Beginner's Guide to Choosing a Coral Tank — Size, Equipment & First Coral Selection | ブリちょく
Coral| ✍️ BreederDirect Editorial
Beginner's Guide to Choosing a Coral Tank — Size, Equipment & First Coral Selection
How to start keeping corals: choosing the right tank size, essential equipment (lighting, protein skimmer, flow pumps), and selecting easy-to-keep soft corals and LPS for beginners.
Key Takeaways
How to start keeping corals: choosing the right tank size, essential equipment (lighting, protein skimmer, flow pumps), and selecting easy-to-keep soft corals and LPS for beginners.
Related Species
Choosing a Coral Tank for Beginners | Tank Size, Equipment, and How to Select Your First Corals
Coral keeping has a reputation for being "difficult," but in recent years, advances in equipment and the abundance of information have made it possible for beginners to enjoy beautiful reef tanks. However, the right tank size and equipment selection are critical to success. This article explains how to choose a tank, configure equipment, and select your first corals when starting coral keeping—all in beginner-friendly terms.
What You Should Know Before Starting Coral Keeping
Coral keeping requires even higher water quality management than saltwater fish keeping.
Main differences from fish-only keeping:
Item
Fish Only
With Corals
Lighting
Standard LED sufficient
Specialty LED required (PAR management)
Water quality parameters
Ammonia, nitrite, pH
+ Ca/Mg/KH/phosphate, etc.
Nitrate
20-30 mg/L acceptable
10 mg/L or less (LPS) to 1 or less (SPS)
Water change frequency
Weekly 10-20%
✍️
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Weekly to biweekly 10-20% (or supplement with additives)
Initial cost
~50,000-150,000 yen
~100,000-400,000 yen
While corals are more delicate than saltwater fish, their beauty as "living art" is incomparable.
Cons:
- Water parameters change rapidly (small water volume causes instability)
- Limited coral and fish species
- Difficult temperature control (summer temperature spikes occur quickly)
Best for: Desktop displays or small spaces with a few corals. Nano reef tank kits are also available.
Medium tanks (60cm / 60-80L) — Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Water parameters stabilize more easily
- Multiple coral and small fish species can coexist
- Best cost-to-benefit ratio (equipment and maintenance)
Cons:
- Higher initial cost than small tanks
- Weight (over 100kg including stand) requires consideration
Most recommended size: For beginners starting coral keeping, a 60cm tank is ideal. It offers the best balance of water stability and cost-effectiveness.
Large tanks (90cm and above)
For coral collectors and those wanting to tackle SPS (small-polyp stony corals). Water stability is excellent, but initial and ongoing costs increase significantly.
Equipment Checklist and Selection Guide
Lighting (Most Important)
Lighting is the most critical equipment in coral keeping. Corals obtain energy through photosynthesis by zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae) living in their tissues.
How to choose lighting:
Coral Type
Required Light (PAR)
Recommended Lighting
Soft corals
50-150 μmol
Standard saltwater LED (Radion, etc.)
LPS (Large-polyp stony)
100-250 μmol
Mid to high-performance LED
SPS (Small-polyp stony)
200-500 μmol
High-end LED (Radion, Hydra)
Beginner-friendly lighting recommendations:
- AI Hydra 26 HD: Budget-friendly high-end LED with app-controlled dimming
- Radion XR15: Reliable, established standard
- KR93W (Kessil): Compact with high intensity
Lighting duration: 10-12 hours is standard. Use a timer for automation.
Protein Skimmer
Essential equipment for coral tanks. Removes organic matter to prevent nitrate accumulation.
Choose by tank size:
Tank Volume
Skimmer Recommendation
60L or less
Hang-on or small in-sump skimmer
60-150L
Mid-size in-sump (Nyos Quantum 120, etc.)
150L or more
Large in-sump
Recommended brands (beginners): Choose reliable brands like Reef Octopus, Skimz, or Nyos.
Live Rock
The foundation of biological filtration. Quality live rock harbors diverse microorganisms that contribute to water stability.
Amount guideline: 10-20% of tank volume
How to choose:
- See and select in person at a local shop rather than online
- Live rock with algae, seaweed, and small organisms on the surface is ideal
- Cured/dead live rock has lower biological filtration capacity
Water Flow Pumps (Powerheads)
Necessary for water circulation to corals and to stir up detritus (waste).
Flow guideline: 10-20x tank volume per hour (for 60L, 600-1200 L/h)
Recommended: Tunze, Jebao RW, MaxSpect, etc. A random mode that alternates direction is ideal.
Sump
A sub-tank placed beneath the main tank. Provides space for skimmer placement and additional filter media.
Tanks 60cm and larger: A sump stabilizes protein skimmer placement
Small tanks: Can operate with hang-on equipment only
Heater and Cooler
Heater: Auto heater 200W or higher (size to water volume)
Cooler: Summer heat protection. Temperature above 26°C can cause coral bleaching
Which Corals Should Beginners Keep First?
Start with Soft Corals
Soft corals are ideal for beginner coral keepers due to lower light and water quality requirements.
Recommended soft corals:
Type
Characteristics
Difficulty
Disk Coral (Mushroom Coral)
Hardy, low light OK, affordable
★☆☆☆☆
Star Polyps
Carpet-like growth, hardy, fast-growing
★★☆☆☆
Mushroom Corals
Colorful variety, hardy
★☆☆☆☆
Tulip Coral
Unique shape, requires slightly more care
★★☆☆☆
Tree Corals (Leather Corals)
Impressive appearance, hardy
★☆☆☆☆
Soft coral advantages:
- Survive with low light and low nutrients
- Affordable
- Easy to propagate and multiply
Progressing to LPS (Large-Polyp Stony Corals)
Once comfortable with soft corals, try LPS.
Beginner-friendly LPS:
Type
Characteristics
Caution
Hammer Coral (Euphyllia)
Popular, hardy, colorful varieties
Sweeper tentacles sting other corals
Bubble Coral (Brain Coral)
Bubble-like polyps
Sensitive to excessive flow
Frogspawn Coral
Fan-shaped, beautiful form
Water flow more important than light
Corals to Avoid (as a Beginner)
SPS (Small-polyp stony corals): Acropora, Montipora, etc. Require extremely high water quality, light, and stability
Goniopora (Flower Coral): Difficult to maintain long-term; for experienced keepers
Tube Coral (Clam species): Require ultra-high light and calcium
Setup Timeline: From Start to Adding Livestock
Install and run equipment (Day 1)
Mix and add saltwater (Day 1)
Add live rock (Day 1)
Add bacterial culture and wait 3-4 weeks
Test water parameters (ammonia and nitrite at 0, nitrate under 10)
Introduce soft corals in small quantities (increase gradually)
Summary
Three principles are essential for successful coral keeping: "set up proper equipment," "don't rush the startup process," and "start with soft corals."
Choosing quality lighting and protein skimmers from the beginning reduces long-term costs. Once you can maintain stable water with soft corals, progress to LPS and then SPS. This is the proven path to coral keeping success without failure.
