Should and can I use live corel in this setup

[rdefino]

I'm in the process of cycling my 75gal FO. I have live sand and about 5lbs of live rock. I want to add some coral or if I'm right by saying this "live coral" for added decoration. Now my question is should I use live coral and would that cause problem with my fish or should I use just something like dead coral. Also I'm using a JBJ lighting unit (2) 10K DAYLIGHT/(2) 7100K BLUE.

Thanks for any help
Ron

 

[electrikat]

You can use low light loving corals like shrooms and polyps. There some corals that need low or no light. You will probably want to get some more LR for filtration and so the corals will not be on the bottom of the tank. The big question is what kind of fish do you have or want to get. Make sure all of your fish are reef friendly and will not eat your corals or inverts. You will be inheriting all kinds of stuff on the live rock and even on the coral rock. But that is the same lighting setup I started out with so I know it works on the lower light corals.

 

[lando]

I would skip the coral for a few months and get some more LR. Putting coral in your tank will limit what fish and inverts you can add. Put together a "fish List" of a couple must haves and build the rest of the tank around it. Those of us that keep reef tanks have had to go without some very attrctive fish because of it.

 

[mr_tee0419]

I assume you're creating a fish only tank, b/c thats what forum you posted in. I think you just want some decor rather than going reef. Here is a link to a site that I bought some nice looking synthetic coral off of. http://www.aquatichouse.com/corals_and_plants/coralchart.asp

 

[austinsdad]

I agree wityh Lando and Electrikat. You're about 70 - 100 lbs of live rock short. Then again, get your 70 lbs or so in, as some of the coral will come attached to rock already. Definitely go with the fish wish list first. It'll tell you a lot about the types of coral you can get or if you can get any at all.