So what should my first coral be?

[Motish]

Hi
I have ~70 gal tank. Don't have much in it yet. Just a percula, 3 turbo snails and couple of mushrooms.
I'd like my tank to be lps/sps tank eventually. Which coral would you recommend me to begin with? (either lps or sps)

Thanks.

[ReeferBill]

I would start out with some green star polyps and any hammer,frogspawn and torches before you move on to SPS. Closed brain corals are another great starter LPS.

[colesreef]

I agree with reeferbill, get any of the brain corals..easy to care for and fun to feed if you like. the euphyllias are easy also. your percula clown would probably use one like an anenome.lots of fun to watch. Its usually best to have a well seasoned tank before adding sps. get some books and read and re-read before buying anything. dont buy blind

[LittleFish2012]

Most of monti's are really hardy. You can try either Monti cap, Monti digi or encrusting type Monti if you like to add a sps.

[Laddy]

When I read the title of this I said, "GSP" you really can't beat them as a first coral.

They are:

(1) hardy

(2) fast growers

(3) colorful

(4) cheap (sometimes free)

[Motish]

Thank you all for your replies.
It looks like I have a lot of choices. I read about euphyllias in Eric Bormann's book and he says that they are hardy and their polyp extension is a good indication for water quality. I will probably go for one of them, brain coral will be next.

Laddy, what is GSP? Do you know the "official" name of it? Couldn't find it in the book.

Thanks again everyone.

[Laddy]

Green Star Polyps

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll87/JHeddy_Photos/starpolypsgreen.jpg

You can buy a small piece for around $5 - $10, but at local coral frag swaps they'll usually be giving these away for free. They grow like weeds--I'm still finding small amounts on rock I've had for years. Same with red mushrooms.

[Motish]

After looking at several euphyllias I got this hammer coral today. It looked healthy at the lfs. Now its closed, guess it is under some stress...

What do you think about the spot I picked for him? A little bit shaded, iss that OK?

[m12x13adass]

Wall Hammers usually likes low indirect flow. The ones I've had hated it when I blast it with a powerhead. It could be in an acclimation period but I'd monitor it closely for a couple of days before I'd consider rerouting the flow.

[Kgrizzle]

Mine closes up like that from time to time if he gets to much flow on him...he normally comes back out to about .5-1 inch extension after a couple hours a day max

[Motish]

The power head at the back is hitting the rock, I think the hammer gets turbid flow this way...
It closed immediately when the guy at the lfs picked it up, I'll see if it opens in the next couple of days.

[Motish]

<a href="http://s1092.photobucket.com/albums/i406/Motish/?action=view&amp;current=1328025563576.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i406/Motish/1328025563576.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

This is how it looked yesterday morning, I think his spot is OK for him

[Kgrizzle]

Looks great... He seems much happier there

[Motish]

So I have this coral for almost a month now. He looks great and we are both happy :D He is not glued to the rock he is on, do you think I should glue it with epoxy?

[Motish]

Anyone?

[Nemo4ev]

He does not have to be glued/epoxy'd down, unless it is falling all the time or what not.

[sqwat]

kenya trees.shrooms,yuma,,paly,gsp,waivin hand,toadstools,acans,wait till you get the euphelias,and or open brains especially the branching ones youre tank is still young and you will get hair algea on the stems causing receeeding.gl

[buk]

lookin good. if it were me my next venture would be either a brain or a plate. i love the plates but brains are fun too. they are both fun to watch puff up and eat.

[Motish]

Well thanks for the advice. I did actually thought of going for brain coral but couldn't find one... Meanwhile I added a torch, thought maybe will be nice for the clown fish.
I am trying to see if I will be able to find a nice looking brain coral... Should I stock with more fish before or after the next coral? I've only added a blenny.

[pakirri]

green star polyps, zoanthids, xenia are the classic starters maybe a frogspawn coral. Almost anything soft is easy to keep.

[sqwat]

definatly a brain coral of some kind a wells will be great