SOFT CORAL AQUARIUMS: THE IDEAL BEGINNER’S REEF HENRY RAFAEL
Images by Sabine Penisson except as noted
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oft corals can form colorful reefs and are generally the most easily grown type of coral in reef aquariums. Most of these corals are not demanding in terms of water and lighting parameters. Soft corals are also more disease resistant than many other types of corals, another reason why they adapt well to life in an aquarium. These corals typically do not require expensive lighting or strong water flow. They have a low demand for calcium, carbonate, and magnesium, but they do require trace elements for growth. These can sometimes be supplied solely through water changes. Most soft corals receive a lot of their nutritional needs by absorption of nutrients from our aquarium water and can thrive in less pristine
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conditions than many other reef corals require. That is why they offer beginners such an ideal start in this hobby. It is very important to control the growth of soft corals to achieve a healthy reef where multiple species of soft corals can coexist. In addition to the direct aggression of neighboring colonies, soft corals release various toxins in their battles with competing corals. Keeping a balance of growth between different species is important. We maintain this balance with constant fragmentation once these corals become mature colonies. I have had the satisfaction of keeping seven reef tanks dedicated to different types of corals, including soft corals, LPS (large-polyp