The Puffer Forum

Okay, these are in with my GSP and yellow tail damsels, and the GSP has completely left them alone! I bought them from a guy on CL culling his "stock" of corals. He tells me they all grow fast, and he does really nothing with them. Didn't know the parameters of his water and had only 1 fish in his tank with tons on corals. I got a deal and love them. Any tips on how to best provide for them? I'd really appreciate it. I'm thinking of getting some supplement I can add to the water. Is that necessary, a good idea? Is using Instant Ocean good enough to keep them healthy?

Frog Spawn



Green star polyps



Trumpet corals - color is amazing!


Acropora - I got a few frags and stuck them in live rock holes

1) Frogspawn (LPS)
2) Green star polyps (softie)
3) Candycane (LPS)
4) Not sure of the name (SPS)

You're going to be needing tests for calcium, alk & magnesium: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

What kind of lighting do you have?

Thanks for that link. Wouldn't Instant Ocean have enough of calcium, etc in it? I have 4 actinic T12 bulbs, 48" VHO 2 white and 2 blue

Gwen

That SPS won't get anything but brown, under those lights.

You'll be needing to use Reef Crystals & do weekly WC, to keep the levels up. Corals use up those things.

Well, we'll see. The guy I got these from, rarely does water changes (he only has one fish) and really just lets the tank "do it's thing". He has the same lights on his tank as me, and the tank is the same size. I moved my powerheads to the back of the tank, after his suggestion.

I'll keep an eye on them. Oh, what does an SPS and LPS stand for?

Gwen

Small Polyp Stony & Large Polyp Stony

So did test my calcium level and it's high. In the 480-500 range. So, that will be something I need to look at how to lower. I need to know my alkilnity. Another test kit to buy

That is perfect for Ca! What is your alk & Mg?

You know I was to cheap to buy the kit, so I had the LFS test it. They said it was "perfect", but honestly I don't know the number. I'll buy the test kit, I just haven't yet.

Gwen

Did you dip the corals before you put them in your aquarium? I dip every piece of coral I buy. Either Melafix or Coral RX will work. You would be surprised by the types of critters living in either the frags or on the coral itself.

I never heard of Melafix as a coral dip. Do you have more info on this?

As a coral dip, treat in a small container. Usually I just use the water the newly purchased coral came with in a small Tupperware container. Shake Melafix well, add 20 ml or 4 tsp. per 1/2 gallon of reef/saltwater. I use 1 ml to treat a small bag of coral . Place coral in container and agitate for 3-5 minutes. I usually use a turkey bater and blast water across the surface of the coral and plug. After a maximum of 5 minutes, remove coral and place in your aquarium. I usually blast the coral with one of my power heads and than place the coral on the bottom to acclimate to your specific lighting. After several days you can place the corals higher up once they have acclimated.

Great, thanks!

I've not done that, but I will with the next corals I get. Mine are doing great! Growing like crazy. I love the frogspawn best

Gwen

Watch out for the green star polyps, they are very aggressive! But also very mesmerizing.