What is it people like about reef tanks?

[FinnCole]

Ok so no offence to anyone who liked reef tanks but I find them kinda pointless and here is why. All coral is is some living creature they looks and acts like a rock it's basically a rock that grows I know they look good but fake coral is a alot less maintenance and looks very similar . All it really does is prevent you from having certain fish . The reason I don't really like reef tanks is my favourite fish are the arothron and diodon puffers so obviously I am a fowlr person so I ask you reefers what is it you like about reef tanks. You might open my eyes to how great these tanks really are and you kigt even get me to set one up (but I will never change the 137 fowlr I am getting soon to a reef tank)

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[MaestroCygni]

Well, I personally don't like SPS too much either, I'm a LPS guy. I like them better because they add movement to the tank. Whenever I get SPS, I get Pocillopora/Stylophora, because of the bigger polyps. And I love Montipora capricornis as well. Imo, real corals are way cooler, because they move and grow.

 

[Cliving1]

I prefer softies and lps as well. While I really enjoy fish, I feel the coral set the scene. Also I think really large tanks do better fowlr so you can have that range of large growing fish. Then again, reef tanks are awesome as well at large sizes due to coral size. Well I guess im undecided

 

[norfolkgarden]

+1

The movement of soft corals will always get my attention and love over a finicky SPS. Acro's are amazingly beautiful but a PITA.

Right now I'm trying to find the balance between growing a beautiful tank with some movement in it versus growing underwater crabgrass.

Miss our Melanurus (sp?) wrasse, but found out after several years that was the most likely culprit on why we couldn't even keep mushrooms in the tank.



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[ComforablyNumb]

I like spending $400 on a Kessil and then dropping it lit into saltwater.
Very satisfying. Everyone should try it.

 

[accordexi]

In my opinion the reason that coral tanks are nice is because you feel the sense of achievement when your coral and fish get bigger.
Growing a little frag of something into a colony is what I'm after.

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[accordexi]

I like spending $400 on a Kessil and then dropping it lit into saltwater.
Very satisfying. Everyone should try it.

Ouch. That hurts

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[jmm]

Fish are easy; corals are hard. LPS and softies are easier than SPS.

Reef tanks take more expensive equipment: lights, skimmers, wave makers, test kits. And supplements as well as more water changes. Algae and cyano outbreaks can wipe out colonies that used to do well. Nutrient levels are difficult to control.

I usually start with a reef tank and for maybe four years it does well and then declines. I lose interest and pretty soon it's a FOWLER and I can quit supplementing and testing. I've been in the salt water hobby for about forty-five years and even when the techniques and technology get better, the fish are still the main attraction.

In the beginning there was no such thing as a reef tank and live rock was not available. The only invertebrates were shrimp, crabs, and snails. Live coral was only used to tempt fish to eat and was not dependably available even for that.

 

[brad]

I am more of a fish driven hobbyist, but I don't understand tanks without coral. I grew up with a tiny freshwater tank and was facinated by anemones at the store buying freshwater fish and said I wanted a big tank with those when I grew up.

I understand avoiding expensive, delicate and easily eaten corals, and I suppose a few fish could destroy any coral in a tank. But you should always try cheap leathers or montipora. The only savings going fish only is becuase you can get away with worse water quality and worse lighting, both bad ideas even without coral.

 

[Rilelen]

I'll add that I'm someone in the hobby for the fish. I don't understand those folks who keep ULNS with almost no fish (or even fishless systems) - but I know ya'll are out there, and I'd love to hear from you!

I have planted freshwater tanks - but they're planted and aquascaped because it provides a good home for the fish and frames their beauty, not because I particularly care about the plants. Likewise, the fish are what I love about our SW tanks. But I also take great joy in giving them a whole ecosystem to play in - to me, adding corals is like buying tennis balls for your dog, or catnip mice for your cat.

In that regard, I too am attracted to soft corals and LPS, because they provide a flow and movement (and ecological niches) that complement the fish. My clowns love their xenia and toadstools as substitute anemones (which I've considered but am hesitant about due to the number of tiny gobies I keep). I like having a wide variety of invertebrates for the same reason - I feel like it makes the fish's captive ecosystem a more interesting place for them when there are cleaner shrimp about, and snails and hermit crabs, and amphipods in the rocks to chase, and copepods on the glass to pick at, and sponges in the deep dark crevasses in the cave.

I enjoy giving that to my fish.

 

[MuShu]

I like the movement and color of the coral. Fake corals lose their color and become algae magnets.

Like someone said above- it's an ecosystem, and everything has a job. My corals eat things out of the water column, provide a breeding area for the pods that my fish eat, and help me see if I need to check params much sooner than my fish will tell me.

I also have a planted freshwater tank- I love seeing the movement and seeing my fish interacting around the plants.

Everyone has their own tastes though.

 

[brad]

Fake coral looks really bad, especially covered in algae. Much better to have just live rock, sand or even pvc pipe for fish to hide in.

 

[Sk8r]

Dunno, for me, I like the coral. I like its motion and its growth. The fish, well, they're fish, but if I had to choose between fish and coral, coral wins.

 

[MMacro]

IMO/IME; Fish only gets boring fast. Reef tanks require more tinkering and there is much more to do all around, keeps me occupied.

 

[brad]

IMO/IME; Fish only gets boring fast. Reef tanks require more tinkering and there is much more to do all around, keeps me occupied.

I agree. Every day my reef is a little different, and I always have a project if I have time to do one.

 

[MikeInToronto]

It's like asking why people have gardens. Why spend money on live plants when you can get fake ones that never die and even stay colourful in the winter?

 

[ca1ore]

Well clearly it's ........ No, hang on, it's got to be ..... Hmmmmn ..... Can't think of anything. That's it, I'm out ..... Anyone want to buy my setup ...... :lol:

 

[ladynavyvet]

For me, it's the challenge of growing these beautiful corals. I just got my first soft coral, a frogspawn. It's beautiful, especially as it moves in the water stream. I also enjoy the fish I have in my fish in this tank.

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[EthanHawaii]

I like a mix of SPS and LPS corals.
I like the movement LPS gives to the tank, and I like how majestic SPS corals look.

Fake coral IMO looks horrible compared to the real deal because as soon as there is a speck of algae on a fake coral it completely looses it's realness, so to be honest (unless you have a COMPLETELY algae free tank) they would seem to be more work than real corals.

And I also like how some fish and other inverts have symbiotic relationships with corals which fake coral can't replicate.

I am completely on your side with how keeping corals restricts you from getting so many awesome fish that are impossible to keep with them.

 

[Dromon]

I like how you can have cool invertebrates when you have reef safe tank in addition to corals. Sea urchins, starfish and sea cucumbers in addition to many of the interesting crabs and snails.

Even if you don't like corals you can still let some of the items that come on live rock grow into cool things assuming you don't have fish that eat said item. You can let the macroalgae, clams, muscles, sponges, feather dusters, coraline etc. grow out and it has a real natural look to it. With fowlr fish like angels, butterflies or triggers they would be picked off rather quickly but reef safe fish some of the items i listed would be fine.