Recommended corals for lower temp reef?

Dogshowgrl · 09/05/2016, 06:29 PM

I have a 60 gallon cube seahorse tank. I had the goal of a softie, NPS tank, but I have found several corals that never adapted to the cold water and faded away until I pulled them and put them in my mixed reef.

Tank has been up since March.
Mars Aqua led light
Temp: 70-72
SG: 1.027
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrates: very high at 50 (it is dropping, added biopelets and sulfer denitrator recently)
Ca: 460
Mg: 1300
KH: 8

Currently stocked
2 finger leathers, GSP, 9 photosynthetic gorgs, 4 NPS gorgs, 3 toadstools, pulsing Xenia, tree sponge, pom pom macro. I am about to add some more macros in the next couple months.

I have added clove polyps, mushrooms (multiple species) and, zoas, but I always have to pull them before they wither away too much.

I have 6 seahorses, one Multibanded pipefish, one mandarin (I have cultured pods for several years now,) few trocus snails, one blue coral banded shrimp, margarita snails, 2 feather dusters, and a gold and black brittle star.

I also run red sea carbon, Purigen, GFO, filter socks, skimmer and WC 30-40% weekly due nitrates.

I feed CA and Hikari mysis twice daily, reef nutrition ROE, and oyster feast once daily. And live cultures of nano and isocrysis phyto fed every other day.

I am looking for non aggressive, hearty soft corals. I have a cabbage leather coming out of QT soon, it will be my first so idk how it will do, fingers crossed. The tough part is I only have one chiller so I can't slowly accimate them to the lower temp and even with fans my qt is in the workshop at sit at 79°F.

I am not adding to my tank until my nitrates are better but my QT takes plenty of time and I still have to order them from my LFS. I am very picky do I am looking at about 4-6 months before they ever come in.

Any suggestions?

Dogshowgrl · 09/11/2016, 05:55 AM

Nothing? I get it, it's a tough one. I work at a LFS, and I am still stumped. The HA is getting much better, but I don't trust it. Lol. Qt is setup and empty....

Think I will try zoas (again) and a nepthia.

Any suggestions on what color I should add?

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JL.Chev · 09/12/2016, 09:43 PM

How do you like those lights? I have the same and run them at 50 blue and I'd say 35 whites. The fans are loud once you go brighter. Tank looks great. Maybe try a blue toadstool.

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vlangel · 09/18/2016, 06:43 PM

I don't think the temperature is the problem with the mushrooms, clove polyps or zoas because my seahorse tank is also 70-72° and has those coral. Maybe its the varieties you have tried? My mushrooms are a plain large greenish brown very textured mushroom. My clove polyps are blue clove. Actually my palys do better than my zoas.
By the way, your tank is gourgeous.

09/05/2016, 06:29 PM	#1
Dogshowgrl Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: North Central Florida Posts: 298	Recommended corals for lower temp reef? I have a 60 gallon cube seahorse tank. I had the goal of a softie, NPS tank, but I have found several corals that never adapted to the cold water and faded away until I pulled them and put them in my mixed reef. Tank has been up since March. Mars Aqua led light Temp: 70-72 SG: 1.027 Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: 0 Nitrates: very high at 50 (it is dropping, added biopelets and sulfer denitrator recently) Ca: 460 Mg: 1300 KH: 8 Currently stocked 2 finger leathers, GSP, 9 photosynthetic gorgs, 4 NPS gorgs, 3 toadstools, pulsing Xenia, tree sponge, pom pom macro. I am about to add some more macros in the next couple months. I have added clove polyps, mushrooms (multiple species) and, zoas, but I always have to pull them before they wither away too much. I have 6 seahorses, one Multibanded pipefish, one mandarin (I have cultured pods for several years now,) few trocus snails, one blue coral banded shrimp, margarita snails, 2 feather dusters, and a gold and black brittle star. I also run red sea carbon, Purigen, GFO, filter socks, skimmer and WC 30-40% weekly due nitrates. I feed CA and Hikari mysis twice daily, reef nutrition ROE, and oyster feast once daily. And live cultures of nano and isocrysis phyto fed every other day. I am looking for non aggressive, hearty soft corals. I have a cabbage leather coming out of QT soon, it will be my first so idk how it will do, fingers crossed. The tough part is I only have one chiller so I can't slowly accimate them to the lower temp and even with fans my qt is in the workshop at sit at 79°F. I am not adding to my tank until my nitrates are better but my QT takes plenty of time and I still have to order them from my LFS. I am very picky do I am looking at about 4-6 months before they ever come in. Any suggestions?

09/11/2016, 05:55 AM	#2
Dogshowgrl Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: North Central Florida Posts: 298	Nothing? I get it, it's a tough one. I work at a LFS, and I am still stumped. The HA is getting much better, but I don't trust it. Lol. Qt is setup and empty.... Think I will try zoas (again) and a nepthia. Any suggestions on what color I should add? Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

09/12/2016, 09:43 PM	#3
JL.Chev Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 44	How do you like those lights? I have the same and run them at 50 blue and I'd say 35 whites. The fans are loud once you go brighter. Tank looks great. Maybe try a blue toadstool. Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk

09/18/2016, 06:43 PM	#4
vlangel Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 2,409	I don't think the temperature is the problem with the mushrooms, clove polyps or zoas because my seahorse tank is also 70-72° and has those coral. Maybe its the varieties you have tried? My mushrooms are a plain large greenish brown very textured mushroom. My clove polyps are blue clove. Actually my palys do better than my zoas. By the way, your tank is gourgeous.