Live coral VS. Artificial
- Thread starter Deadna
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woody390
Aquarium Advice Addict
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- Oct 9, 2012
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Main Pros of articial is they need no care, main con is they don't look very good in my opinion
Dav3
Aquarium Advice Addict
Pro: no special needs. Not limited to reef safe only fish.
Cons: look like crap as said before. Like putting artificial plants in a freshwater tank.
Cons: look like crap as said before. Like putting artificial plants in a freshwater tank.
Artificial corals are easier care and less expensive. If you are like me, most of the people around you don't know about reefs and they would like both artificial and real coral. Just don't put both in the same tank or else people can see how fake the artificial stuff really is.
I think the main factor is the added time commitment for owning a beautiful live reef. Real corals will need Mg, Ca, pH, kH monitored weekly, cleaner water, good lighting, fish compatibility, and perhaps a few other things that I cannot think of at this time. Also many reefers experience some type of algae problem.
I think the main factor is the added time commitment for owning a beautiful live reef. Real corals will need Mg, Ca, pH, kH monitored weekly, cleaner water, good lighting, fish compatibility, and perhaps a few other things that I cannot think of at this time. Also many reefers experience some type of algae problem.
ivan_dalmatia
Aquarium Advice FINatic
If your looking for a hobby go with real, there will be loses and not, then again you will love watching you coral grow, eat and give you a nice show!
There are lots of corals for beginners that are easier to take care of, start with those?
There are lots of corals for beginners that are easier to take care of, start with those?
jjamontan
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Live vs fake? Wow what a question if you are thinking of going fake than just go with live rock with fish only. Fake coral look so bad that you should just leave it out. I say nasty nasty nasty.
Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
Fake coral doesn't die, requires no light, fish can't eat it, but it needs to be cleaned and looks fake IMO.
Real coral is fascinating, changes daily and makes the total environment. But it's expensive, can be very newbie unfriendly and can die.
Real coral is fascinating, changes daily and makes the total environment. But it's expensive, can be very newbie unfriendly and can die.
Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
The fake can look just fine in a tank, plus it's way simpler than real corals.
The downsides have been stated already, the biggest imho is that you will need to clean algae off of the inserts quite often.
The downsides have been stated already, the biggest imho is that you will need to clean algae off of the inserts quite often.
Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yours looks nice, it isn't all the fluorescent UN-natural colors I have seen before. Keeping algae off it will be your biggest headache.
