Welcome to my Dream.

I have a dream that if every person that kept a reef aquarium propagated their corals, we could have an almost self sufficient industry.

In my dream you would buy a coral from an aquarium store, which someone else has propagated and propagate it yourself and sell multiples of that same piece back to that same store so they can sell it on to other people.

The stores that heavily participate in this program could then wholesale these corals to other stores. The amazing thing is that this dream is so simple and possible yet even now it is just a dream.

Some corals are very easy to propagate while others are harder. In my dream, every coral you bought would be bought with a view to propagate it.

If you can learn to keep coral, then you can learn to grow it, if you can grow it then you can learn to propagate it, if you can propagate it then do it. Every person that propagates their coral is a credit to this wonderful industry.

The easiest corals to propagate are mushrooms, leathers and fluffies. To propagate these corals it is as simple as cutting a piece off them and securing the pieces to a new piece of rock. The cutting is most commonly secured to a small piece of live rock using fishing line.

When propagating leather coral I have found it more effective to ensure that the cut surface is pointed to the direction of the water flow instead of trying to secure the cut surface to the rock. There seems to be less chance of developing an infection and the healthy uncut surface will be able to attach to the rock faster then the damaged side which will heal faster if allowed adequate water flow. This also applies for acropora, even a stag will attach faster is the health side is the point of contact.

When ever you are cutting a piece of coral ensure that there is ample room around the cut so it is not stung by surrounding specimens as the coral will be week at this time. Also be wary of fish such as Angels that may pick on the damaged coral.

Don’t be a wimp! Many people love the idea of propagating their coral but are to scared to cut them because they think they will hurt it. Corals don’t feel pain as we do so be brave and remember that what you are doing it for the better of the species.

Remember that you can’t win them all, but you will find that as you get better at it and with practise it will be rare for you to fail in your propagating attempts.

Big warning, never cut a mushroom, fluffy or anemone out of the water. It is better for you to cut them submerged in a shallow bowl of water from your tank. We learnt this the hard way as one day my brother was cutting a mushroom coral out of the water when it sprayed him in the eye with poisonous neurotoxins. The pain was excruciating and we spend the whole night going from doctors, to hospitals to eye specialists.

To propagate stony corals is it just a matter or cutting them with a hacksaw or better yet on a ban saw. Once again allow room around the cut to it doesn’t have to also deal with competing with it neighbours. After the stony coral has been cut you can towel dry the bottom of it and superglue it to a larger rock to safely secure it. Allow the glue to set before returning it to the water.

Don’t be scared to handle the coral roughly because they are actually very tough, after all they are built to ensure tonnes of water being dumped on top of them in the form of a wave. Most corals can safely be removed from the water for a period of time too, for example low tide on a natural coral reef.

I do suggest having at least 14 times per hour water flow in any tank that you wish to propagate coral in and pay attention to iodine levels. Maintaining an iodine level of 0.06pp when propagating will decrease the instances of bacterial infection among the new corals.

Before you handle any coral it is important for you to know what it is in order to avoid handling a poisonous coral that my sting your hands such as fire coral Millepora. It is recommended to use gloves when handling live rock and coral. Corals are closely related to jellyfish and as with jellyfish, some are more poisonous then others.

If you ever are stung by a coral or fish the best thing to do is place it under hot running water, which will break down the neurotoxins.

Anemones can also be propagated like a mushroom, but I rarely recommend it. An anemone is a beautiful display when coupled with clown fish, but not always successful long term. I would suggest trying an anemone in the aim of seeing how long you can maintain it first, if you find you are one of the few that can keep them long term, give propagating it a go of sure. If you do propagate it long term then I believe it is your responsibility to share your experience with as many people as you can. There must be something that you are doing that other people aren’t. This is a subject I will really be experimenting on in the coming years. It is common for anemones to split by them self in peoples tank.

Currently coral propagation is the most realistic approach over breeding corals. Corals can be bred in captivity as moon light cycles and temperatures can be used as a trigger. The problem with breeding coral is that they mass spawn which will choke many systems. If you were to breed the coral it would be quite a long period of time until you have specimens ready to sell. When they are propagated they will often be ready in as little as 3 months.

It is not the intention of this article to teach you comprehensive techniques on how to propagate coral but rather to tell you that it is something that you should be considering doing, yes I do mean you! The internet is full of information and techniques which will set you on your way to being an enviro-hobbyist coral farmer. Read several articles and obtain a few ideas before you try your first. Remember that each person will tell you what works for them, this doesn’t mean that there is a definitive right or wrong way to do it.

Please do not let possible failures stop you from succeeding in this. The only way you will fail is to not try. Even if the first few go wrong I encourage you to keep trying until you are doing it so confidently that you will wonder why everyone doesn’t do it. I will tell you now that there is people that propagate coral and there is people that are scared to try. The service that you are doing for your hobby is too big to not do it.

Another simple way that you can help is to ask every time you are in an aquarium store if they stock any propagated coral. If they do I encourage you to consider buying it over any wild caught options. That fact that you are asking will reinforce to the retailer that propagated coral is something that people want. Imagine if every person asked at every shop they went into, retailers want be doing anything to be able to supply such a requested product.

I have been educating people with a passion for many years on the benefits and realities of this dream. I would love to see more people just like you enrol in this dream. Not matter weather you have a tank or not it is never to late to start. You can make a difference! Please share this idea with as many people as you can until one day this dream is realised.

