Keeping lps corals in a 12 gallon tank

[waveflow]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share a photo of my 12G long LPS tank. It's still early days, just 5 weeks in, and I think it looks a bit bare. I'm hoping that's just a matter of time.

I recently picked up some smaller corals with the goal of nurturing them into the environment. I'm excited to see how they'll grow and fill out the space.

I'd love to hear any advice on aquascaping - I'm still figuring things out. The photo was taken before the corals were fully extended, and I've since hung the lights.

Thanks for taking a look.

[waveflow]

Let me try again.

Hi waveflow,

Your 12G LPS tank is off to a great start, but I can see why you'd think it looks a bit sterile - it's still early days.

Those smaller corals will help bring some life to the environment as they grow.

For the aquascaping, I'd suggest letting the corals settle in for a bit longer before making any major changes - 5 weeks is still pretty new.

Also, what kind of lighting are you using now that you've hung the lights - are you noticing any differences in coral extension?

[talonix]

Your tank doesn't quite match the dimensions I'd expect from a 12G long, but I'm no expert.

The aquascaping looks good to me, just give it some time to mature. I like the clean aesthetic, and that LED light seems to be doing the job for your corals.

[tides_roll]

Looks great. Is that a Mr. Aqua tank you're running?

[FinFan]

I'm a big fan of the minimalist look, personally. Just set up my own 12 long and I'm thinking along similar lines. Honestly, I think your tank looks perfect just the way it is.

[waveflow]

Thanks everyone for the feedback, really appreciate it.

It's indeed a Mr. Aqua 12G tank. I've noticed it looks way better when all the corals are fully extended, makes a big difference.

Thanks again for the input, it's helpful to get different perspectives. My wife's always telling me I'm too hard on my aquascaping, always comparing to what I see online, but I guess that's just part of the hobby.

[starwave]

I've got a 12L as well, and from my experience, new tanks just need time to find their groove. I've found that the whole "sterile" thing tends to fade as the tank matures - a year or so down the line, you'll likely be singing a different tune. Seriously though, try to resist the temptation to overstock - it's easy to get carried away, but patience will pay off. If you want to give growth a boost, try direct-feeding with some mysis shrimp every now and then. Otherwise, I think you're off to a great start - the tank's looking nice.