low light soft corals

mussel · 01-17-2009, 04:16 PM

Hi, couls someone please recomend some low light soft corals, I have x 2 24 w t5 tubes small tank, and there is an overhanging rock I need something to grow under plus the rest of the tank any advice appreciated and yes I know more light would help

but this is just a starter tank, thanks.

crvz · 01-17-2009, 04:42 PM

green star polyps, mushrooms, some zoas.

aquawolf · 01-17-2009, 08:11 PM

If you want a cool coral that likes really low light you may want to check out a chili coral.

Loverotties · 01-17-2009, 08:31 PM

Sun Coral is perfect for that spot!

mussel · 01-18-2009, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aquawolf

If you want a cool coral that likes really low light you may want to check out a chili coral.

Perfect and colourful and ideal for me as a beginer thanks.

AquaMan91 · 01-18-2009, 11:09 AM

Feather dusters, shrooms, zoos, sun coral, green star polyps, etc... thats whats in my tank so far.

mussel · 01-18-2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AquaMan91

Feather dusters, shrooms, zoos, sun coral, green star polyps, etc... thats whats in my tank so far.

Thanks for the replies, I have been reading about sun corals and they SEEM quite hard to look after is that the case or what ? and they would be perfect for under the overhang image below, first marine tank.

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YLChik · 01-18-2009, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mussel

Thanks for the replies, I have been reading about sun corals and they SEEM quite hard to look after is that the case or what ? and they would be perfect for under the overhang image below, first marine tank.

Attachment 67108

sun corals are a little more on the challenging side, same as chili corals, they are both NON photosythetic, meaning light isn't going to feed them, you will need to. I don't know so much about the chili coral, but the sun coral is beautiful but needs to be feed and protected while feeding so that other critters don't steal the food. It's not impossible to keep, but you might want to wait until you feel like you have a good handle on other tank skills first

What size tank do you have - T5's actually put out a good amount of light - so it really depends what you are trying to light up

BUT a safe bet would be.... toadstools, kenya tree, colt coral, xenia, finger leathers, ricordia, gorgonians to add to the list others have given...

oooo open brain corals, or a plate coral are actually fairly easy to keep in a nice low light place like that and are very pretty.

and possibly frog spawn, hammer coral, or torch corals are possibly options as well. Lik eif you ahve a 10 gallon tank I would say go for it with no worry, if you are lighting a 55 with those 2 t5's then maybe not

HTH

YLChik · 01-18-2009, 11:56 AM

ok so brains and plates and those last ones aren't soft corals..... I forgot the title of the thread, sorry

mussel · 01-18-2009, 12:09 PM

Thanks for the reply and inforamtion, it seems there are plenty that will grow in low light so no prblems for me there and yes will wait a bit on the sun coral, the tank is 32 x 12 x 12 and there are 17 UK gls after the rock and sand, 14 + kg of live rock, 2 x T5 but with tank being shallow there is quite good light in most places.

aquawolf · 01-18-2009, 12:29 PM

The sun coral definitely requires feeding. You can spot feed the chili coral every once in a while, but I have had mine for at least 3 years in different tanks and only spot feed it maybe once a month. It seems to find everything it needs from the water column just fine.

mussel · 01-18-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aquawolf

The sun coral definitely requires feeding. You can spot feed the chili coral every once in a while, but I have had mine for at least 3 years in different tanks and only spot feed it maybe once a month. It seems to find everything it needs from the water column just fine.

Thanks again, the chili coral is a definate for the shaded bit and I will give sun coral a go sooner rather than later just get the water and testing sorted and some sort of routine also getting a cabbage coral cheap and some mushrooms, I have 3 small mushrooms that came on the rock they are opening and closing ok also GSP all over one rock and 2 feather dusters and some small stars and an aiptaisia, and a crab they are going, I also have another tank but that has piranhas in and if all goes well with this small one thinking of coverting that or just sell it and a fresh start

Just had a quick look at your tank thread great and I am glad you cleared the algae, also your picture book I like the Kracken

aquawolf · 01-18-2009, 01:42 PM

Thanks for the compliments. The algae has cleared up but now I am in a new battle with montipora eating nudibranchs. Seems that there will always be high points and low points with our systems no matter how hard we try to keep them running perfectly.

mussel · 01-18-2009, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aquawolf

Thanks for the compliments. The algae has cleared up but now I am in a new battle with montipora eating nudibranchs. Seems that there will always be high points and low points with our systems no matter how hard we try to keep them running perfectly.

Sorry to hear that but I am sure that you will win good luck and thanks for the hlep all of you.

mussel · 02-03-2009, 02:41 PM

Ok after a lot of research and help in forums here are a few photo's of some of my soft corals they are taken when I first recieved a few days later the cabbage coral was salvaged for the LR vat in the LFS and he gave it me, thisis my first time with marines so any comment apprecited good or bad