Hard Coral: How To Get Started With LPS & SPS
- May 22, 2021
- Anshika Mishra
- 360 0 0
Once you have mastered soft corals, and you are impatient to add hard corals into your reef, then in this article you will get to know everything you need to know before adding the hard corals to your tank.
If you will ask reefers, what they think about hard corals, you can hear responses like; 'forget that! those things don't even move' or, 'tried it once, didn't go too well. But at the same time, you will also find reefers who are addicted to these beautiful sea creatures.
So, this is how you can get started with hard corals:
Basic Requirement
For setting up a hard coral reef tank you will need the following in your tank:
- Better flow
- Better Lightning
- Better Water Chemistry
These all elements should be better than what is usually required in a soft coral reef setup. Once you have ensured these things in your reef tank are ready to home a hard coral, then it's time for the most exciting part; buying a coral.
Hard Corals
Hard corals are broken down into two categories:
- LPS
- SPS
The category of a hard coral is decided by the size of their polyp. Large Polyp Stony Corals (LPS) have a larger polyp that is easily visible. Small Polyp Stony Coral (SPS) are hard corals with a small polyp, sometimes these polyps are so small that you can hardly see them with your naked eyes.
As a general rule, LPS are hardier than SPS, so if you are just waiting into the waters for hard corals, start with the LPS and then add on LPS. If you are going all-in then get yourself both, LPS, and SPS corals.
Great Starter Hard Corals
Following are the great beginner hard corals if you are just starting with hard corals. On our channel, you can find various detailed lists of corals specifically considering budget, tank size, etc. So, check them out for finding the coral best suited for your setup.
Caulastrea AKA "Candy Canes"
Montipora Setosa
War Coral (Favites Pentagona)
Duncans (Duncanospasammia Axifuga)
Torch Coral (Euphyllia)
Hammer Coral (Euphyllia Ancora)
How To Get The Coral In The Tank
After you picked your favorite coral, and got it home, or got it delivered, it is time to put them in their new home. But, you can not put them directly from the package, you need to acclimate them. Acclimating introduces the coral to the water chemistry of your tank, this way they will not stress out in the first few days in the new home. Acclimating also ensures that all the parasites and diseases are washed away as you will medicate them in the duration if required.
Acclimation can be easily done by:
- Floating the package on your tank for 15-20 minutes
- Removing the coral and placing them in a small container with the water in the bag with the coral
- It is easy to drip acclimate your hard coral using any drip acclimate
- Next, inspect for pests. Red bugs and flatworms are the most commonly found pests on hard corals
- Once you have acclimated, dip your hard coral
- Once your hard corals are acclimated and dipped place them in your tank.
- LPS corals like medium non-damaging flow, near the top of your rock work, is the best place for your LPS corals.
Taking Care Of Your Hard Corals
Once you have got your hard corals in your tank, don't forget about water chemistry. You want to keep your nutrients low and as your hard corals grow they are going to use the mineral in the tank, especially alkalinity, magnesium, and calcium.
When the mineral content in the tank drop, you will need to do a 25% or more water change. Once your coral grows bigger, you will need to supplement them, but you don't need to worry about that just yet. For now, water change will get the job done.
Take good care of your hard coral, and we will be soon back with a new interesting reefing article for you.
Happy Reefing!
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