Coralscaping 101

[topmav1]

Ok so I know there are a million threads on Aquascaping rocks but with the explosion of the "fragging" business and trading I find myself with smaller coral pieces with the intention of them growing out and spreading over time. Especially with people gluing things to rocks... That being said, I wanted to discuss the "Building Blocks" of a reef and strategic places to put certain frags that will eventually grow into spaces. For instance Monticaps or Zoas. So I wanted to start a little thread for new reefers to reference great coralscape pieces that will help build their reef over time. I know light and flow are factors but general opinions would help.

If I didn't word this correctly I apologize but hopefully someone will know what I mean here. Kind of like Architecture for Corals.

 

[SevTT]

Here's a tip: put your monti caps and tabling acroporas low on the rockwork, or they'll shade everything below and make it impossible for you to put other corals on that rockwork. Put your digitate corals up higher, but mind that you put corals that can get by with low light below things which tend to grow in densely.

Use aggressively-stinging corals to corral less aggressive but more invasive species. Colt corals hold back Xenia just fine, and anemones and galaxia do a number on GSP.

If you really want to have Xenia or GSP in your tank, or other invasive encrusting or walking softies, you should isolate them on a rock that they can take over, surrounded by sand. Otherwise, there's no stopping the spread. And this way, you can surround their rock with some chunks of rubble, wait a while, and have frags.