Cauliflower Coral

[RHUN]

Hi everybody,

as you all can see, I'm the newest member in the forum. I've been into this hobby for only 3 weeks. Hope to learn more from you guys out there.

Can anybody tell me help me with my NON-ERECTED Cauliflower? Please.....

AT,

thanks for introducing me to the club! Remember me? We met in Chinatown...

[pospeh]

Go see a urologist.

I am sorry, but I just had to made an irrelevant comment.

[newdamsel]

If I'm not wrong, your tank would still be in the cycling stage right? Did you test for nitrites? That could be the main reason why its not erected

[CKS]

Few corals go by the same name 'Cauliflower' btw

im assuming yours is the pink/red softcoral (Dendronnepthea or Carnation Coral) normally sold here

they dont normally do well in captive .. need (MUST) feeding & doesnt depend much on light (or not at all) try providing them more current

More info on http://www.aquarium.net/1296/1296_4.shtml

[Achilles Tang]

Hi Rhun,

Yup, when I saw you at the Chinatown LFS, I saw what the lady recommended to you but didn't comment. I waited till you left the shop before telling you more.

Assuming the carnation coral is the dendro sp., you have bought the hardest coral to keep in the hobby and doomed to not survive for long in hobbyists' tanks! I know you must have bought it because it looked beautiful... unfortunately, it's complete feeding requirements are still understudy although the general consensus is that it will survive on feedings of live phytoplankton.

Even so, it will require frequent feedings of live phytoplankton such that either you have a green water tank or you have heavy skimming equipment that will allow more frequent feedings.

Since your tank is so newly setup, there is probably not enough microfauna in the water to sustain these corals... sorry to say... it will begin to collapse smaller and smaller till it disintegrates.

I recommend reading as much as you can before you go out and make more purchases... perhaps you may even need to revise your setup the correct way since you just started.

Can you tell us your setup?

Thanks and welcome to SRC!!

AT

[RHUN]

Gents,

thanks for the valuable infos. I'm going to Halus & reborn tommorrow, any comments on the shops? Or any recomendations on the type of corals to buy as a beginner?

BTW my tank setup is: 2 x 1 x 1.5 feet tank, filtration by external canister, double tube light.

[Fishfreak]

Hey Rhun,

You may not be ready for reefkeeping yet. Perhaps you may want to look up the reefkeeping links in the forums here ( and elsewhere too). Someone suggested your tank has not cycled (and it probably didn't).

The hardware you have is not appropriate for reefkeeping - especially the canister filter. It will be a very efficient nitate factory. "Double tube light" sounds like normal output fluorescent - OK for fish - useless with corals.

Why don't you read up more and examine your set up again before you spend anymore money on livestock? Lives are in your hands ....

[Morgan]

Have to agree, your lights is not good enough for corals. Please read and find out more before you buy.

[RHUN]

Hi Fishfreak,

thanks for ur advise. Can explain more on the things to be upgraded for my setup?

I've cycle the water for three days before I started putting some LS. That was three weeks ago. So far the fish seem ok, but as for the carnation coral, looks like its going to.........

The lights tube were bought from Havelock. Its recommended by the shop. One is blue and the other is white.

[CKS]

Hi Rhun, my display tank size is same as yours

im having 36w x 4 PL light .. that would allow us to keep lots of stuff (forget about SPS)

[TanGo]

Hi Fishfreak,

thanks for ur advise. Can explain more on the things to be upgraded for my setup?

I've cycle the water for three days before I started putting some LS. That was three weeks ago. So far the fish seem ok, but as for the carnation coral, looks like its going to.........

The lights tube were bought from Havelock. Its recommended by the shop. One is blue and the other is white.

Welcome RHUN,

Firstly.. What you mention is only tip of the iceberg... Sorry to tell you that.. There are plenty more to learn here.. Like me, I am still learning from the grand old masters of the forums...

I am also a 2ft marine tank owner.. Whom regretted that didn't start off with a larger setup.. A 2ft tank is harder to maintain than a 5 or 6 ft tank..

Ok.. About the lights.. Firstly.. Light sets, they are mainly divided into 3 different types.. FL, PL and MH. FL - Florescent, PL - Power compacts, and MH - Metal Halide.. all comes in different wattages.. FL normally 15W, PL from 20overW to 55W, MH is all the way to the extremes... got to check with the grandmasters.. For us small tanks, PL is normally sufficient.. depending on what type of corals you are keeping.. That is only part 1 of many more parts to come.. I think the rest will add more if they have the time to spare.. Ask and you will be enlightened..

And looks like your cycling process is not over yet.. there are ppl who cycle their tank for at least 45 days before they add any lifestock in.. And in Marine tank, you cannot rush into it.. Patience is the key word..