As you add live coral to your aquarium, keep in mind that it loves to be pampered. They require specific conditions in order to survive and will become highly stressed if they are presented to an environment that is unfamiliar to them. Any live coral that you come across is likely from somewhere in an exotic coral reef halfway across the globe. So it is understandable that they are in need of some rejuvenation.
No matter what type of live coral you want to add to your coral reef, their treatment to get used to the new environment begins with a slow-drip acclimation to equalize temperature, ph and alkalinity. It is unlikely that your coral reef is the same as their natural environment. So, instead of shocking them with the new environment, it is better to let them acclimate. High current wave action cleans any built up slime coat and loosens the sand and bacteria from their long journey.
In your aquarium, it is important to make sure that the live coral has a certain type of lighting and that it can acclimate to the artificial light in the aquarium. For low light corals, they are placed towards the bottom of the aquarium. For live coral that needs extreme lighting, it is a better idea to have these corals higher in the tank so that they can get more direct lighting.
Picking the types of live coral to add to your tank will take some more time and knowledge in order to make sure that the aquarium lasts for a longer period of time. Also, make sure that you are taking the necessary precautions when trying to acclimate the live coral into the coral reef. You also have to be patient because it could potentially take several months for it to get used to aquarium life.
