New Soft Coral Suggestion

[Rich-n-poor]

I would like suggest for a new soft coral or very easy to keep hard coral to add to my 37 gallon tank which has 110 watts of pc lighting 1 white 1 blue bulb I currently have the following:

2 finger leather (recently fragged and looking to trade very big frag)
1 toadstool leather (originally a frag now 6 inches across)
Brown Zoo Polyps
Yellow polyups
Purple shrooms
Green shrooms

other tank occupants:
2 false percs
1 royal gramma
1 red linka star
1 sand sifting star
5 mexican turbos
2 Nassurius snails
9 bumblebee snails
3 scarlet hermits
2 blue leg hermits
1 left handed hermit

I do not want a colt because i think it will overgrow the tank and Im not crazy about zenia My water quality is good amm 0 nit 0 nitrate never over 5 but I am considering adding a dwarf angel and want something a little tolerant of water quality
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Tippmann

 

[Len]

Soft corals: any photosynthetic species you like. You aren't limited in selection, so it's purely up to your discretion. I'm not good with common names (I'll try my best), but I'm partial to Sinularia sp. (various forms of "Mumps", "Cabbage", and "Finger" corals). Sarcophytum sp. (Leathers) get too big too fast, but they're one of my favorites too. Others: Paralemnalia (Leather finger, flower leather), Lobophytum (Devil's finger, Flower), Anthelia (Waving hand), and Clavularia sp (clove polyps). I'd still consider Cladiella sp. (colts) if you like them since all the aforementioned corals grow just as quickly if healthly.

Hard coral suggestions:
Open brain coral (Trachyphyllia, Lobophyllia , Cynarina, Symphyllia, & Wellsophyllia sp.)
Bubble coral (Plerogyra sp.)
Plate corals (Fungia & Heliofungia sp.)
Tongue corals (Polyphyllia sp.)

These will do fine with your size tank and your lighting setup.

 

[Len]

Lighting requirements vary from species to species. Some LPS inhabit turbid waters and do just fine, while others need more light. Generally speaking, LPS corals can do well without the intense lights SPS corals require. Your lights are sufficient in keeping all the LPS corals mentioned.

Yes, bubbles, corals, hammers, and frogspawns are LPS. I left Hammers, Frogspawns, and Torch corals (Euphyllia sp.) off my list because they grow too big, too fast.

There are other LPS that you can maintain under your lights. My short list is just a few examples.

 

[rlp1]

How about some green star polyps or a photosynthic gorgonian?

 

[Mac1]

Might want to try Ricordea's.. they come in several very interesting colorations (been seeing a lot of new one's at my LFS - florida source). They don't grow very fast, so will be unlikely to turn into a nuisance. They trade very easily too. Green Star Polyps are nice, but can overgrow a tank. There are several kinds of LPS that I think would do well... Brains, both open and closed, wopuld be good candidates. You should be able to keep some Fungia and the like as well. There are all manner of polyps and zooanthids that will make it under those lights, some have better colors than others. SPS might be hard, while I've seen them grow great under PC's before, you need a lot of them, and have to place the corals near the surface of the water to really make 'em grow.

- Mac

 

[esmithiii]

Rich- I would caution you against the dwarf angel. I had a bi-color which was supposedly reef-safe and he nipped at everything. I was in denial for 8 months because it wasn't all that overt. When I finally got rid of him (I had to remove half the rock work to do it) I noticed a huge difference the very next day. Even my wife was like "Wow! What did you do to the tank??!?" even though normally half the water in the tank could be missing and she would notice unless I pointed it out. All the corals opened up like never before, all the polyps extended well, the small feather dusters opened up and the whole tank looked amazing. It had looked barren before and after looked like a reef!

As for additions, I love zooanthids and there are a variety of colors and sized to choose from. I have had a frogspawn in my 55 with only 2x55W PC lamps and it thrived (with bi-weekly feedings) and has split on 2 of the 3 heads. I love my xenia, but if you don't like it then thats out. I wasn't a big fan of gorgonians until I got a purple photosynthetic species that is gorgeous. They grow slower than molassas, though.

Ernie

 

[Rich-n-poor]

what are the lighting requirements of LPS corals does bubble coral green brain hammer and friogspawn fit in this category ?
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BMW F650CS