[wperrette]

I currently have a 150g tank that has been up and running for about a year. I have about 150 pounds of LR, a sump w skimmer, refugium, 384watts of VHO lighting and a few power heads. This is my dilemma:

Based on my current HW (I do not want to do any major upgrades), I would like some opinions on whether or not I should get rid of the Koran and migrate to a mixed tank (fish/reef). It is the only non-reef safe fish I have and I would like to get some polyps, mushrooms, etc...

I have tried mushrooms because I read that the Koran would not eat them, the rock was nearly bare after 1 day.

If my HW is insufficient I won't do it. (My wife wants to kill me for wanting to get rid of the Koran making the decision that much more difficult.)

Thanks,
Bill

[Ninong]

Your present equipment is adequate for a lot of corals. Your lighting is a bit weak for SPS and T. crocea and T. maxima clams but it is adequate for most octocorals and most LPS.

Ninong

[Northman_with_reef]

when it comes too the lightning I'd stick with LPS and softies.

If you have very good growth off corals cinsider keeping the angel,
if not ditch it.
Corals can be much more exp. than an angel.........

If you ditch the angel, then get "dazzling" reef-safe fish........
that'll help your situation.......

Your hw would doo great for a reef tank, I know ppl who grows sps under HO lights....

[wperrette]

Thanks for the input; I was concerned that my wanting to go to a more reef like tank (wife calls it getting board) would not be worthwhile with my lighting.

Can you give me an idea of the types of specimens I could keep and where they should be placed considering my lighting? My tank basically has 2 piles of rock on each side. The left side comes about 8 inches from the surface, the right side comes about 14 inches from the surface.

Thanks,
Bill

[Northman_with_reef]

Light loving corals like acro's should be placed High in the tank, Leathers and the like don't need too much light......

In other words: You'll need a "tall" reef construction for the
light-loving corals.

I'ts Possible too keep up too 98% off all corals under VHO lightning, What depends is Where you place the corals.

Every time you buy a coral you shuold observe how powerful the lightning is in it's tank, and place it after the lightning requirements it has.
(Light-loving=High

Normal=Middle

Low light corals=bottom)

Thats how i place my corals......and it works great!!

[wperrette]

That sounds simple, but….

I am sub-new to keeping corals (I have no experience). If it were your tank with the HW I described, what corals would you put in the tank and where? Can you give me family names or common names? I want to make every effort to not kill specimens do to my inexperience.

I never even considered hard corals with my lighting…

[Northman_with_reef]

Top=Acro's, SPS, LPS, Xenia, Zoanthids, Sinularia....alot more...

Middle=Sarcopython, bubbles, .....other softies!.....

Bottom=mushroms, elephant ears, alconium, Colts.....

What kind off lightning do you have?????

You shold use 2/3 full spectrum and1/3 Actinic blue.

[Reinhold]

If you decide that the Koran has to go, see the great recipes in this thread: www.reefland.com/cgi-bin/forum/showthread.php

[wperrette]

I have a couple of cats that I don’t like, maybe I will throw the Koran to them and with any luck they will choke on the bones...2 birds with 1 stone...

I probably should just eat it, if I bring it to the LFS some guy with a terrible setup will buy it and have a dead Koran in a week anyway!


Northman, Thanks for the help…that info will help me a lot.

Thanks,
Bill