Introduce Yourself - Newbie need coral recommendations

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Newbie need coral recommendations

Printed From: Utah Reefs
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Forum Name: Introduce Yourself
Forum Description: Introduce Yourself the the club.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=84618
Printed Date: August 06 2025 at 4:16pm
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Topic: Newbie need coral recommendations

Posted By: mk4wheeler
Subject: Newbie need coral recommendations
Date Posted: August 11 2018 at 11:55am

Hey guys, can't remember if I've introduced myself yet or not because the last time I was on here was months ago. I just bought my first saltwater tank yesterday off KSL. Its a 16 gallon Biocube and the guy I bought it from had it running with fish in it, so he claims that it is cycled.

I currently have 0 livestock, but am really excited to get some. What coral would you recommend for a complete saltwater beginner like myself?

I'm currently thinking zenia will be the easiest, but I also heard it spreads like wildfire. I do want some zoas eventually too.

Replies:

Posted By: WildBill
Date Posted: August 11 2018 at 1:21pm

I would suggest some candy cane and Favias to start.

Posted By: knowen87
Date Posted: August 13 2018 at 8:21am

I think zoas are a great starter coral. They have been relatively forgiving to me and are some of the most colorful corals you can get. I would also recommend to go light on how many fish you put into a 16 gal tank. Maybe just a clownfish and a goby or something. You'll only create headaches if you overstock a small tank.

Posted By: sleepingdeep
Date Posted: August 13 2018 at 9:08am

While there are lots of good beginner corals, id suggest you do some research on what you like first. A lot of people will recommend Green Star Polyps or Xenia as a great beginner coral. And it is. its bullet proof. But its also invasive and will take over. Like another user suggested, i'd start off with some candy canes (they come in lots of colors), maybe a toadstool, or some zoanthids or palys. Make sure when you get zoanthids or palys that you get the varieties that aren't invasive. Generally the ones to stay away from are the nuclear green palys, common brown button polyps, yellow palys. They grow fast, and you'll be tired of them when you get more colorful corals.

Once you want to get into more intermediate corals i'd suggest favias/favites, some euphyllia like frogspawns, and hammers, and maybe even some beginner SPS like monti caps, and birdsnests.

Good luck!