Coral placement for beginners

[floral]

I just got my first Zoanthid and Goniopora, but I'm not sure where to put them in my 20-gallon tank. The light is a Kessil A160, and I have moderate flow from a Nero 3. Any tips?

[seabird]

Yo, congrats on the new additions! Zoas are pretty chill, they'll do fine mid-tank with indirect flow. Gonis are a bit pickier, though—they like low to medium flow and decent light, but not too intense. What's your PAR reading at the bottom?

[RivenOil]

Yo, congrats on the new additions! Zoas are pretty chill, they'll do fine mid-tank with indirect flow. Gonis are a bit pickier, though—they like low to medium flow and decent light, but not too intense. What's your PAR reading at the bottom?

Agree with seabird on the Zoas. For Gonis, I'd start them on the sandbed and slowly acclimate them upward if they show signs of stretching. What's your nitrate level? They can be sensitive to higher nutrients.

[zena4x]

lol i just chucked mine wherever and hoped for the best. my zoa's vibin' near the top, but the goni's kinda sulking. maybe i should move it?

[floral]

Thanks for the advice! My PAR is around 120 at the bottom, and nitrates are at 5 ppm. I'll try the sandbed for the Goni and see how it goes.

[flamenco]

I've had luck with Zoas in higher flow spots, weirdly enough. They're tough little guys. But yeah, Gonis are drama queens. Mine took weeks to settle in.

[rhythmx]

I've had luck with Zoas in higher flow spots, weirdly enough. They're tough little guys. But yeah, Gonis are drama queens. Mine took weeks to settle in.

Same here! My Zoas are right under the wavemaker, and they're spreading like crazy. Gonis, though… sketchy little things. What salt mix are you using?

[seabird]

If your Gonis are sulking, try feeding them some Reef Roids or similar. They're greedy once they get going. And yeah, 120 PAR is solid for them on the sandbed.

[RivenOil]

Also, watch for bristleworms near your Gonis. They'll mess with the polyps if they get too close. I've had to trap a few over the years.

[zena4x]

wait, bristleworms are bad? i thought they were cleanup crew. now i'm paranoid, lol.