Take the plunge?

Ok, the tank is two months old. I have some coralline spotting here and there, things have been pretty happy since pulling the anemone (and the untimely feather duster demise). I added the flame angel yesterday so I'll be waiting a few weeks/month BUT a few question/comments I'd like to look into before buying:

1) Easy "beginner" coral? Leather, Brain, etc.
2) 130W PC lights in a 18" deep tank, 750GPH flow
3) Hermit crab has killed twice before- we do have a three strikes law here!
4) Flame angel is a big unknown
5) Don't want to break the bank since I'm a newbie and didn't do so well with the sebae anemone.

 

Candy coral, Zoanthoids (always a nice splash of color), and Leathers are cool. Pulsing Xenia is cool, but can spread and overtake an area. So many choices, so little money is my problem.

W

 

most shrooms, pulsing xenia, star polyps, stuff like that grows fine in a small tank and is pretty forgiving

 

personaly If I were you I would try and stay away from brains for a few more months as they can be a bit sensitive

gsp and xenia can both end up beeing more of a weed than a desirable coral in due time but for a beginer they add some nice color usualy and are near impossible to kill

 

Don't overlook some frogspawn.

Very hardy, "friendly" and light forgiving!!!











(frogspawn under 24w of light in 12 gal NanoCube)

 

cool pics of the frogspawn

most of the euphilia corals would be good for you also this includes the frogspawn and hammer corals

 

I was thinking about frogspawn, i love the look of them. It was a small selection at the shop tonight

 

I would steer clear of hammer's. They are not as nearly so hardy, or "friendly."