Time to add some softies

[Mrramsey]

Hi all~
I think I am ready to add some soft corals. I am waiting on fish for now. Here is what I am looking at from my LFS.

A nice group of pallys on a rock appx 3"x3"

A leather of some sort I think... appx 5"x6"

Maybe some frogspawn appx 3"x3"

sorry for the mediocre cell phone pics... What do you think?

 

[footballdude2k3]

I would be careful with some of these things that you add, those palys grow pretty quick, and once you decide you like coral, there are some nicer ones than these

 

[Mrramsey]

I would be careful with some of these things that you add, those palys grow pretty quick, and once you decide you like coral, there are some nicer ones than these

Maybe I should elaborate a little about my tank. I am planning a mixed reef with a decent blend of fish and corals. I am open to suggestions but here is the current tank as it sits.

 

[maddmaxx]

like footballguy said. i would be leary about adding those cloves pylops that you think is a leather. they spread rapidly and can smoother other corals. they took over in my 120g i had couple yrs back, and wished i never added them....

 

[hogfanreefer]

The frogspawn would be fine though there are different (more distinctive colors)

 

[100%hydrophylic]

A lot of people HATE weedy corals like those palys and the cloves, but i just look at them like i look at any plant in a planted fresh water tank. They need to be pruned regularly, its just a part of regular maintenance.

 

[Xavibear]

If you are searching for palys, I think that you should look for nicer more colorful ones. Check local reefers, you should be easily able to find some nice ones.

The second looks like anthelia. I don't know much about it's care but I do like the look of it.

Frogspawn is a stony coral. One of my favorites.

 

[Mrramsey]

Honestly I have no real idea what I am after. I want some good starters that are somewhat easy to care for but I don't want something that takes over the tank either. Open to suggestions here. I do like the look of the ones that have some movement to them.

 

[Mrramsey]

A lot of people HATE weedy corals like those palys and the cloves, but i just look at them like i look at any plant in a planted fresh water tank. They need to be pruned regularly, its just a part of regular maintenance.

I hear ya... I just don't want something that ends up like duckweed in a freshwater tank.

 

[footballdude2k3]

If you are just looking for some easy colorful stuff to get started, there are some absolutely gorgeous and inexpensive zoas, whammin watermelons for example, get some great color and are pretty cheap.

LPS - acans are super easy, and if you do not mind smaller frags, can be pretty inexpensive, torches and hammers are easy, open brains, favias are super colorful and easy as well

SPS - birdsnests, encrusting montis and monti caps are a great place to start.

 

[pyithar]

the second photo is anthelia. it's very similar to xenia but anthelia have longer tentacles. they grow quite fast in some tanks so it's better to place them on a separate island. i like frogspawn and anthelia (i like xenia more because of pulsing motion) out of 3 photos. i'd get some colorful zoanthids instead of green pally.

 

[Mrramsey]

Thanks for all of the input guys. I am going to check out a local reefer that is breaking down his tank. I am told the tank is really nice by another guy I know that saw it. Hoping to pick up some deals.

 

[ViktorVaughn]

If you are just looking for some easy colorful stuff to get started, there are some absolutely gorgeous and inexpensive zoas, whammin watermelons for example, get some great color and are pretty cheap.

LPS - acans are super easy, and if you do not mind smaller frags, can be pretty inexpensive, torches and hammers are easy, open brains, favias are super colorful and easy as well

SPS - birdsnests, encrusting montis and monti caps are a great place to start.

Totally agree on all the above. Eagle eye Zoanthids are some of the most common you can find and are generally pretty cheap as well. I can find them around me for at most $1 per polyp. Zoanthids are pretty hardy and tolerate a lot more than other corals can. Birdsnest and Montiporas are great too and grow fast. I have since traded in most of my LPS as my tank is small (40 gallon) and most of the LPS I had was aggressive with long sweeper tenticles requiring adequate spacing between them. Ate up way too much space in my tank. I hung on to my Duncan coral (LPS) which is one of my favorites. Not too aggressive like other LPS (my duncans whiskers frequently get blown into zoanthids with no ill effects). It gets great movement like you were looking for, check out some youtube videos of large colonies swaying in the current.

 

[Mrramsey]

I scored a bunch of corals. Zoas , a huge colony of clove polyps, a softball sized birdsnest, several pulsing Xenia's and 2 gbta's.