ADDING CORALS TO THE AQUARIUM – WHEN, HOW AND WHERE TO PLACE THEM?

The time has come: your aquarium is set up and you have already browsed through shops and found some corals that you like. But is your tank actually ready? Which corals should be placed where? How close together can they be? We will answer these and other questions in the following article.

When can I plant the first corals?

Very simple: immediately. Provided that the salt content and temperature in your aquarium are correct, you can start adding corals immediately. You may need to wait until the substrate has settled and the water is clear. But especially if you are using artificial live rock, there is no reason to wait any longer than necessary - because what will happen if no biology is introduced into the tank?

The catch: You should decide whether you want to add a complete stock (disadvantage: high investment costs) or limit yourself to very easy-care corals and gradually add more (disadvantage: limited coral selection). In any case, it is important to check the KH and nutrient values ​​regularly in this first phase and adjust them if necessary (avoid limitations). You can find more on the subject of starting a tank in a separate blog post.

How do I attach corals to the reef structure?

You can easily attach corals to your reef structure using glue. There are different types of glue on the market, e.g. gel superglue (recommended for cuttings) or 2-component glue and reef mortar (recommended for large coral sticks). Many corals come on so-called cutting stones. The cutting stones are practical for coral breeding and shipping, but can sometimes be quite annoying (and not nice to look at) in the reef aquarium. To avoid this, you can remove the pin of the cutting stones with pliers or side cutters and only stick them on with the flat stone. Over time, the coral will overgrow everything and integrate perfectly into the reef.

Where do I place the corals?

In addition to the species-specific requirements of each individual coral, other aspects are also crucial when positioning it in the aquarium. Here are our tips for you:

#1 Corals for the high light zone

The central, upper area of ​​your reef structure should be reserved for the sun worshippers among the corals. Acropora , Stylophora & Co are typical candidates for this zone. When choosing the location, take into account that even after these corals have grown strongly, sufficient light can still reach the zones below.

Stylophora pistillata is one of the corals that can be placed higher up in the reef.

#2 Corals for the low light zone

On the other hand, there are corals that are predestined for the bottom area. Among them are well-known representatives such as the disc anemone, Chalice or Cyphastrea . Remember that these corals also need light - so they should not be condemned to completely shaded areas.

#3 Corals and currents – who actually likes it turbulent?

Although no coral particularly likes being placed directly in front of the current pump, there are certainly species that prefer a strong water current in their environment. Typically, these are mainly corals that are found in nature on the reef roof. Acropora , Stylophora , Montipora , but also soft corals and gorgonians are among them. On the other hand, the disc anemones and some LPS corals such as Blastomussa , Plerogyra , Fungia and Caulastrea are downright current-shy.

Soft corals such as Sarcophyton feel particularly comfortable in well-circulated locations.

#4 Coral islands – perfect places for potentially invasive corals

There are corals that can reproduce relatively quickly. We recommend that you place such corals on "coral islands" - for example, a separate rock that is a little way away from the main reef structure. This will prevent uncontrolled spread. Potentially invasive corals include Xenia , Briareum and various encrusting anemones.

#5 Beware of fighting tentacles – these corals need space

You've probably heard the term "fighting tentacles" in connection with corals. These special polyps are important for holding their own against neighboring corals in the reef and in the limited resource of space. Corals use them to snare their opponents to create space for themselves to grow. But you don't necessarily want this kind of fight in your aquarium. After all, peace and harmony should reign there.

The corals that need a large safety distance include Galaxea , Echinopora , Euphyllia , Platygyra and Goniopora . Ideally, you should place these corals so that the current allows the tentacles to extend into the open water. There are also corals that do not develop long tentacles but have an incredibly strong stinging force, such as Hydnophora and Acanthastrea echinata . They should be placed so that no other coral can fall into them (e.g. because it accidentally comes off the glue).

#6 Flat growing corals – perfect for the back wall or vertical areas in the reef structure

Some corals adapt their growth form to the prevailing environmental conditions (light and current). But there are also corals that only grow flat. These corals are particularly suitable for the back wall or bare-bottom tanks (= aquariums without substrate). Typically flat-growing corals can be found in large numbers among the Cyphastrea , Favia , Leptastrea and Montipora .

#7 Corals for sandy soils

Sand, detritus and stirred up sediment can be a stress factor for many corals. Be especially careful with corals that form cups ( Turbinaria , Echinopora , some Montipora ) that no sediment can collect in them, as this will lead to the death of the underlying tissue in the long term.

The "fleshy" LPS corals such as Scolymia , Trachyphyllia , Duncansopsammia and Caulastrea do particularly well with a sandy substrate. Goniopora even like it when a little detritus is stirred up every now and then so that they can catch something nutritious from it.

#8 Coral gardens – close together

If you have the opportunity, be sure to plan a coral garden in your reef. Here, corals can grow close together without suffocating each other. However, this only works with closely related species. For example, you can grow Euphyllia paraancora , E. paradivisa and E. ancora very close together. Different color morphs of Micromussa lordhowensis also look great next to each other and do not suffocate each other. The same applies to Zoanthus and various soft corals.

Micromussa lordhowensis close together. Different color morphs of the same or closely related species can sometimes be placed directly next to each other without suffocating each other.

#9 Aesthetics – consider the color mix

A not entirely unimportant point is the effect of the coral placement on you personally. For a harmonious overall picture, position the corals so that the color mix is ​​as colorful as possible and you don't just collect green corals in one corner, for example. It looks very natural if corals of the same type and color appear several times in the reef. Also take the growth form into account; plate-shaped corals look particularly good in the side area, where they can form large, beautifully curved plates without shading other corals underneath. But remember to always leave enough space to the pane - otherwise cleaning will become difficult at some point.

#10 Last but not least: Corals that need a lot of attention

Yes, they do exist. Corals that require particular care. One of them is the beautiful Tubastrea , which opens its polyps mainly at night and should be fed regularly. Place such corals in locations on the reef that you (or your feeding pipette) can still easily reach.

These were our most important tips for coral placement in a saltwater aquarium. In our shop you will find information on the flow and lighting preferences of each animal. If you have any further questions, you can contact us at any time. Otherwise, we hope you enjoy designing your coral reef!