Beginner Coral Suggestions Needed

I have had my 125gal FO saltwater tank up for 2 yrs now and would like to start getting into the basic corals. Nothing exotic or hard to care for. I have 2 12k bright white bulbs, and 2 blue atinics (all compact florestcent). What are some good beginer corals/anemonies that you'd suggest with this lighting setup? I only have 1 Foxface, 1 clown, and 1 small wrasse at this point but would like to maybe get some Angels/Butterflys in the future so something they won't eat would be a perk.

 

no anemones there hard to care for but mushroom corals and lots of leather,zoanthid,palythoa,polyps,and some LPS! HTH! ;D

 

First of all no anemones are classified as beginner corals so those are out for now. I suggest xenia, GSP, Kenya tree, all types of leather coral (Toadstool, finger leather), mushrooms, and zoas
Then a bit harder to keep, but they can be kept by a beginner: Frogspawn, torch, hammer
Hope I could help!
Good luck with the coral!
JJL

 

brain corals are also good plus candy cane corals!

 

If you do get an angel I would suggest a swallowtail angel, they are reef safe, as far as butterflys Im sure there might be a few that are reef safe but for the most part, most butterflys and angels will nip at coral. I had a dwarf angel that left my mushrooms alone but picked at my zoas pretty bad. so I would suggest mushrooms to start with

 

Before adding anything, check your calcium & mag levels, as well as nitrates and salinity(make sure its not all over the place).

 

For anyone else reading this thread and new to keeping corals (such as myself).........could you give examples of ideal levels? Thanks

 

This is a good link to book mark for most water chemistry and value questions.


Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

+1. Don't forget to use that Google custom search located to the right of the Home, Forums, New Posts, Photos.. etc. bar. I typed in "Magnesium levels" and numerous threads and posts about them came up. It can be your best friend. Try it with all your questions because chances are, your not the first to ask this question, nor will you be the last ;D.

 

ideal levels - there is a range or tolerance that its best to stay within

Magnesium - 1380 - 1450
Calcium - 380 - 450
DKH - 7 -11
Nitrate - for soft corals , 10ppm or lower- but most of the corals on beginners list would be fine with 10 IME
Phosphate - 0 on any hobby grade test kits is best -(but assume you have it and run GFO anyway) GFO is granular ferric oxide (rusty steel LOL) and it absorbs phosphates

Use a good quality liquid based test kit to check these levels
Salifert test kits are considered reasonably accurate and for all the parameters above
I would choose Salifert for testing

Steve