I'm wanting to turn my 29 gallon into a reef, and I'm wondering what the best corals to start out with are. What is required to keep a successful 'mini reef'? What kind of chemicals do you need and how often do you need to add them? Do you have to do that for every species of coral, or just some?

What's the minimum amount of lighting to properly house them?

What are the quickest growing corals?

What are the easiest to propagate?

Mushrooms and zoos have be one of the easiest corals to keep and do well under low-light conditions. Sun corals are also great coral. What type of lighting and how many watts do you have above your 29 gallon?

192 watts. I think that may constitute high lighting conditions, right? I'm over 6 watts per gallon.

yes that is very high lighting!

you shouldn't need to add any chemicals to your tank as long as you keep up with the water changes becuase the salt has all the minerals that you need in it.

Some more easy corals are pulsing xenia, green star polyp and trumpet coral and they are all easy to propagate as well.

If you got got flow in your tank and since you got good lighting...you can try to get a frag of Montipora Digita. Its the easiest SPS for beginners. Brown ones can even been grown after fluros. Put that at the top section of the tank. You can have some corallimorphs and zoos at the bottom section. And maybe some Sarcophytons on the middle.

If you dont know what they are...here are some pics

Monipora Digita


Corallimorph/Discosoma


Zooanthids


Sarcophytons


Mango :lol:

Very nice pics. But just because his watts are high doesnt mean he has the right lighting. What kind of lighting it is? PC, VHO, Metal halide? If doing Vho or Pc you should make it a dual. One with atinic blue and the other a full specturm light, maybe a 10k or more.

I would recommend starting out with a few of the easier corals such as Mushrooms, Zoos, Button Polyps and then go from there. I'm guessing you have PowerCompact lighting correct?

I agree with Michael you shouldn't have to add any additives for your coral as water changes will replenish Calcium, Alk, trace elements, etc.

OK, so no worries on the alk or ca additives? Water changes should take care of those? That's good to know.

My friend is about to split an order with me from Drsfostersmith.com and instead of ordering fish, I think I'm going to order a small coral. I should be getting my RO unit in June, so the coral should be OK until then. My water parameters are well in check. I use instant ocean salt.

I'm using 192 PC lighting with two 6700k bulbs (It's what it came with). I'm going to use them until they give out... I don't want two 50 dollar bulbs to go to waste, you know? Then I'm going to buy an actinic and a 10,000k bulb and add some more corals. :D This way it will help me get used to things, you know? I've got the spray bar from a 300gph canister filter and a P600. The P1000 was just TOO much flow.

I think I'm going to purchase a small hammer coral frag or brain coral, or even frogspawn. I'm not quite sure yet. I love the look of the hammer coral and frogspawn, the way it waves back and forth in the water. Actually, I think that's what I'm going to go with. Just a small 2-3" polyp. What do you guys think? Is it a fast grower? I just want to go with a small one for now, and add some more later.

One more question... Out of the three listed above, which would be better to start with, considering my equipment?

OK, so I think I've decided which corals I am going to go with and I'm hoping some of you might know some information on them.

I'm looking at the Brain Corals, Candy Cane Corals, and Green Fluorescent Mushroom.

The mushroom looks really great, and the brain corals are just unique. The candy cane coral would probably be the one I would pick if it is an easy one to keep and propagate. Which one would you guys go with?

Mazza, have a look at cquarium.com

They got some nice corals there

I found a hammer stony coral that I would love to have. Only 75 dollars! We'll have to see if my wife approves. Haha! :lol: Honey, honey, we can do without food for AT LEAST two weeks! We can't pass up an opportunity like this! LoL! My coral hobby may have to wait. :)

Yeah some corals can be quite expensive. Although I have never ordered from them many people say their service and corals are great, and they have cheaper coral too. Here is the link:

http://seacrop.com

I would personally start out with a few of the easier corals such as Mushrooms, Zoos, Button polyps as that would get you started.

If your looking for torch coral go here. Its only 32 for a small one, Pretty Cheap :D
http://www.marinedepotlive.com/corals--lar...olyp-stony.html

Hey PerfectBlue, I have signed up for that site, since their stuff are cheap. I was wondering about the shipment. I was thinking about which is the shipment that they send directly to your home. Thanks. Plz tell me asap, since I'm going to be ordering something soon. Thanks.