point me to a guide in caring for corals

[pairenoid]

20L, 2-3 months established
1 clown fish
tiger pistol shrimp
10 cleaner snail/shrimp
tiger conch
25 lbs sand
20 lbs cured live rock
2x24 watt nova extreme t5ho, 10k light and 460 actinic (not yet arrived)

I noticed a lot of people have brand new tanks that they add corals to, so i am wondering if i am ready for any coral. I originally wanted a FOWLR but i changed my mind. I would like those zooanthids or mushrooms i often see in many tanks the green ones

i need to know everything such as i hear i need to add calcium and iodine, and need a test kit for those or something. is there coral i can get that isnt as sensitive? i like the ones that look like colonies of mushrooms and bright colored ones, but im not picky, i just want one or two for now to see how i like them

also how do i even put them in my tank? how do they stick to the rock, do i have to feed these hardy corals etc etc

tl;dr : what corals if any can i get with 48 watts of t5ho 10k light 460 actinic, i only want ones that are easy to care for and are extremely hardy compared to other ones

 

[Aquaman024]

For your first corals stick to zoa's, mushrooms, and then leathers like a toadstool.

Zoos are great because if a parameter in your tank is off, they won't open. Only dose calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium (as needed). As long as you do regular water changes, your trace elements like iodine shouldn't need to be dosed.

Keep your calcium 400-450. Alk at 4.3, ph 8.1-8.3, magnesium 1300. Magnesium IS important to keep your calcium and carbonate from forming limestone in your aquarium. You want your corals absorbing it.

Red Sea has a great kit for around 40$ at bulkreefsupply.com. It's super accurate which is what you want. Too many beginner kits give parameters in ranges. Get a good kit and learn how to use it.

Keep phosphates and nitrates at 0.

Good luck and happy reefing.

 

[pairenoid]

the thing i am unaware of the most is anything to do with calcium alk magnesium
are they already naturally in my tank and i just buy a product to increase it? 40 sounds a bit steep, is there something similar to the saltwater api test kit?

 

[manbeast]

$40 isn't bad considering how much you may spend on corals, just think of it as coral life insurance

 

[Aquaman024]

API is beginner stuff. You will lose more coral because you don't know your level. The tests will last you about a year and only cost 12-15$ to replenish.

Get the 2 part dosing kit from bulkreefsupply.com . It's the cheapest you will find. 50$ for 3 gallons of calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium. It will last you. If you go the b-ionic route, it's 50$ for one gallon. Bulkreefsupply has great videos explaining the product. Watch them. They have a guide for everything you need.

Nothing in this hobby is cheap, especially when you waste money on the wrong stuff.

 

[pairenoid]

alright ill check out the site thanks, ill only be being the cheap hardy corals though, so i dont have plans for fancy ones or ones that require lighting

mainly a mushroom here or a zooanthid there, i also have some hitchhikers growing in my tank i cant completely identify yet