How to keep corals looking good for a long, long time

SylvesterGraham · 04/17/2012, 11:05 PM

Ok, so, nothing's forever. But, I'm having a bit of a hard time understanding how one can maintain a number of species in an aesthetically pleasing way for a long, long time. That is, aren't they hard to sculpt, prune, and control? Personally, i am more interested in setting up a reef aquarium that is harmonious and pleasing to the eye, instead of a constantly rotating display of the newest species available. I've heard of lasers and "juicing", but how accurate are these really? If a coral starts to get too big or grow in the wrong direction, does the whole thing just have to come out? (depends on the species I'm sure)

I have the feeling that a lot of these awesome reef shots and totm I see might look terrible a year before and a year after the pic was snapped. I have read the occasional "going on ten years", and an even less occasional "going on ten years" on a tank I actually like. How do they do it?

Thanks, Sylvester

cloak · 04/17/2012, 11:12 PM

It's all up to U...

Somebody said it before, "less technology, more biology..."

It can be that easy.

Tmoriarty · 04/17/2012, 11:34 PM

Fragging hard corals, kalking corals edges to prevent growth of encrusting corals. There are other things to do as well.

Sk8r · 04/17/2012, 11:34 PM

Like flowers in a bed, they shape themselves. Part of it is knowing things like --- hammer and frog can touch and candycane isn't that bad near either, but leave torch aside. You ask about specific corals and learn who shouldn't be near whom. They exude chemicals to discourage competition---some more than others. And now and again you just lift a coral out and score it where you want it to break, and just frag it. I have one coral, a hammer, that will take my whole 50 gallons if I let it. So I just had first to break it apart, then as it regrew, I broke it further and moved pieces out. It looks much better now. Develop a deal with a lfs to take excess for trade. Give it to a club. It grows far faster than they told you in grammar school.

cloak · 04/17/2012, 11:57 PM

"U" means GL btw...

SylvesterGraham · 04/18/2012, 03:49 PM

Thanks for the tips. I'll numb this and would be open to more. Are there any books or compiled resources on the subject?

SylvesterGraham · 04/18/2012, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloak

"U" means GL btw...

Oh and cloak, what do you mean by "gl", sorry.

aandfsoccr04 · 04/18/2012, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SylvesterGraham

Oh and cloak, what do you mean by "gl", sorry.

good luck

04/17/2012, 11:05 PM	#1
SylvesterGraham Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Boston Posts: 14	How to keep corals looking good for a long, long time Ok, so, nothing's forever. But, I'm having a bit of a hard time understanding how one can maintain a number of species in an aesthetically pleasing way for a long, long time. That is, aren't they hard to sculpt, prune, and control? Personally, i am more interested in setting up a reef aquarium that is harmonious and pleasing to the eye, instead of a constantly rotating display of the newest species available. I've heard of lasers and "juicing", but how accurate are these really? If a coral starts to get too big or grow in the wrong direction, does the whole thing just have to come out? (depends on the species I'm sure) I have the feeling that a lot of these awesome reef shots and totm I see might look terrible a year before and a year after the pic was snapped. I have read the occasional "going on ten years", and an even less occasional "going on ten years" on a tank I actually like. How do they do it? Thanks, Sylvester

04/17/2012, 11:34 PM	#3
Tmoriarty Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Visalia, Ca Posts: 1,040	Fragging hard corals, kalking corals edges to prevent growth of encrusting corals. There are other things to do as well. __________________ Tyler Current Tank Info: Tanks: 203g custom, Mixed Reef, SRO-3000, Vortech-Powered (x2 MP40) 75g sump with 15g Fuge section

04/17/2012, 11:34 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Like flowers in a bed, they shape themselves. Part of it is knowing things like --- hammer and frog can touch and candycane isn't that bad near either, but leave torch aside. You ask about specific corals and learn who shouldn't be near whom. They exude chemicals to discourage competition---some more than others. And now and again you just lift a coral out and score it where you want it to break, and just frag it. I have one coral, a hammer, that will take my whole 50 gallons if I let it. So I just had first to break it apart, then as it regrew, I broke it further and moved pieces out. It looks much better now. Develop a deal with a lfs to take excess for trade. Give it to a club. It grows far faster than they told you in grammar school. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

04/17/2012, 11:12 PM	#2
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	It's all up to U... Somebody said it before, "less technology, more biology..." It can be that easy.

04/17/2012, 11:57 PM	#5
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	"U" means GL btw...

04/18/2012, 03:49 PM	#6
SylvesterGraham Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Boston Posts: 14	Thanks for the tips. I'll numb this and would be open to more. Are there any books or compiled resources on the subject?