Sand for lps corals..

[vijaym85]

How important is a sandy substrate to thesuccess of certain lps corals like brain coral, also is a bare bottom ok for them as well as it is relativelty smooth also, and why is rock placent not ideal?

 

[Jeremy Blaze]

It really depends on the species. For instance, elegance coral must be placed in sand for best long term health. Many favia are from hard substrates.

 

[paininthewrasse]

rock placement is not ideal because its not natural, and when they inflate they tear on the rocks

 

[vijaym85]

does the sand bed need to be deep or just enough to allow it to rest on,
The thing I fear with sand is if any of it lands on the fleash of the coral, this actually caused me to lose a LT plate coral which once in a while would have sand garnules on it that would stop polyps from coming out.

 

[Jeremy Blaze]

Again, LPS is far to broad of a term for this disscusion.

For example, some commonly refered "LPS" corals and their natural locations;

Goniopora. ; stokesi freeliving on soft bottom, other attached to substrate
Fungia ; rubble or sandy bottoms
Polphyllia; most common on soft bottoms
Cynarina " found attached to rock substrates
Lobophyllia ; Upper reef slopes, hard substrate
Scolymia; reef slopes hard substrate
Symphyllia; reef slopes hard substrate
Caulastrea; sandy bottom
Trachphyllia; Sandy bottom
Catalaphyllia; soft bottom
Euphyllia; reef slopes hard substrate
Physagyra; Vertially in cave, hard substrate
Plerogyra; vertically in caves, hard substrate
Tubastraea ; Vertially and on cav roofs, hard substrate.

As you can see it varies tremendously, so, to say LPS need to be in the sand, is vary inaccurate, and shows the usefullness of terms like LPS and SPS.

 

[vijaym85]

Thanks for all that detailed info, would you say its ok to put a coral like a Trachphyllia which as you stated prefers sand on a bare bottom glass tank or is that still too rough and not coushioning enough like how sand is or will it be ok?

 

[Jeremy Blaze]

Well, in my opinion, if you want the coral to be healthy, you should replicate its natural conditions as closely as possible.

So, if the coral is normally found in the sand, it should be placed in sand.

Will it die on the bare glass, maybe not. Will it live to its fullest, probably not.

 

[vijaym85]

Oh Jeremy by the way I see in your tag you have a skimmerless tank and I wanted to pursue one as well, but do you run a fuge or any other filtration, i honestly would like to run nothing more than fludized ROWA and filter with LR and sand and not even have to use a fuge or other filtration forms, is such a thing possible?

 

[vijaym85]

Is this the monti you have listed as wanted? Probly not but just wanted to return the favor if at all possbile for your help.

http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=2495&N=0

 

[Jeremy Blaze]

No, but that is a nice one.

My skimmerless tanks, all employ a dsb, in tank or remote, fuge with cheato and reverse lighting.