New to corals

I have two 39w T5 lights and they are enough for every LPS and soft coral I have ever tried to put in my tank.

Stability, low nitrates, and correct temp/salinity are the things you should be focused on. IMO.

 

Some people insist that dead rock leaches phosphates and nitrates. I never cook my dead rock but I figured I would throw it out there.

 

My tank is stable, I do water changes every week and stay on top of maintenance. How do you know where to place the corals?

If they leak phosphates I don't think I want another algae bloom. How would I prevent that

 

Most corals have lighting requirements. Google is your friend. It is best to try to match these requirements. High light corals should go up high, etc. but other than that don't allow them to touch each other and put them where you like them.

As far as the algae bloom, have lots of water flow and keep nitrates and phosphate low. I like the idea of a cheato fuge for nitrates. You keep phosphates low by using a pure water source and doing water changes.

 

Do you think this would be a good coral to start with?

Saltwater Aquarium Corals for Marine Aquariums: Elegance Coral LPS Hard Coral

 

Elegance corals have HUGE tentacles. They especially get big at night(as i recall). It also has one of the most powerful stings. I would not put it near other corals. It will surely kill them if it touches them.

 

What if it was my first coral? Not near anything else? Also would a clown try to host in it?

 

You gotta learn somehow, I don't see a problem with the elegance. I am not sure about the clowns hosting. Keep in mind, it is not an anemone. So even if they 'host', the offspring probably won't survive. To my limited knowledge, most meat eating corals will eat clown eggs. As will hermit crabs, and pretty much any meat eating fish. The only sure way I know to breed them is in a tank with no inverts or other fish. Hypothetically, they could host an anemone and be in a tank with other fish and inverts. But that is a big IF.

* I used to have a pair of clowns who liked a particular leather coral.
When I upgraded the tank they decided they didn't like it anymore and stayed in a cave and only came out for feeding.

My current clowns like the top righthand corner of my tank. There is no rhyme or reason when it comes to clownfish. Maybe that is why they are called clowns...???

 

I was just curious because I hear people say a clown hosted thee coral and tore it up real bad .

My tank is fairly new do I need to spot feed it or dose with filter food? Or is it photosynthetic

 

Clowns have been known to accidentally kill corals, rarely. I think it has something to do with the hosting interrupting the coral feeding. I wouldn't worry about it unless your coral refuses to open up.

Many people, myself included, never dose zooplankton/filter food. it adds to the nitrates and the results are... debateable. If you insist on dosing, do it with target feeding and with moderation. Use way less than the label says. They are just trying to sell more product.

Focus on salinity, magnesium, calcium, and alkalinity. If you keep those in check, you will have incredible growth.

Don't buy any "snake oil" or put ANYTHING in your tank that you cannot test for.

*Trace element additives are garbage, too. Any halfway decent salt mix will provide your trace elements with water changes.