I have also released a Dvd on Marine or Saltwater Aquariums which has a large section on Corals available at http://www.exclusivefishfilms.com which I find has helped thousands of hobbyists and enthusiasts worldwide! Go check it out!!

Good luck and enjoy

Paul Talbot

Poker Stars

Many aquarium owners crave to someday own a saltwater tank displaying numerous kinds of coral. This may be achieved is fast easy steps if you use coral starter kits to grow your own coral. This is recommended over buying coral from a store. By growing your own, you ensure it is properly acclimated to your tank. Setting up and caring for the coral aquarium, or reef aquarium is a task that requires a bit of knowledge before starting. There are some steps to take when setting up a new coral aquarium. The process may seem to take a long time, and because of this, many people opt to use fake coral instead. However, the time spent waiting will be well worth it when you are later able to display your own coral aquarium. If you follow some simple steps and have patience for about 12 weeks, you will be able to create and own your piece of underwater paradise.

To begin, the first thing to do is assemble your aquarium. Find a spot in the home that you wish to have it displayed. Follow through with the set up as you would a freshwater tank. When you are ready to add the water to the tank, follow these simple steps. First, pour the sand into the bottom of the tank. Add dechlorinated water to the tank. Next, add the salt and make sure it is mixed until the specific gravity measures 1.205. After the water and salt are added, arrange your live rock as desired and install the heater and the hood of the tank. After doing these things, you must then wait 4 weeks to move ahead.

After the four weeks has passed, you will then add your first living creatures to the tank. It is best to add fish later, and slowly as to make sure the salt balance in the tank is correct and remains that way. At this time, you can add a variety of snails or crabs if you wish to have them part of your tank. You will also need to install a protein skimmer. The tank should be functioning as if it were full of fish. Make sure the filters are working properly and the lighting is right. Remember not to leave the light on for more than 10 to 12 hours a day as it may promote algae growth. After adding some snails or crabs, wait another 2 weeks before proceeding.

Now at week 6, you will add your first pieces of coral. There are many types of coral used in saltwater coral aquariums. Some of the most common are Button Polyp, Yellow Polyp, Hairy Mushroom Coral and Bullseye Mushroom Coral. Make sure when adding your coral, it is attached to the live rock at the bottom of the tank. Wait another 2 weeks. Don’t get frustrated… you’re almost there! During the eighth week, you can add Aquacultured Coral such as Pumping Xenia, Starburst Polyps and Spaghetti Finger Leather Coral to name a few. Place these corals into the live rock as you did with the previous set of coral.

Now you have succeeded in creating your reef aquarium. During the course of the 10 to 12 week mark, you may begin adding your fish to your underwater world. It may seem a long drawn out process to get a coral aquarium up and running, but the time and hard work will pay off for years to come. Creating and caring for your coral aquarium will bring you much enjoyment and a wonderful sense of accomplishment for creating a spectacular coral aquarium.

poker vt

Aquarium owners once accustomed will hope to one day have many different kind of coral in their own saltwater tank – this is an absolute dream! Starter kits can be purchased where you can take easy steps into growing your own piece of coral. This is a much better way to start and is highly recommended against buying coral from a shop. Growing your own coral ensures that it is acclimatised to your tank. Before starting to set up and care for a coral aquarium, knowledge in this area is required as it is not an easy process. It takes time which is worthwhile in being able to showcase your own grown coral aquarium to its best. For some people, buying fake coral is the easier option, when all it takes is patience of about up to 12 weeks, to create your own piece of paradise underwater. A wonderful sense of achievement and a worthwhile project.

Firstly, you need to start off by assembling your aquarium. Find an ideal area of your home to display the aquarium. Read the instructions carefully on how to set it up as in a freshwater tank. Before you add the water, there are a few simple rules to follow. The bottom of the tank is where you pour the sand first, then followed by the addition of dechlorinated water. Salt needs to be mixed in next, until it reaches a specific gravity measuring 1.205. Decide where you want to arrange your live rock after the water and salt, then install the heater and finally, the hood of the tank. You should then wait approximately 4 weeks for the tank to settle before going ahead with the next move.

Once the 4 weeks is over, it is time to add the first living creatures to your tank. This will ensure that the water is tested for the correct salt balance and stays that way, before you add your fish. During this period, snails and crabs if you have chosen them, can be added. The tank should now be functioning as though you have already filled it with fish, so install a protein skimmer. Check to see that you have the correct lighting and that the filters are doing their job. The light should not be left on for any longer than 10 or 12 hours a day, as this can promote the growth of algae. Once snails or crabs have been added, you should wait 2 more weeks.

You have now reached Week 6, which is when you can proceed with the next stage of adding your first pieces of coral. For saltwater aquariums you will find different types of coral including the common ones like Bullseye Mushroom coral, Button Polyp, Hairy Mushroom Coral and the Yellow Polyp. The coral should be attached to live rock at the bottom of the tank when you add it. You can wait another 2 weeks – all the patience is worth it. It is now the 10th week when you can add Aquacultured Coral with types named Pumping Xenia, Spaghetti Finger Leather Coral and Starburst Polyps as part of your collection of many. Again these should be placed on live rock as with the first set of coral.

Your reef aquarium has now been successfully set up and by the 10 to 12 week period, you will be ready to begin adding your choice of fish to your created underwater world. The process of setting up your coral aquarium is a long and drawn out, but one well worth if for the long years ahead. Your own spectacularly created coral aquarium will give you years of enjoyment as you care for it and your living creatures. The aquarium will be something to be admired and very relaxing in your home. Watch how your family and friends are impressed by your creation!

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