A newbies first corals

[ivtec247]

So this weekend I want to go coral shopping. Not necessarily to buy, but just to do surveillance to accompany my research.

I have a tank thats been up for 6 weeks now. Inhabited by a pair of clowns. Parameters are good, and Alk/Ca are good.

I'm one of those people who I think will spend much more $ on corals and inverts than actual fish, because I really think they are the most beautiful things in the good tanks I've seen.

So the question.. where should I start?

Which corals are best for me to start off with?
If I have time to care for them, can I get a couple at a time?
Any experience/opinions on buying online as opposed to LFS?

Should I work on corals before working on getting a bubbletip anenome to host my clowns? (This is also something I really want).

Regarding the corals, I really like things like the ricordea, xenia, mushrooms, brain, green star polyp, and colony polyp.

Is the beginner pack they have at liveaquaria (http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=22&pCatId=714) any good? Or overpriced for what it is?

Quick details on my tank: 46g, plenty of flow (2 mj-1200s), 2x96W PC lighting, 60lbs LR

Thanks in advance!

The more advice, the better of course.. If I get a lot of seasoned experience responses, I'll be more than happy to contribute to get that RC premium membership.

[thrlride]

When I started my tank my first coral purchase was polyps and shrooms. You have plenty of light for them so that shouldn't be a problem. They are easy to care for and they grow fast.
The BTA will roam around your tank until it is happy and it could kill any softies that gets in its way. I'm not sure about the light requirements of BTA's but you might be on the low side.

Good luck with your purchase and research!

[Highntight247]

Originally posted by thrlride
When I started my tank my first coral purchase was polyps and shrooms.


Same here, as well as a Xenia frag.

[commandertekki]

my first coral was an acropore. but I didnt place it in until I got my MH light system set up. then I got a frogspawn. All my corals so far have come from DFWMAS members.

[psiico]

I'm no expert on anenomes but from all I've read don't get one yet. They prefer a mature tank. I'd wait at least 8 months, preferably a year if it was me. I'm going to get one eventually, but in a species tank, just an anenome and clowns.