Hypostomus
Aquarium Advice Freak
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2004
- Messages
- 494
Well, here's my third post on a different issue in the same tank. My SG is finally at 1.023-1.024 and I used two different Nitrate tests (mine and the LFS's) to determine that my Nitrates are at 0 ppm. I think the tank is ready for some corals. In case you haven't seen the stats elsewhere in my ubiquitous question posts, here they are:
20g
Running: ~1 month
Penguin 170 Biowheel Filter
ThermalCompact 100 watt Heater
Coralife Deluxe Fluorescent 130 watt Aqualight (2 65-watt lamps, 30")
"Sea Gravel" substrate (white)
~15 lbs live rock
1 ~8lb red rock (volcanic rock?)
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
SG: 1.024
Temp: 81 degrees F
1 A. ocellaris (Ocellaris Clownfish)
1 unidentified marine snail
I was doing some research and I comprised a list of corals that were good for beginners/would probably do well to the tank. My question is, should I look for anything else? Are there any other corals I should consider or be sure to avoid? I know I shouldn't get stony corals, but that's about it. Are "sea fans" (fan worms) or any other common sessile invertebrate choices or eventual choices? The LFS sells "Cyclop-Eeze" and live phytoplankton for fish and corals. They are going to help me with preparing a clean-up crew as well when I get the corals (it's a most trusted store-- they have wonderful display tanks, including one with a shark and another with several large anemones).
Here's my list (I thought it might be helpful to any other beginners too):
-Actinodiscus sp. (Green Fluorescent Mushroom, Striped Mushroom, Spotted Mushroom, Blue Mushroom)
-Ricordea yuma (Flower Mushroom)
-Rhodactis sp. (Lavender Mushroom, Hairy Mushroom, Bullseye Mushroom, Elephant Ear Mushroom)
-Amplexidiscus sp. (Giant Cup Mushroom)
-Pachyclavularia violacea (Green Star Polyp)
-Clavularia sp. (Metallic Star Polyp, Brown Polyp, Clove Polyp)
-Xenia sp. (Red-Brown Polyp, Xenia Polyp)
-Zoanthus sp. (Sea Mats, Colonial Polyps, Button Polyps)
-Protopalythea sp. (Moon Polyps, Encrusting Anemones)
-Palithoa sp. (Trumpet Polyps [?])
-Claudiella sp. (Colt Coral [only when tank is established?])
-Sarcophton trocheliophorum (Toadstool Leather [Common])
-Lobophytum sp. (Devil's Finger, Milk Coral)
-Lobophytum crassum (Cabbage Leather, Flower Leather, Lettuce Leather)
-Sinularia sp. (Finger Leather)
-Nephtea sp. (Green Leather)
-Plerogyra sp./Plerogyra flexuosa? (Pearl Bubble Coral)
My mother (who will run the tank since I'm away at school most of the time) would like "colorful" corals. Personally I liked some Xenia Polyps I saw at the LFS today, but we're waiting till Friday to see what else comes in (all the clean-up crew stuff and new corals are coming in tomorrow morning). One last question- are Xenia considered rare? The ones I saw were a modest clump for about $70.
20g
Running: ~1 month
Penguin 170 Biowheel Filter
ThermalCompact 100 watt Heater
Coralife Deluxe Fluorescent 130 watt Aqualight (2 65-watt lamps, 30")
"Sea Gravel" substrate (white)
~15 lbs live rock
1 ~8lb red rock (volcanic rock?)
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
SG: 1.024
Temp: 81 degrees F
1 A. ocellaris (Ocellaris Clownfish)
1 unidentified marine snail
I was doing some research and I comprised a list of corals that were good for beginners/would probably do well to the tank. My question is, should I look for anything else? Are there any other corals I should consider or be sure to avoid? I know I shouldn't get stony corals, but that's about it. Are "sea fans" (fan worms) or any other common sessile invertebrate choices or eventual choices? The LFS sells "Cyclop-Eeze" and live phytoplankton for fish and corals. They are going to help me with preparing a clean-up crew as well when I get the corals (it's a most trusted store-- they have wonderful display tanks, including one with a shark and another with several large anemones).
Here's my list (I thought it might be helpful to any other beginners too):
-Actinodiscus sp. (Green Fluorescent Mushroom, Striped Mushroom, Spotted Mushroom, Blue Mushroom)
-Ricordea yuma (Flower Mushroom)
-Rhodactis sp. (Lavender Mushroom, Hairy Mushroom, Bullseye Mushroom, Elephant Ear Mushroom)
-Amplexidiscus sp. (Giant Cup Mushroom)
-Pachyclavularia violacea (Green Star Polyp)
-Clavularia sp. (Metallic Star Polyp, Brown Polyp, Clove Polyp)
-Xenia sp. (Red-Brown Polyp, Xenia Polyp)
-Zoanthus sp. (Sea Mats, Colonial Polyps, Button Polyps)
-Protopalythea sp. (Moon Polyps, Encrusting Anemones)
-Palithoa sp. (Trumpet Polyps [?])
-Claudiella sp. (Colt Coral [only when tank is established?])
-Sarcophton trocheliophorum (Toadstool Leather [Common])
-Lobophytum sp. (Devil's Finger, Milk Coral)
-Lobophytum crassum (Cabbage Leather, Flower Leather, Lettuce Leather)
-Sinularia sp. (Finger Leather)
-Nephtea sp. (Green Leather)
-Plerogyra sp./Plerogyra flexuosa? (Pearl Bubble Coral)
My mother (who will run the tank since I'm away at school most of the time) would like "colorful" corals. Personally I liked some Xenia Polyps I saw at the LFS today, but we're waiting till Friday to see what else comes in (all the clean-up crew stuff and new corals are coming in tomorrow morning). One last question- are Xenia considered rare? The ones I saw were a modest clump for about $70.