Top 5 Mistakes When Adding New Corals
Adding new corals to your reef tank is one of the most exciting parts of the hobby. It is a chance to bring new color, movement, and life into your system. But that excitement can quickly turn into frustration if you skip a few important steps. Corals are not cheap, and mistakes at this stage can set you back in both time and money.
Here are the top five mistakes reefers make when adding new corals and how you can avoid them.
1. Skipping the Coral Dip
One of the biggest mistakes is adding corals straight into the tank without dipping them first. Even if a coral looks perfectly clean, pests can be hiding in tiny cracks and crevices. Things like flatworms, nudibranchs, or other hitchhikers are often too small to spot with the naked eye.
A coral dip helps protect your reef before problems start. There are different dips available depending on your needs:
- Gentler options like Coral RX use essential oils to handle common pests.
- Stronger options like Reef Primer (a potassium-based dip) are more aggressive against stubborn critters.
- Iodine dips can also help corals recover from shipping stress or minor damage.
Important: Coral dips won't kill any eggs, so close inspection and further pest midigation steps are still a good idea.
2. Leaving the Frag Plug On
Frag plugs are convenient for coral grow out systems and shipping, but they are also prime real estate for pests. Algae, worms, and eggs can all hide on the plug. By cutting the coral off the plug before dipping, you drastically reduce the chances of introducing something unwanted into your tank.
If you like the stability of a plug, re-mount the coral onto a clean one after dipping. Many reefers also prefer the look of mounting corals directly to the rock. It blends in better long term and avoids that “plastic disc” pattern showing through as the coral grows.
Frag plugs can be removed with a coral bone cutter or a specialized coral bandsaw. Due to the cost and how often this tool is used, most reefers opt for a good, strong coral bone cutter.
3. Not Acclimating to Lighting
Lighting can make or break a coral’s success. Corals often come from tanks with very different lighting setups. Spectrum, intensity, and even photoperiods can vary widely. Dropping a coral straight under your high-powered LEDs is like walking out of a movie theater into bright sunlight without sunglasses.
- Use your light’s acclimation mode, if available.
- Start corals lower in the tank on a frag rack and let them adjust to the new environment before placing them in their final home in the tank.
- Remember, it's always safer to start with less light and slowly increase it.
4. Not Researching Coral Species Needs
Not all corals are created equal. Some thrive in high light and strong flow, while others need shade and gentler currents. Buying corals without knowing their requirements is a recipe for disappointment.
For example:
- Most SPS corals, like Acropora, need strong lighting and lots of flow.
- LPS corals, such as Blastomussa or Euphyllia, prefer moderate light and flow.
- Soft coral lighting requirements vary widely. Many soft corals can thrive in low or high lighting, if acclimated properly.
No matter the coral type, you should always research the needs of the individual species you're adding as there are a few outliers that need slightly different care.
5. Poor Mounting Techniques
You have placed your coral exactly where you want it, only to come back the next day and find it face-down in the sand. We have all been there. Proper mounting keeps corals secure and stable while they grow in.
For smaller frags, super glue gel often does the trick. For larger pieces, try the “putty sandwich” method:
- Add coral glue to the frag.
- Press it into a bit of epoxy.
- Add another layer of glue on the outside of the epoxy before pressing it onto the rock.
This combo gives you the fast hold of glue plus the strength of epoxy. Bonus points if you use an epoxy with the same color as your rockwork.
Tip: If you have a lot of frags to mount to new plugs in a short amount of time, we highly recommend Insta-set Super Glue Accelerator. One spray and your super glue gel goes rock hard in just a few seconds.
Bonus Mistake: Not Having the Right Tools On Hand
We've all done it. You walk into the LFS to grab some RO/DI water or frozen fish food and browse their selection of fish and corals. A coral catches your eye and you just have to have it. Later, you get home only to realize you're not prepared to add this coral to your tank. If you don't have the right tools to properly add it to your tank, your impulse buy can quickly become a big headache for the rest of your tank.
Always keep a few essentials on hand, like:
- Coral Dip
- Super Glue Gel & Epoxy
- Fresh Frag Plugs
- A Basic Coral Propagation Kit
- Bowls/Containers Specifically for Coral Dipping
- A Small Firm-Bristled Brush
- Some Nitrile Gloves and Eye Protection (especially if working with zoanthids or palythoa)
- Optional, but helpful:
Adam has been reef keeping since 2010 and got his start on the Bulk Reef Supply Customer Service team. He believes the best tanks are built around what you enjoy, not what’s trending. Adam is especially interested in simplifying the hobby, exploring the latest gear, and helping others focus on long-term success over chasing perfection.
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