPS corals. of course my tank is a FOWLR at the moment and has been up and running for a couple of years. it is a 29 gal and i have been looking into candycanes, frog and hammer as you all have said. any other hardy corals that you think i should give a try at once i am ready? thanks for all your input and sorry about "stealing" your thread benray
I only have a 12 gallon Aquapod that I change 3 gallons weekly. I am a newbie and I am looking for the simplest way to do this. I have read abut Randys 2 part mix but I think to make it myself for a 12 gallon tank might be too much... Would the water changes weekly add the nutrients I need or is there a simpler solution if I have to add additives?
Vicki
Vicki
Before dosing I would test your calcium and alkalinity. Get a beginning reading and go very slowly, especially with that small of a tank. Don't dose anything before you have test kits to test at the beginning and while you are dosing.
Eric Borneman book on Corals is great, unfortunately I made the mistake of getting an elegance and LTP before knowing how bad they do in captivity.
Eric Borneman book on Corals is great, unfortunately I made the mistake of getting an elegance and LTP before knowing how bad they do in captivity.
blange3
Brewer and Reefer
Great write up Sk8r!
Test, test, test! You cannot come up with an effective routine until you know your tank. I also test for Magnesium, especially if the tank is going through a coralline bloom.
I drip kalkwasser daily and once a week I test Ca/Alk/ Mg and adjust as needed. I do a 20% water change once a month.
I started with candy canes and frogspawns. I added hammers torches, blastos and acans later.
Test, test, test! You cannot come up with an effective routine until you know your tank. I also test for Magnesium, especially if the tank is going through a coralline bloom.
I drip kalkwasser daily and once a week I test Ca/Alk/ Mg and adjust as needed. I do a 20% water change once a month.
I started with candy canes and frogspawns. I added hammers torches, blastos and acans later.
