When going to set up your first reef tank, you are going to want to select corals that will grow easily and can be simply taken care of. Once you become more knowledgeable about your reef tank and the dynamics of keeping it, you can move on to introducing some more exotic and complicated coral into the mix. Here are a few of the easiest corals to introduce to any reef tank.
First we have yellow polyp corals. These corals are both beautiful to look at and easy to maintain. As an added bonus they are relatively inexpensive as well. One of the greatest benefits that this coral has for beginners is that you don’t have to be super vigilant when it comes to light. These corals don’t need really bright light, a medium light will do just fine.
Another simple coral to raise is red mushroom coral. These corals are very pretty, kind of resembling a kind of rounded fern in a beautiful red or dark pink/purple color. These corals aren’t always solid colored; they can be spotted or striped as well. While these corals do add a lot of interest to your reef tank, they are also semi-aggressive, so you’ll want to make sure before purchasing this species that it’ll be compatible to other species you have in your tank. These corals require a medium light, nothing too harsh or hot.
Finally, we have the star polyps coral. These are possibly my favorite because they look like little daisies (and daisies are my favorite flower!). Also known as daisy coral, these guys can be white, green, or even brown. Beware though, these guys are fast growing, so you’re going to have to clear some out of your tank every now and then. Luckily, these corals are fairly easy to make cuttings of, so you can simply cull some out and pass them on to friends. Star polyps need a medium to high light setting.
Does this interest you? If you are looking to set up a reef tank there is plenty of information out there on the Internet about where to begin and which corals could work the best for you!