Suggestions from the LPS addicts needed!?!

[roadrunner1659]

I'm finally interested in taking the next step in my reef tank and investing in an LPS coral!

I am very interested in either a Hammer or Torch or Frogspawn coral, as my first LPS! I also like the sun coral but i would like to get an LPS that i can see in the light first!

Info on my current system...what i guess you guys would need to look at... 26 gal tank with a 2x64 watt current orbit light overtop.

I would love to hear the many different opinouns on these LPS coral, as well as the maintance needed!

Thanks!

 

[rich415]

You can't go wrong starting with hammer, torch or frogspawn. For a 26 gallon, I would choose a small specimen. I bought my Frogspawn with only 4 heads about a year and a half ago and now it has fourteen heads.

Some eat willingly and others won't really eat. Offer bits of mysis and other frozen foods. These corals are easy to care for but you need to pick a healthy specimen. Medium flow and medium light. nothing really to it.

 

[roadrunner1659]

well my tank has a 2x64 watt light over top and i have 500gph circulating around in my tank...do these seem like good levels for LPS corals? also my tank is 24" deep with about a 4" sandbed so really its about 20" deep...can my light penetrate deep enough to keep an LPS and the sandbed?

will LPS corals such as the hammer, torch, or frogspawn eat cytopleez (or whatever...spelling is terrible)...what type of feeding schedual does these corals need? and do they truely need food to survive or do they just get a greater benefit from it?

I was hoping to get a small piece because i like to see them grow over time...and your right rich i do have a smaller tank! What type of lighting fo you have overtop your tank in which the frogspawn grow so rapidly!?!

Thanks!

 

[Sk8r]

Yes, they'll eat cyclopeeze. They'll also eat what just floats around in the tank. Depends on how fast you want them to grow. A few, like plate, will take whole pieces of shrimp, sinking food, anything it that it can get in its mouth. The corals you name are euphyllia, and they get along pretty well. Torch is a strong stinger, but it seems to tolerate the others. If you move in other types of corals, you'll need to site them just out of reach of their sweepers.

Get the following tests, and test religiously:
Thermometers: 2---crosscheck. Don't let your temperature bounce around too much and don't let it get above 84 degrees. 80 is a good temp.
Refractometer: salinity should be within .001 of 1.025. A swing-arm hydrometer is a pain and tends to get less accurate with time and buildup.
Tests: I use Salifert tests, which return absolute numbers: keep a log---this will be invaluable to you; and write down when you add buffer (alkalinity) and calcium, and how much you add.
Alkalinity: first and foremost test. If it's off, things won't be happy. Should be between 8.3 and 11.
Calcium: second most important. Corals want 400 to 420, ideally.
Magnesium: if you can't get the first two stable, check this: if it's low, you can't get alk and cal to stay in balance. Should be 3x calcium reading.
Do a 10% water change each week: this puts new micro-nutrients into the water. These corals eat light and chemicals as much as they eat food.

If you keep good, stable water and pay attention to the expansion and contraction of your corals, [they'll tell you when they're happy] you'll have no problems.

Most of my lps sit 20 inches down from 250 w mh lights. You can set them higher, but start low and work upward: they can sunburn if not acclimated this way. HTH.

 

[brandon0350]

i think some favias are nice and hardy and like said above you cant go wrong with hammer torch or froggspawn

 

[roadrunner1659]

Thanks Everyone!

Sk8r, thanks for the info! At this time i currently do 10% water changes weekly and have been religously for almost 6 months now...i test my alk and ca alteast every water change but more right now because i trying to raise the two! I have never tested for magnesium...i guess i should pick up that test kit!?! I'm getting a refractometer (hopefully tonight) i was using a hydrometer and i calibrated it off of a refractometer (so i knew were i stood). Between my sump/fuge and my main tank, my tempurater sits between 78-80...not much fluctuation.

I test the general components ph, am, trites, and trates, generally b4 a water change to know what i was really at...and then i just watch my xenia! all of my levels are always at or around 0...i sorta have alot of water volume for a 26 gal tank with 3 fish!

