In need of a pro tip.

[Searchlights]

This may not be the right place for this type of question, but this looked like the best option for a question about all types of corals instead of just one category lol. So! I'm running a 55 gallon tank with a quad T5 HO fixture with ATI bulbs. I'm looking for a coral recommendation. I want a coral that will grow low on a rock and cover most of the surface of it. I just got a really nice centerpiece rock that goes halfway up the tank, it would look awesome with something growing like a carpet over it. I know zoas will do that but I have a bit of health anxiety over the whole palytoxin thing, and my wife also doesn't like the way they look lol. I'm also not a huge fan of mushrooms either. Is there anything out there that would work? Lol

[kdc527]

By no means am I a pro at best a newbie but a montipora or a chalice will encrust.

[carrots]

How about yellow star polyps. Spreads quickly in good light & current.

[jsnrho82]

I am partial to hard corals so I would say a psammacora or pavona. However, a branching or tabling across could add a lot to the rock as well (living art and all that)

[Fish guy 91]

Gsp will work but is unstoppable so you'll need to plan on how you want it to grow and how to isolate it on one or a few rocks

[Searchlights]

Ok awesome, I'll look into all of these :) the rock is actually so big it's basically it's own island with a built in cave lol. It's surrounded by sand and no other rock is touching it so I wouldn't have a problem with something spreading unless it jumped on to the sand.

[Jeff4777]

GSP may give it that nice "carpet" look your talking about. Keep in mind. I had a frag of GSP on a 5-6 inch rock... Took over the entire rock in maybe 2 months approximately? Probably less. with whatever "fast growing" coral you pick. Be ready to move something if you don't want it rock hopping later on.

[jayball]

If you are going for more of a easy/soft coral and the rock is isolated than GSP is nice. Ricorda florida make a nice carpet after they have grown in also and they will be possible (although not easy) to remove in the future without nuking the rock, starting with a couple well placed polyps will get you coverage after a while.

On the stony side, if the flow is not too violent there an echinata, or most anything else from the acanthastrea family, can look really good in that situation. It will take a while for it to cover though

There are also many encrusting SPS that would work there if it gets good flow and that is where you are headed with the tank.