 

[rich415]

I would not put LPS on the bottom with PC's. My tank is 24" tall as well and I have a 150 watt 14K metal halide and 72 watts of PC supplements. when I moved my corals over to this tank, I put my Bubble coral on the bottom and it got really brown (meaning it was not getting enough light). My Frogspawn is about 7" deep in the tank and about 13" away from the MH. You could keep LPS in the upper half of the tank. The problem with PC's is they do not cut through the water very deep.

I usually feed my corals when I have thawed out too much food for the fish. I have no real schedule except for my Sun Coral.

 

[roadrunner1659]

well i feel that i have a good rock aquascape and my highest point is about 4 inches under the water and then it angles down a slope slowly to the other side and the rock is a little less then half way up my tank...i think i could find a spot...and yes i know that pc aren't the greatest...but there what i got!

 

[papagimp]

My first coral was a frogspawn and I couldn't have been happier. I have a hammer as well and some other LPS but something bout that froggy rocks!!!

 

[roadrunner1659]

cool thanks papagimp! how long have you had your frogspawn for and what size did you buy it and how big is it now? also do you feed your's?

 

[ACBlinky]

I agree, a Euphyllia coral would be a great first LPS. Some people never spot feed them, but IME they grow much faster with regular meals, and they're fun to feed. I bought a torch that had only one head, it LOVES to eat and now it's splitting into four

Not to worry you, but just a caution - most people aren't bothered by these guys, but some of us are sensitive to their stings. I have a friend who can't go near them, any contact results in painful marks that look like burns. I'm not nearly as sensitive, but the other day I went into my tank without gloves (stupid mistake and I know better) and accidentally brushed my arm past a hammer. Now I have a VERY itchy rash:

 

[roadrunner1659]

wow that suck! i have i dont run into that problum!

 

[rich415]

My LPS only sting me if I have a cut or scrape. Sometimes if my arm is touching it for too long, it will begin to feel warm.

 

[papagimp]

Roadrunner...

Roadrunner...

I've had my Frogspawn for about a month now, give or take a few. I bought him with only one polyp on a stubby branch, but he's currently in the process of splitting, he's got two mouths and getting a little wider from the look of him. But seeing how awesome just one polyp looks I can't wait until he's a good 20 heads or so. I have been spot feeding him recently and he does look ten times better since I started. He's never stung me...yet...but he's had more than enough opportunity. Any of the corals in this particular group (ie. hammers, torches, ect..)
are awesome but comparing the euphyillia in my tank, the froggy polyps seem to expand more and looks 'bigger'.

 

[roadrunner1659]

thanks guys for all of your help and information! i'll be heading up to my LFS tomorrow to check out some of there stock in hammers, torch, and frogspawn corals!

Any advise on what i should look for either good or bad? Anything i should ask?

Thanks!

 

[rich415]

Might be too late, but you should definitetly look for brown jelly and color. If the coral has any tissue damage or lack of pigment, don't buy it. And be sure to get the color you really want. In a 26 gallon, you probably don't have enough room to have alot of Euphylias and you want to make sure you buy the one you really really want.

 

[roadrunner1659]

thanks rich...and no your not to late...haha actually i didn't even making it to the LFS today...hopefully sunday i'll be able to get a chance to see what they have!?!

Thanks for the help!

 

[roadrunner1659]

I saw a fantastic torch coral but the arms were short and i really like the long look...so i guess i'll keep looking!

 

[rich415]

Usually in the store, the polyps are not completely extended. My first Euphylia was a frogspawn. It had 4 heads and I bought it for my ten gallon. When I brough it home it took a couple of days to open up as much as it was in the store. I thought that was great, then I left town for the weakend and when I returned the Frogsawn took up about 25% of my tank! I had to point powerhead at it in order to reduce the extension.

I also have a torch. I love it! I bought one head for 10 bucks and it now has 4 heads. The only thing I do regret is that I got one with brown tentacles and yellow tips. Now I see the green and white ones and I really want one, but have no room.

 

[roadrunner1659]

yea! the torch has been in ther display tank for almost a week now and i have a buddy that works there and he said that that specific torch has the shorter arms! It also had like 7 heads!